Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-01-28
THE FLEKTING SHOW.
Some of Its Facts and Fancies.
Written for the JOURNAL AND CouRIER.l
NEW yoRK's HISTORIAN


'History of the City of New York" an'
editor of the Magazine of American His
| tory" who passed away almost with tn
| coming of the New Year, it has been sait
that she was the one woman who has writ
| ten history successfully. She was not onl.
! q writer and editor, but an antiquarian, I
philanthropist, business woman, an or
gsnizer of societies, and a welcome CUES
in literary social circles. Her quiet ant
unassuming manner gave no hint of hel
distinguished position among American
writer's, but she was recognized as An au
thority on American historical questions
and had won the respect of the most cru
dite scholars on both sides of the Atlantic
At the age of fifteen an article she hsd
written descriptive of her mothers birth
place was published in a Northampton,
Mass, newspaper, over her own signature,
the editor having taken pains to and out
the name of his anonymous correspondent.
The ohild's first feeling was not of that de-
light and pride that almost bewilders the
youthful aspirant for literary laurels, but
of surprise and fear. She fled to her room
and looked herself in, and would not come
out until her father, a stern man with q
poor opinion of writsrs, had positively
promised that he would not scold her.
This ordeal passed, she gathered courage
for further effort, and before she was
twenty she had had large number of
stories for children accepted by various
periodicals.
Mrs. Lambs life of eixty-three years
was one of continuous, persistent activity.
C1ae ty,li bod rr,ffI
firing interest, and, as is rarely the case
with writers, was thoroughly Systematic
in every detail of business. AS manager
of the magazine which she edited che made
that periodical financial success, re-
sult little expected. except by herself,
when the enterprise was started.
The study of history was her ruling pas,
sion, and she took as much delight in trsc-
ing obscure facts to their hiding places as
ever did Bancroft or Froude. 1t was no
trouble to her to search out musty records
and bring their forgotten verities to light,
and new item of reliable information
was real treasure to this seeker of historic
truths. Her "History of the City of New
York" has been called the most complete
and accurate record ever compiled, and her
other historical works are received as au-
thoritatige. She was al honored member
of many historical societies in this ooun-
try and in Europe, and when attending a
meeting of historians last year at Montreal
she was granted the freedom of the city,
compliment never bafore paid to a
woman.
Philanthrop!c work was also pleasure
to her. She was the originator of Homes
for the Friendless and othsr helpful Or
CARNATIONS, and in 1868 was secretary of
the first great Sanitary Fair. Size had a
genius for organizing, and love for
"societies" of all soTts. "The Colonial
Danes" owe their existence, as an asso-
citation, to her love, not merely for socie
ties, but for all that might awaken interest
in American history and keep that interest
done upon the Magazine of American
History, though valued from the first. will
probably be yet more appreciated when
later years shall prove how useful her
careful, thorough work of preserving
historical references, shall be to future
historians of our country's progress.
NOT THE DEED BUT THE SPIRIT.
A woman, whose life has been long and
checkered with many reverses, said lately:
Nothing has given me more courage to
face every days duties and troubles than a
few words spoken to me when I was a
child by my old father. He was the village
doctor. came into his Office, where he
was oompounding medicine. one day, look
ing cross and ready to cry.
"'What is the matter, Mary?'
"Im tiredl I've been making beds and
washing dishes all day, and every day, and
what good does 1t dot To. o.morrow the
beds will bs to make and the dishes to
wash over again
"Look my child he said, do you see
these little empty vislst They are all in
significant, cheap things, of no value in
themselves; but in one l put deadly
poison, in another sweet perfume, in a
third a healing medicine; Nobody cares
for the vials; it is that which they carry
that kills or cures. Your daily work, the
dishes washed or the floors swept, are
homely things and count for nothing in
themselves; but it is the anger, or the
sweet patience, or zeal, or high thoughts
that You put into them that stall last.
These make your life.
'THE COMING TERROR"
Not famine nor pestilence, not anarchy
nor war, but one of the latest mandates OF
Fashion 1t ia that now causes the hearts OF
women, and men, to fail them for fear.
From all over the civilized world of women
goes up the wail-"They say we've got tc
wesr crinoline againl" and there is not only
outspoken protest but open rebellion. II
is not only the Dress Reformer who objects
strenuously to the return of the "msd
monstrous, metal SCREEN" but every othel
woman is in state of indignant anxiety
lest the dreadful thing should in some way
be forced upon her and she be made itf
captive until another period of reaction
shall free her.
Leagues have been formed to resist iti
advance An Anti -Crinoline Society has
been formed in London, "John Strange
Winter" the novelist, being an ardent
| journal, declaims eloquently upon the sub
| iect "The hydra headed monster" ssyl
| its editor 'shall be confronted with al
the paraphernalia of defensive guild. L
shall be cast out by committee, dumb
founded by debate, prescribed from
| platform, belabored By badge, murdered
by a motto. crushed by a congress, ant
! annihilated at an afternoon tea. There il
still hope for the world, for there are still
leagues" =" After this outburst of allitera
tive eloquence. the reader must wonder /
| the writer will survive the effort lons
enough to assist in annihilating "the by
dra headed monster" "at an afternoon tea.
Even the London "Punch," with its hesv,
and labored humor, attacks the hated
French invader with a metrical volley o
ridicule, closing with this suggestion:
"If we can't say what we meao,
Write in paper, magazine,
Send petitions to the Queen,
| Get the House to intervene,
Paris fashions transmaripe,
Let us stop by quarantine
| Catastrophe Crinoline."
Why 1t has been decided that crinolin
must be worn again, and whose deoieiou |
is. no one seems quite to know. Som
mighty Potentate of Dress doubtless, els
vhy do we wall and protest? We shoul
simply ignore the command did we no
fancy there was power to enforce II
Very small affairs are already seen. jus
little stiffening wires to keep out the edg
of the new skirts, which though very snu
at the top are sloped at an angle which al
lows of great fulness at the lower edge
Thus, insidiously, the entering wedge ha
been driven. First, the gored skirt; sec
ond, the larger angle of the gore; third,
few little wires to prevent the full folds o
cloth from interfering with locomotior
lastly, the hoop skirt and its attendan
miseries.
A volume might be written upon 9Th
Rise and Decline of the Crinoline MOI
archy." This would chow that Fsshio
itself is only hoop, slowly revolving an
bringing again to the height of populsrit
the modes that have been repeatedly dii
carded. That It's turning is done to slo'
music Is proved by the fact that sbou
102O the hoop skirt was in vogue;