The record-union., 1893-05-17
W0MAN'S CONGRESS.
LIVELY TIMES IN SEVERAL. SIM
ULTANEOUS MEETINGS.
Dress Retormers Exhibit Themselves
For an Inspection of Their
New Costumes.
Special to the REcoRp.uN1oS.

special to the RECoRD-UNIoS.
CHICAGO, May 16.-There were lively
times to-day in several different stimuli
taneous meetings, all subdivisions of the
Woman's Congress, in session in the
great Art Palace on the lake-front. The
halls and corridors of the big structure
were crowded with famous women, and
topics ranging from dress reform to eyo-
luton were under discussion. Mrs. Nav
Wright Sewall of Indiana, President of
the International Council of Women. pre-
sided over the Department on Dress Re-
form. She appeared in a reform costume.
with full skirt, cut eighteen inches from
the floor, and the limbs below the border
encased in neat-fitting blue leggings. The
other notable women on the platform
were Lucy Stone, Frances NJ. Steel, Anna
Jenness Miller, Octayia Bates, Frances
w. Letter and Charlotte Emerson Brown.
A number of ladies in the audience also
wore reform costumes. Susan B. An
thony read paper prepared by Elizabeth
Cady Stanton on the "Civil and Social
Evolution of Woman" In the Depart
ment of International Women's Christian
Association Mrs. Charles Kendall Adams
of Wisconsin read an address on "Pious
Education"
In the Department of the Congress of
National Council Mrs. Sewall introduced
Mrs. Lucy Stone, who was received with
great applause. Mrs. Stone, in giving
her "reminiscences of early dress reform,
told of her own personal experience in
bloomer costume in Boston.
There was a perceptible flutter when
the President announced that owing to
the absence of Frances +. Russell the
ladies' report of the Committee on Work
would be read by Rachel Foster Avery.
Secretary Avery is one of the ultra re-
formers. and the ladies in the audience
insisted on her standing on the table so
they might see her costume. She climbed
up, and there was a general chorus of
"Ohs." Her attire reminded one of the
dress of the Turks in Midway Plaisance.
The skirt of blue flannel came Just below
the knees, where the garment was di-
vided and caught up, leaving the ankles
half way up free and unfettered. The
waiste was a loose blouse.
After the buzzing in the audience SUBJ
sided, Mrs. Avery proceeded with her re-
port. Others read papers on the subject.
and Mrs. Henrietta Russell created an
other flutter in her illustration of How
beauty makes reform possible" With
her form arrayed in an adaptation of
Greek drapery, she was herself most
striking exponent of the matter on which
she spoke.
Then came Mrs. Hannah Karau. a
native of Syria. She said the bloomer
costume resembled in many points the
costume of her native country. but added,
"You must not think that because a few
of us prefer the native dress, all do.
Women are the same in Syria as in all
other countries. They copy the dress of
Europeans, and as many as can dress
a la mode"
The division of the work of the Con-
gress, by having many simultaneous
meetings during the day and tonight.
made possible the transaction of a vol
ume of business that could not have been
attempted had all the proceedings been
confined to one hall or one session. In
deed the mere title of the addresses and
names OF speakers, to say nothing of the
details of the proceedings, would alone
occupy a column of newspaper space.
At the different meetings among the
prominent speakers were Lady Aberdeen,
Ellen Foster, Mrs. Lozier, President of
the Sorosis, Jane Golden Unwin and
many more. The climax was the recep-
/ tion in honor OF the delegates, Board of
Lady Managers, ETC., by the West End
l Woman's Club, at the Illinois Club.