Omaha daily bee., 1893-11-12
BIRD TRAPS FOR BEAUTY
The Fashionable Feminine Hat a Premium
on Cruelty.
SLAUGHTER or BEDS FOR HEsDGtAR
hn Omaha Indignation Meeting and the
Resolves Thereat-Glris at College
Mentton Of the Modes-Talk
About the Women.

MARKS had evidently been attending q
meeting OF the Society for the Proven
tion OF Cruelty 70 Animals. one OF them
was q little woman with bright brown
eyes, dressed in a brown dress OF the
new warm shade which is so fashionable
this fall and so becoming to women with
brown ewes. She appeared to be a little
bit excited, as a woman Is apt to be VINO
Is not accustomed to speaking in public
and sits still while matters are being
discussed in which h has deep in
terest.
Il think it is the height Of hypocrisy
or inconsistency for women to meet and
talk and ~resolute about preventing
cruelty to animals, with their hats on
their heads covered with little dead
birds, pretty little creatures that never
did any harm in the world. and we may
be sure God never created them
for any such purpose. There
was one woman there today
sitting next to me with no less than
three of the sweetest little hummlng
D.. birds on her hat, green and gold. little
fragments of q rainbow as Audubon
calls them. OF course some heartless
man or boy was compelled to kill them,
and enjoyed the sport. too, more than
likely, Just so a woman who could afford
St could deck herself in them IL at
tend a humane society. l think 1t Is a
shame
well, you are rather vehement. said
the nice old woman with the Paisley
shawl. Don't you remember some
years ago there was a cry raised against
women wearing lead birds, and a reform
was instituted so that for a long time it
was not considered good form for a lady
20 wear anything more than the plumage
Of a bird. This winter it seems
that is all forgotten, as never
In ell the winters of my life saw so
many birds as are displayed in the show
windows and on women's hats. l mel a
young lady the other day with a whole
blackbird on a white hat. OF course 1t
looked beautiful. no one could deny that,
but when she gets to De as old as | am
she will know that looking beautiful is
only one of q young lady's privileges
and when she is obliged to practice
cruelty in order 10 be in style, then Is a
good time to stop to consider
ITS rather funny, isn't it." said the
quiet woman in the black suit, that
neither Of we women have a bird
on. I wonder if it just happened so, is
it a matter of principle or is it because
We cant afford birds. One might sup
pose we were ~envlous."
'sYou know very well you have often
heard me say that nothing could tempt
ne to ever wear a dead bird on my hat.
said the woman in brown. AS for afford
ing ing it, there are birds and birds and
anyone can afford some variety. | car
think Of nothing that is so utterly with,
out excuse. Plumage and manufacturer
trimmings look well enough and no boy
Is taught to be heartless and to inhic'
suffering on innocent creatures"
Il think" said the woman in black
'that most ladies have not had theil
attention called to the matter and do
not realize what it means when they ask
the price OF a gorgeous bit OF feathered
grace in q millinery window and the
salesman says: That bird is one we i'm
ported ourselves. They are only found
In South America. where orchids -four
fish you know, and are very rare. TIL
mother bird only lays one egg in @ sea
son, and il only a few are captured w
must wait several years oSfore enough
can be found to make II pay to hun
them. They are captured by the ma
tives and sell for as apiece. They ar
South American humming birds
asked a dealer last week ii he sold man,
birds, natives of the United States. an
he told me that he sold a good many
but most of the birds came from tn
tropics, where the plumage is so muc'
brighter. That is enc reason why n
more attention is paid TO the slaughter
1t Is so far off. Women never realiz
suffering in another country like the
do what they can see with their ow
eyes
Il think" remarked the elderl
woman. that il we ask our friends I
pledge themselves TO never wear a dea
bird on their hats W. can stop the DE-
mand to some extent. and | am In fave
of trying, anyhow, and see what can b
done. That is the idea that was az
vanced IN the society to which | b
longed about ten years ago in the cas-
Our aim was to make them unfashioni
BILE. For, say what you will, II a thin
is stylish a woman will have il il ST.
can. We could not bring il up in III
meeting very-well. for ii would be Q,
~cessive bad taste to call attention TO III
members present who happened TO hay
birds on their hats. and so what We
must be outside in a quiet way and /
trying TO frown the style out OF exis
ence, but it is late and I must be gettin
home. Goodby.
Little things are good things in whic
TO reform. II all thought women wOul
take a firm stand against the seemiI
cruelty displayed in the loading OF ha
with dead birds and would never /
foreign a~rtistes who set the styles, al
who are always men, prevail on them
lay aside their principles, it would
impossible for birds to be sold, and il
is known that they will not be sold the
will be a very easy solution Of a que
tion which lies wholly in woman's d
main and for which she alone is respo
sible. II you are a member Of the n
name society be consistent.
-
When you arrive at college a trel
bling freshman, unknowing and u
known, the first girl who is pointed o
To you is the popular girl. Beau
counts for nothing among your fellC
students, says a writer in HarpeI
Bazaar, and money or high scholarsh
likewise ayails nothing, but one ".
has the honor Of being called a popul
girl possesses a host OF friends and q
mirers.
''She is the most popular girl in h
class says your friend, pointing our
girl with, perhaps, red hair, freckl,
and a snub nose. You gaze at b
plainness of countenance, and wond
wherein lie her attractions. But WIN
once you have met her, you count yol
salt among her adOrars forthwith n