The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-08-19


dazed and sor- LIKE A JACK L A BOX.
rowful gaze. Was that Carrie Carnar-
sic that vast, silken mound, sur
mounted by a tiny bust and head?
Once she had lower limbs, and was
made after the manner of human crea-
lures. Now she was no more than a
modernized Hindoo idol set upon a pyr-
anidal pedestal.
And the costume itself. What a COM
pick combination of loops, bands, tapes.
steel things, like revolted clock
springs, and sheets of stuff stiffened
with glue-or whatever 1t may be-bil-
lowing. bounding, swaying, sweeping.
| admit there was a sort of majesty in
its very voluminousness. AS | swished
up and down the room | was conscious
or a new dignity. a sense of Importance
such as | had never experienced before.
| felt almost queenlv as | turned to
Primer with haughtily elevated head
and inquired:
well, what do you think of ito"
'Gorge-ious.' breathed my tirewom-
an, clasping her hands in ecstasy.
You look like one of them empire
esses in the pictures"
laughed, for the absurdity of it all
struck me irresistibly, and sank into
an armchair; when-oh. heavens. I
was sticking out in front like a fun
mel. jumped up again with a cry of
horror.
"Will it do that whenever | sit down,
Plnner-before people, you know??"
"Oh no., miss replied my maid.
soothingly. You must learn how to
manage it same as ladies did in your
mas time, when they wore filters.
You give it a hitch behind and a kick
at the side, you see. and it's all right
After an hours faithful practice l
acquired the trick; that is, l could sit
down gracefully and respectfully. with
the back of the skirt arranged behind
me like a silken aureola. With a sigh
of relief | took it off and directed Pin
ner to hang it carefully over the form.
| had conquered the monster-so / fond
ly imagined.
But oh! that never-to-be-forgotten
night of the Amboy's reception.
Girard came early. Glrard, you know.
ID IL 0udt Ii duOIHct UldUUcT, i
am talking of crinoline now. l kept
the dear fellow waiting a full hour; for
| wanted to look particularly nice, and
that awful costume gave Primer and
mt no end of trouble.
When l came downstairs Girard
looked at me with a quizzical air.
II am to appear" he said. 'as Low
ell observes. with a silken wonder at
my side Well, since l am to be the
Palinurus of this galley [who was
Palinurus, anyway? 1t isn't fair to at
tack a defenseless girl with classical
bomb shellsl ''let us set sail at once"
We descended to the carriage and |
prepared to spring into it with my
usual agile grace. when l felt myself
seized and pulled back. as by a giant
hand. My wretched skirt had caught
l stuck, partly within and partly out of
the vehicle. Poor Girard. with a face
of alarm and disgust, was madly
squeezing, patting and punching the
refractory crinoline. in the wild en-
deavor to get it into the carriage.
At length l succeeded in getting in,
skirts and all, and Girard followed.
BY hitching and twisting. l managed to
allow ten inches of seat to Girard.
The remainder l occupied myself. I
literally filled the carriage to overflow
ing: 1 spread on the floor, l tapped at
the roof; l looked out of one window
in the shape of a f~lounce, and out of
the other in the guise of a rufie; | Law
across Girard's knees;I tickled his nose;
l felt myself to be utterly barbarous
and abominable.
We arrived at last before the Amboy
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