Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-06

Jury mas no mlnd, or getS no clotno6 IN
the course of the afternoon unrolled
goods for woman who wanted a dress.
She would know just what she wanted. she
said, as soon as she saw 1t. She didn't
want coat, and she was afraid che
would want one IL she didn't get 1t. One
thing was sure, she didn't want hair cloth
in her skirt, and still she supposed she
wanted to be like everybody else. and
would have to have 1t. She wanted green,
herself, but her husband wanted her to
have blue, and the friend with her said
that she must not make the mistake of
wanting anything but black. II she wan.ed
something becoming. To which she an
swered that she didn't so much want some
thing becoming as she did want something
real stylish. Meanwhile, I had lifted and
unrolled and rolled up and put back no
fewer than seventeen kinds of cloth, and
at the end of little less than an hour she
concluded that she wanted to go to Balti-
more and see what there was over there
before she decided, and wouldn't kindly
let her have a sample of this. and this.
and-yes. of that, too. She knew she didn't
sample along, anyhow, to show her hus-
band.
With Bicycle, Dog and Whip.
On top Of this it was reviving to have
girl with a whip and a dog blow In to be
fitted for bicycle suit. She had legs and
she didn't care how often she spoke about
them. She knew her mind. she did. likewise
her legs, and the conspicuous part they
play bicycling. She insisted on having her
skirt adjusted with reference to this. You
can't be too smooth on bicycle. she said.
as her coat, che wanted that smooth, too
She strided a chair for a bicycle and babe
the tailor notice how the coat was going to
wrinkle when she bumped herself for a mile
dash. Then, when he had pinned the coat
to fit a mile dash, she sat up and showed
him how 1t was going to draw when she
wheeled at parade pace. She ordered 1t
let out SO that her diaphragm would be
same time, she demanded that it be held
in to keep her shape about the waist. This
experience was new light on bicycling. 50
far as my knowledge went. had believed
ercise. Now know it is largely a matter
of shape"
Helping to Decide.
In removing dresses from women during
the dty I was called upon for my opinion
SO often there are likely to be some styles
in Easter gowns which may or not be-
writer down in books. One woman COM
planned to me that she thought the revers
of her coat were not large enough. where
upon promptly told her that broad revers
are all out Of style-that I'VE" were max
ing alterations in a coat Mrs. Senator -
had just received from Paris. and the
revers were even narrower than hers. Ac-
ecrdingly, hers were ordered diminished.
Another woman complained to me that her
skirt vas not snug enough around the
hips, and told her we were making all
crepons a trif1e easy over the hips because
they crinkle up In the damp after they are
worn while. and are apt to become too
snug. I helped another woman decide on
buttons that would kill me II I had to
wear them myself. She said. however, that
of course my judgment is better than hers
l., - m
who, when she was announced, caused the
tailor to groan and exclaim, Let us pray.
I've been sewing for that woman eleven
years. and she has never once told me
she liked anything I've made her." That
woman I made perfectly happy. After the
tailor had left me to take off her suit I
told her I thought the color was not very
becoming and that the style Of the coat
the women who are never glad unless they
are miserable, and when she had looked
at herself all ways In the glass she said
was right, and she went of SO utterly
wretched she was almost smiling.
A Phase of the other Side.
In one corner of the work room, with the
radiance Of spring colors and the glory of
silks and satins all about was a woman
showing phase of the "other side Of
Easter gowns, quite apart from that I
studied In the fitting room and show room.
Ihis Woman's worn, nervous, anxious face
stood out from the generally contented ap-
pearance of the girls, and I noticed her
when first began work. Toward noon she
crumpled up over a rose-colored silk skirt
she was sewing on and began sobbing The
tailor went to her. and was kind. She soon
stopped crying. but not worrying. Like
myself. she was ION triar'-for her a seri-
Gus matter. Her family Is in need and in
debt, and the fear that she might not suit
prophesied in her heart that she would
not. so she stitched into the rose-colored
silk disbursement and despair.
don't mind telling that stitched some
despair and incipient starvation into a pair
OF black silk sleeves myself. 1 hope the
stitches will not prick the wearer whoever
she may be. But bite of lunch from a
brown paper package Is more strict OBJ
servance of Lent than my carnal nature
Is used to. Also, bending over sewing from
half-past in the morning till in the
evening Is a trade my spinal column has
not learned. My shoulders ached, my eyes
ached, my fingers were pricked and sore
and stiff, and altogether I hate sewing
I say it frankly, unwomanly as the con-
fessiops may sound. Every pretty gown 1
shall see on Easter will give me a crick in
the back, and cause me to reflect on the
good points of sackcloth. I didn't return
to the tailor's for a second days trial, and
If he has wondered why the new girl
failed to finish the week for which she
was engaged he may know now it was be-
cause sewing does not agree with the con-
stitution of PAULINE PRY