Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-29
"MINNEHAHA" IN BOOMERS
New Woman Movement at the Home Of the
Digger Indian.
His Squaw is DOMINIC the Bifurcatcd
Habiliment That Now Marks
Fashions Progress.

From the San Francisco Examiner.
The new woman movement has struck
the aborigines of the Serras. The help
mate of the noble red man has joined the
van of progress and before another season
the mountain trails will have a pctur
esque attraction that will open the eyes of
the Yosemite tourist and bring 4 new joy
to the kodak fiend.
1t has all come about from a bloomer eX-
petition that invaded the Sierra forest re-
serve and spent few lingering weeks in
the Yosemite. The boomers were for COLI
venience; the expedition was for pleasure.
Circumstances turned it likewise into a
camp of instruction
The arrival of the expedition was nine
days sensation along the line of travel.
1t is calculated to have elevated 50 per cent
of the female noses in the district through
which it marched. But foremost in dis
dain were the daughters of nature. the
dusky maids and matrons of the Digger
race. The shifts and criticisms from the
daughters of the pale-face at the sight Of
the blocmer were as nothing to the stares
of diSapproval that were drawn from TIE
spouse of the red man. The white woman
had read the newspapers and seen the
comic journals and knew that afar there
going on a contest before which the
cinging. hampering skirts were whitening
burning norther. Hence, though shocked
she was prepared. The red woman lacking
the advantages of reading ard the enlight-
enment of comic art was taken unwarned.
The squaw Is nothing II not conservative.
When the first bloomer hove in sight she
gathered herself by the roadside, stared in
amaZement end joined with others Of her
sex and race in loud and jocular comments.
The stares could be understood. The re-
marks were almost as Ineligible as though
they had been made in the white mans
tongue. The bloomer could hardly have
been more effectively treated bv con-
course of dowagers in a ball room of the
fashionable.
The scuaw of the Digger has for untold
moons been devoted to the calico wrapper.
large figured, with designs dating back to
the days of the Dolly Warden cloths. and
displaying wealth of color that rivals the
naSturtium. Her gowns exhaust the re-
sources of the dye pot in the matter of
reds and design about the size Of a fist
is considered up to date among the aboriS-
inal arstocracy. The squaw is inclined to
be large Of figure and the reverse of ele-
giant as to shape. When 200-pound lady,
with figure like sack of wheat, decks
herself in red wrapper with six-inch
patterns and made up in the fin de steele
style current in Digger society, the effect is
stunning Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these.
The bloomer company declined to be
abashed at the shock they had given to
aboriginal society. The obvious disapprov-
al of the tinted matrons, however, made
communication difficult. But at length the
captain of the bloomer brigade secured
speech with the largest squaw in the val
ley.
The squaw was frigid, the bloomer cap
tain arlable. The bloomer captains ques
TORS having been codly answered, the
squaw turned Guestioner herself, cycling the
boomers the while:
What for you wear I'm pants?
Why" said the boomer captain, at
tempting to adapt her ideas to the supposed
hafr her
heap good. Help make it easy to walk,
easy to ride, easy to climb over rocks
climb a fence
The explanation put new light on the
Ugh. You like um?' The sduaw was
vsiby so.tenng.
The bloomer captain fired with the
seal and eloquence of the primitive mis-
sicnary. She expat:ated at length upon the
comfort and advantages of the boomers,
detailed the cause and adventures of the
trip, and ended with the declaration: 80,
you see, We couldn't do without them
The sGuaw seemed to think it quite like
ly. She gazed at the garment with a mol
Lifted eye and her grim lips softened their
expression
You catch UNI pattern" she said, per-
Suas :vely.
"Whatr exclaimed the blcomer captain.
There We're two or three exclamation points
and az Interrogation in her voice.
You catch um patten-pants patten,
explained the squaw. taking hold of the
garment to make her meaning plain.
The bloomer captain understood. She had
made a convert. The sGuaw wanted to
build herself a pair of boomers
YES" she reflected there's an, cid pair
a. the camp. Come down some time and
you may have them"
The squaw meant business. There was
no some time about her. She wanted the
boomers at once, and followed the bloomer
captain to the camp and got them.
"Oh, Lordr' said the old rancher TO whom
they told the story; have they got it,
too?'
do you know what you have done?" he