Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-03-23
A PERSIAN PRINCESS.


/ TChOINN TNINCESS.
Her Rsief Experience with the Europcur
style of Dress.
My friend the princess came ND to
mo in II somewhat confidential man.
ncr to ask me if | would allow her
to don certain articles of my attire.
"All of us, she said, "have the
greatest desire to become English in
our dress and customs, but although
such privilege as that will never
be granted us still | have great
wish to sec how / should look in
them, just for fun. "
Entering into tho joke, | led tho
way to my bedroom, but ] hardly re.
allied what difficulties We're pend.
ing, She was not happy until per.
mittcd her to begin from tho very
beginning of nCthcrmost garments
and had to work gradually upward. |
The stays she several times impress.
ed upon me must on no account be
omitted, but here difficulty at once |
presented itself, for they would not
meet within 10 on - inches. She
was determined, however, not to be |
mastered, and it was not until the |
laces had been cut and lengthened |
and rccut and tried on and taken off |
numberlcsS times that Snc succeeded |
with II last tremendous struggle in
fastening them around her
Hoping that at last the efforts of
attempting to put Persian princess
into European clothes were well
nigh ended for every fresh crack
acted somewhat rs shock to my
nervous system, | remarked, Nov
that the toilet is drawing to compile
ton does thoprinccss find herself to
her liking?'
"What is it you mean" she ox-
claimed. "Why, the principal part ia
not yet begun. You do not wear
your hair like this, said she as she
drew up III her hand bunch of
some 80 or moro narrow plaits that
reached below her knees. At The
request of II princess these trCSScs
had Of course to be all unplaitcd and
cOmbcd out and twisted III masses
of dusliy coils around her small and
shapely head that was we'll set upon
her shoulders. Her hair was as
thick, as coarse and as unmanagca-
blcas Il horse ) tail would be to dress,
and as why Also and when it was
at last, with great deal of trouble,
pinned up securely it covered the
entire head three times over. This
finishing stroke to her toilet gave
the princess intense satisfaction, and
she was full of childish admiration
for herself
THAT is very good, very good"
she remarked rs she twisted herself,
smiling, now this way, now that, =
before the mirror. Every one
would take mo to be English, Now
give me your hat with the long black
feathers, and then l will walk down
the garden to my brothers. house
and see if he will know me. "
She left the room in 4 state of &c. {
stasy over herself, but to return in t
an instant, with her fingers spread {
out before, eXclaiming, "Khanum, 5
khanum (lady), when you 90 out, do ,
you not always wear gloveS?o t
For the princess to have walked
even Il short distance without any t
kind of escort and with her face I'M /
yelled showed that enterprise was 4
not lacking in her character, for she {
had never taken such a bold step in 4
her life before, and she was but IS.
Tho costume that she had adoptcd, {
however, gave her confidence, for !
she knew she would not be recOg- a
nized.
In spite of her admiration for her
self i'll this costume she was in truth
by no means altered for the better.
In her own comparatively rough and ~
tastelcSs dress she looked delicate +
md refined as compared with her :,
eastern sisters, but Immediately she j.
assumed Il moro civilized attire her ,
great charm vanished, and her for.
Nor attractions seemed coarse and
J,
1t was not long before tho poor
princess returned detected and I'M e
happy, with tears standing in her ;,
largo brown eyes. Her brother, she
toni me, di1-uot for some moments Il
recognize her, but fancicd her to be
some European lady coming to make >,
! visit to his wife. when he saw =,
It was me, his sister, "shcrcmarkcd,
his comtenance became black as =,
he thunderclouds, and he badc mo Il
With all haste change my dress, for ,
lc was filled with shame at seeing y
hat daughter of his fathers vito !,
'ould 50 greatly bemean herself as -
o ATTEMPT to initiate a European" 7
Bridget Sunwell in London Queen.