The herald., 1895-08-25
MRS. SAGE SAYS BLOOMERS

If woman. will follow the pursuits OF
a man, will become an equal in work and
ambitions, she must have a practical cos
tune. She cannot wait to grasp her
skirts If she must grasp a particular car
railing; she cannot wait for her skirts If
she must he at the Office in time to begin
work with her brother. The woman of
lesure need take no part in the demand
for reform dress. only inasmuch as she
chooses to assist her working sister.
So says Mrs. Russell Sage, whose opin-
ion is not only valuable because she is
Mrs. Sage, but equally so as coming from
a woman who is q careful reasoner,a a SYM
pathlzing sister and one capable of ex-
pressing her views in manner attractive
and logical
The bloomer question was to be the
subject of my interview, and as l sat on
the sofa which Mrs. Sage told me was one
hundred years old, | wondered what fig
ures of weight and means might be regis
tered on those springs, and l could not
refrain from crushing one blue cushion
numerically.
Cedarhusrt, L. l.. is the summer home
of the Sages and the scene of my inter
view Mrs. Sage told me of her home in
Syracuse. where she knew the real Mrs.
Bloomer. Mrs. Sage as girl was Miss
Slocum. daughter of Joseph Slocum.
Tho atmosphere OF her home at Syracuse
was entirely conservative. Nevertheless
when the people came to Syracuse to the
antl-slavery meetings, when DR.. Samuel
May gathered the progressive set about
him there and Mrs. Bloomer came in
from Seneca Falls, Mrs. Sage very often
attended the meetings.
DR.. May was powerful factor in the
anti-slaveIy cause. and Mrs. Bloomer was
also an abolitionlst. She came as dole
gate and her costume excited some atten.
tion. Her manner, as Mrs. Sage remem-
beTs her. was unpretentious, quiet and
delicately feminine. Her costume showed
total disregard for effect. and was man.
ish only to the extent of practicability.
Her bodice was soft and b.lted at the
waist her collar ample and correct, as
was also her prlm bonnet; her skirt fell
half way from knee to ankle. and then
the bloOmer-realiy q pantalct-made Of
the same black material as the rest of her
costume. reaching to her boot tops.
In those days pantalets were the vogue,
and Mrs. Sage smiled as she told me of
her own favorite pair. with four little
rutfles, always crimped for Sunday. Mrs.
BlooIner did not appear too stong-minded
then. as she only gave up muslin for the
more serviceable material. AS Mrs.
Sage SO knew Mrs. Bloomer, she agreed
that she was entirely what she aimed to
competent of realizing results from her
theories.
Mrs. Miller, daughter of Gerrit Smith
OF Syracuse was the next noticeable
patron of the bloomers. but her costumes
were always of handsome black silk.
i That clock is seventy.five years old.
1t was my mothers said Mrs. Sage,
pointing to q pretty hanging clock IN the
drawing room. II wind it always myself
and to do so must step upon that ia BILE.
In this effort l. find my skirts dangerous
as we'll as inconyeniet. Yet l consider
woman can only afford to sacrifice the
grace OF skirts at the altar of necessity.
A womans dinner party would be as
ordinary as a club luncheon without the
added charm of variety of costume But
as street or walking dress we need
uniform which can be worn till worn out
on every outdoor OCCASION. This need
not embrace coat. vest. necktie, etc., but
should essentially contain all-but only
all-it calls fora comfortable, practical
walking costume. whether bloomer,
divided skirt or pantalet. with any femi-
nine variations OF which it will reason-
ably admit. On bicycle, of course 1
cannot see how woman would attempt
to ride without the bloomef. New
York Herald.