Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-03-26
SAVED By FASHION.
LIFE AND LIMB PROTECTED BY rHs
FADS OF STYLE.
Tall Collars, High Heels and Turned Cr
Trousers Life Savers-A Man Held
Back From a Wate-y Grave by His
Chimney Pot Hat.

Back From a Wate-y Grave By Hi
Chimney Pot Hat.
Our dress has often been ridiculed fol
its want of beauty. We are told Their,
is nothing artistic and in many case
little pertaining to comfort in nine
teenth century garments.
The hablllment of some Of our cont
mental neighbors is far superior. both il
elegance and usefulness, to our own, SC
1t Is said, but We do not question thi:
statement, as it is not our present duty
to pick out tho drawbacks of dres:
that has satisfied US so long.
Ugly as Is our customary mode, it ha:
more than once been the means of saw
ing the life of the wearer or been instru
mental IN preventing accidents which
might have proved serious or fatal.
A gentleman wearing a collar of ex
IRENE height and riSidity while re
posing idly on heathery moorland fell
into dose, but reused himself to fine
something moving about his neck. and
was just prevented putting his hand Oh
the place By companion, who at that
moment glanced up from his paper
The troublesome visitor was q large
adder, which, coiling its Shiny body
round the gentieman's throat, would
probably have bitten him severely but
for the unusual height of the linen band
that has been favorite point of attack
of the dress reformers for an inconceiv
able period.
BY an adroit movement the friend
caught the reptile behind the head, thus
preventing injury to his hand. The col.
lar, however, was impaired in the mo.
mentary struggle, and an ugly stain
was pointed out as the deadly election
of the poisonous fangs
High heels-those peglike elevations
which we are induced to believe have
caused untold misery to the feet of
women Of fashion-have at least one
good service to their credit-in saving
the life Of fair mountaineer.
This foolish person essayed the climb
ing of PERCEPTIONS cliffs in French kid
boots. with heels of the peculiar bell
shape once so fashionable, and on the
present occasion it was well that she
did not wander far from her companions.
III bNslitc
lily Of her leathern elevations for noun
taineering, was irrepressible, and ven
turing too near the edge of jutting
rock she Slipped, and her frightened
companions expected to see her dashed
to atoms on the lodges below.
But, no! The high heel which had
occasioned her fall became entangled in
the thick brier branches and was sufIi-
ciently strong TO support the venture
some woman for the few moments until
her friends could obtain firm grip OF
her limbs and restore her safely to the
mountain path.
When examined, the shoe was found
to be nearly MISUNDERSTANDING heel
hanging by few rivets only. An Or
binary mountain boot, with a flat,
square heel, would have offered no angle
OF support for the briers, and under 9TH
er than the present circumstances the
climber would certainly have met with
a terrible death.
An incident somewhat similar, but
of not so dangerous character, has
been reported of young fashionable,
who had occasion to ride on the outside
of an omnibus through crowded thor
ouShfare.
Leaning over the rails, he overbal-
anced himself aud would have been
thrown III the midst Of the traffic but
for the reason that the bottoms of his
trousers We're turned up in that unrea-
sonable style once more prevalent than
at present with the exquisites of fashion.
The turned up hem was slung on the
edge of the rail, while the scared youth
dangled, with frantic arms sprawling,
over the windows, with face as red as
a beet root.
A fellow passenger released him from
above, and he was permitted to drop
into the arms Of the conductor A fall
from such an elevation would have
meant a dislocated shoulder or a broken
leg at least.
What romance or history can be con-
nected with the ugly chimney pot hat?
Yet quite lately one of these inartistic
creations saved the life of a venture
some gentleman. Strolling beyond high
water mark. he suddenly discovered
himself caught by the tide, and being
hemmed in by betting, inaccessible
rocks all means Of escape seemed cut
Off
The water rushed in, and the terri
fed gentleman was taken off his feet,
with not boat in sight to render him
deliverance nor a person to hear his dis
tressed cries. Unable to swim, he would
soon have been drowned but for a little
occurrence which proved his salvation.
During his struggle the silk hat he
wore was washed off his head, and the
man clutching at it as the only attain
able object was surprised to find tina. it
buoyed him up.
His arms Were clasped, encircling the
brim, while the top of the hat, partly
submerged, resisted the water BY main
tanning this position he was enabled to
keep himself aiioat for nearly / 5 min
utes, at the end of which time boa.
rounded the cliffs The boatmar. OBJ.
serving him, quickly rescued him from
an inevitable fate -London Tit Bits.
His Lessons.