The morning news., 1897-03-06

method would be impossible with latter
day dress goods and hair cloth, but with
the light floating draperies of the Greeks
and Romans it was very artistic
The long folds Of train increased the
hight and softened the movements of the
ngure, and were always in high favor In
the courts of England and France, so
that their management became an art.
For a lady to trip on her skirt was as
disgraceful as for a gentleman TO get
mixed up with his sword.
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centu-
rles ladies of rank tucked several folds
of the overskirt under the left arm or
drew it up directly in front under the cross
ed hands, disclosing a colored underskirt.
AS these ladies' never crossed muddy
streets, hardly ever venturing far from
home, they had no occasion to clear the
skirt from the ground altogether, and
their raising them was more a matter of
affectation or to keep from being impeded
in walking.
The sitter and more voluminous the
skirt. the more difficult its handling, and
in Queen Elizabeth's time they were sim
ply grasped at one side These garments
must have been of enormous weight, and
1t is probable that they We're often held
up simply to ease the waist and hips.
skirts became more and more volumi-
nous; the ancient simplicity and the long
graceful folds of the early centuries were
replaced by hoops and ''panniers" These
cleared the ground and often displayed
a small portion of the ankle. In dane
ing they were grasped by both hands, and
much skill was displayed in their man
agement. Hoops subsided and were finally
replaced by an imitation Greek costume
which displayed every curve of the figure
The Teutonic nations never took so
kindly to the long skirt and train. The
Dutch wives, particularly, did not care
to be impeded by unnecessary dry goods
while the peasant girl of the sixteenth
century wore skirts reaching only to her
knees.
1t was in the eighteen century that
women began to pick up their skirts from
behind-the latest of all methods. Just
when they got into the habit Of crossing
the street on their heels it is not known
but any street-corner lounger can verify
the statement that, while men step on
their toes, the women, if it be very mud
dy, totter across on their heels
In the middle of this century hoops
broke out with renewed virulence. They
were, perhaps, the most awkward things
to handle that were ever worn. If pulled
up on the side the other side went down
correspondingly, causing a one-sided, wab-
bling appearance extremely ridiculous.
Then came the long tight tied back ar
rangement, which was, without doubt, the
uglieSt garment ever donned by woman
These skirts were very difficult to hold
up, and, fortunately, did not last a great
while.
In our own time the problem of skirts
is simpler; for without being unnecessar-
lily voluminous, they allow much free
dom of movement. Yet there does not
seem to be entire unanimity of opinion
as to the correct method of disposing of
them when crossing the street; 1t being
understood that the skirts should not be
fArT TnB Il rrrtar %IA - s11vv. IL A
known ladies' tailor thus expressed her.
self: "A handful of the skirt should be
grasped precisely in the middle of the back
and rather far up toward the waist; the
skirt should then be raised straight Up
and not drawn to one side, as this would
make the skirt tight on the opposite side
and impede the walk"
on the other hand, a prominent society
woman said: "I always draw my skirts
slightly to one side, as 1 think it is more
graceful, and it does not tire the arm so
much"
But an actress corroborated the tailor S
testimony: Il always grasp my skirts
in the back and hold them straight up
said she, suiting the action tocthe word.
IF one pulls it up at the side or draws
| it to one side, 1t says on the other side,
| and what is accomplished? Moreover, ]
| don't believe in pulling the overskirt way
up and displaying a length of ankle and
lingerie, and the viVacious little act
ress strobe across the room in an exact
imitation of an awkward, snowy girl. "In
| fact 1 never touch my skirts except in
| crossing the street, and never take both
| hands except when entering a street car.
'In days of old they had little fellows
who swept the crossings for the ladies'
but with our dirty streets one must pick
up the skirts, and it's quite an art The
| underSkirtS should be held with the dress
| ch n
| allowed to show"