The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-20
Truth Is Now Stylish,
Fashionable People No Longer Tell Polite Flbs--tmInentI
Proper to Be Poor

PROPER 10
It is quite the newest fashion to be
truthful. In days gone by, if you or
or our dearest friend or our bitterest
enemy were a shabby gown, didn'. 80
to the OPERA gave up the carriage o;
was not seen on an ocean steamer that
year, the explanat on-a very weak one
always was that I'VE didn't care to-" As
IL any woman would prefer wearing
shabby frocks. Is X any woman wncth-
er che liked muse OF not, would prefer
TO give no me opera, or as If any woman
--or any man, fGI that matter-preter"ed
TO give IN Inc good things of life. But
we used TO be such fools about it. Weak
as the explanation was, we pretended
TO believe that ulhCr le"ple believed us.
Everybody knew that we were las. and
pretty poor ones. Nowadays we fell thu
truth and shame that worldly gentleman
in black, an,! peGp.A cal! us noble. Mnc
Aristocrat who is as stingy as eve" She
can be, goes visiting in frock made i'll
the days OF the Modes and Persans,
clasps her hands in a tragic way and
cannot afford new frock." 1t is fash
ionable to be poor, though there are q
great many people who are in fashion
who would rather have more ducats ard
be less stylish. Still this truth telling
fever is not as bad as it. might be. for it
does give reason, and a sensible one,
for u great many things. 1t makes it
possible for mere, ordinary everyday
people to do as they should and keep
ont of debt, and to be perfectly frank
az to why they are. not foolishly extra
VACANT.
ECONOMY OF THE RICH.
1t is always the poor who are extrava-
CANT. The rich woman utilizes every
scrap Of material, has every gown
made over. and keeps rich, because she
is economical. The poor woman is so
desperately afraid Of being thought poor
that she goes into debt, does not give
the proper wear to her belongings and
carries a burden on her shoulders that
makes her old and ugly before her time.
once had the pleasure of going into
the wardrobe room of very wealthy
woman, and that wardrobe room was
an object lesson to me. 1t was Il large.
light room on the top floor of the house.
with wardrobes built around it on all
sides, drawers being under these ward
robes and with high shelves built ABOVE
them to hold bonnet boxes. Here all
gowns were kept. Those that were To-
be worn were ready for assumption.
Those that had been worn came up to be
brushed. looked over. and carefully put
away. Here all day long sat two maids
sewing. brushing, and making over,
while the greatest care WIS given to
each portion of a frock when il was
put away. Sleeves were stuffed with It's
sue paper to keep them in shape. Bits of
eolofed tissue paper went over white
lace to prevent its becoming yellow.
Parasols were softly wrapped in Thin
white wool stuff. Boots, shoes, and slip
pers were all on their trees and stand
ing in the drawers. Every hat box had
written upon it in big letters a terse de-
scripti0n of the hat in it. so that one
did not lose ones temper by going
through innumerable boxes searching
for one particular chapeau. Most re
markable of all were the boxes filed
with gowns that had been ripped apart
When a dress had done its duty in life
the thrifty maid took it, ripped it care
fully apart, made it Immediately clean
and then sized its possibilities. The silk
lining was folded, and on the paper
wrapping it was written, Here is
enough purple silk to make petticoat I"
The brocade that formed the dress was
carefully done up, its measurement de-
scribed, and there was suggested in
writing, This will make a handsome
sofa pillow or This may be developed
into party bags or chair covers" The
finely cut steel buttons were wrapped
separately and boxed. The laces were
cleaned and carefully basted on sheets
of colored paper and laid in large fat
boxes Absolutely nothing was wasted
The consequence is when new dress
is to be made, after some thought has
been given to its general style, the maid
will remind the modiste Of the ex-
quisite lace founce already possessed,
of the finely-cut rhinestone buckle that
was on the pink satin or of the set of
steel buttons that appeared on another
gown, and any one of these is ready tol
go forward and do duty again. Feathers
from bonnets are in special boxes. Flow
ers are carefully Strengthened out and
thought given to their possible use.
Nothing is counted worthless unless it is
20, and the consequence is that this wo-
man can afford to be generous. She
does not give away old inery, but when
she wants to help She can afford to put
her hand in her purse and offer rSoney
to whoever needs it.
GIVING AWAY RUBBISH
Apropos OF giving, laughed in half
hearted way the other night. My hair
Rdresser, who is a widow with four small
, children to support and an aged mother
to care for, was Juggling an enormous
brown paper box as she entered the Bah
mansion. She spoke OF her arm being
tired, but said one Of her customers had
given her this box early in the day and
told her it was full Of some things that
would be useful to her. Now, good
many heads have to be dressed to sup
port whole family; consequently every
thing must be valued at its proper con-
sideratiOn by this woman. / suppose
she saw the curiosity in my eyes, but
she told me if | would allow her she
would open the box, as she would like
TO see her presents. / realized as
looked exactly how mean a rich woman