The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-12
copyright, 1881

II Is quite the newest faShlon 10 De
truthful. In days gone by. If you or /
or our dearest friend or our bitterest en-
emy wore shabby gown, didn't go
TO the opera, gave up the carriage or
was not seen on an ocean steamer that
year, the explanation-a very weak one
always was that I'VE didn't care to-"
AS If any woman would prefer wearing
shabby frocks, as If any woman. wheth-
er she liked music or not, would prefer
TO give up the opera, or as IL any wom-
an-or any man, for that matter-pre-
ferred TO give up the good things of
life! But we used to be such fools
about 1t. Weak as the explanation was.
we pretended to believe that other peo-
ple believed US. Everybody knew that
we were liars, and pretty poor ones.
Nowadays we tell the truth and shame
that worldly gentleman in black, and
people call US noble. Madam Aristo-
crat. who is as stingy as ever she can
be, goes visiting in frock made in the
days of the Medes and Persians, clasps
ner hands in a tragic way and says, Il
know / am a sight, but really cannot
afford a. new frock." II is fashionable
to be poor. though there are a great
many people who are in fashion who
would rather have more ducats and be
less stylish. Still this truth telling fe-
yer is not as bad as IL might be. for il
does give a reason. and a sensible one
for q great many things. 1t makes il
possible for mere ordinary everyday
people TO do as they should and keep
out of debt and to be perfectly frank as
TO why they are not foolishly extrava-
CANT.
1t is always the poor who are extrav-
agant. The rich woman utilizes every
SCRAP of material, has every gown made
over and keeps rich because she is eco
nomicaI. The poor woman is so desper>
ately afraid of being thought poor that
she goes into debt, does not give the
proper wear TO her belongings and car
rles "A burden on her shoulders that
makes her old and ugly before her time
j once had the pleasure OF going into
the wardrobe room of a very wealthy
woman, and that wardrobe room was
an object lesson to me. II was a large,
light room on the top floor of the house.
with wardrobes built around IL 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 was given
to each portion of a frock when it was
put away. Sleeves were stuffed with
tissue paper to keep them in shape
Bits OF colored tissue paper went over
white lace to prevent it's becoming yell
low. Parasols were softly wrapped in
thin white wool stuff Boots, shoes and
slippers were all on their trees and
standing in the drawers. Every hat
box had written upon it in big letters
terse description OF the hat in It, so
that one did not lose ones temper by
going thi ough innumerable boxes
searching for one particular chapeau
Most remarkable of all were the boxes
filled with gowns that had been ripped
apart. When dress had done its duty
in life, the thrifty maid took il. ripped
1t carefully apart, made IL immaculate
1y clean and then sized its possibili-
ties The silk lining was folded, and
on the paper wrapping ii was written
Here is enough purple silk to make a
petticoat." The brocade that formed
the dress was also carefully done up
its measurement described, and there
was suggested in writing, This will
make handsome sofa pillow" or This
may be developed into party bags or
chair covers" The finely cut Steel but
tons were wrapped separately and box
ed. The laces were cleaned and care
fully basted on sheets of colored paper
and laid in large fat boxes. Absolute
ly nothing was wasted. The conse-
made after some thought has been Civ
en- to its general style, the maid will
remind the modste OF the exquisite
lace fiounce already possessed. of the
finely cut rhinestone buckle that was on
the pink satin or OF the set OF steel but
tons that appeared on another gown.
and any one of these is ready to go for
ward and do duty again. Feathers
from bonnets are in scacial boxes
Flowers are carefully Strengthened out
and thought given TO their possible use
Nothing is counted worthless unless II
is so, and the consequence is that this
woman can afford TO be generous She
does not give away old finery, but when
she wants to help she can afford TO put
her hand In her purse and offer money
TO whoever needs IT,
Apropos of giving. laughed in a
half hearted way the other night. MY
hairdresser, 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 en-
tered 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 IL was full Of
some things that would be useful TO
her Now. good many heads have TO
be dressed Co support a whole family;
consequently everything must be val
ued at Its proper consideration by this
busy woman. | suppose she saw the
curiosity in my eyes but she told me
that u would allow her she would
open the box. az she would like g. see
her presents. I realized as looked ex-
sctly how mean a rich woman can be.