The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-13
HUMAN SKIN KNICKKNACKS.
GREENSBORO FAD OF SAN FRAN
CISCO SOCIETY WOMEN.

Made Up From the Covering OF
Cadavers Into Purses, Card Cases
and Other Articles for Fair Femin-
ity-Strange InfatuatiOn for Relies
That Suggest the Dissecting Table.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
San Francisco, CaL-It was. as every
body who was there remarked, very swell
wedding, but the bride looked best in her
travelling dress Her rough, red English
serge was cut zauve, open over linen
shirt and this was tightly belted with a
narrow leather belt. Her little travelling
purse dangling from this belt was made
of the same heather. So was the dress suit
case she carried in ner hand
AS the bride came down stairs the maid
Of honor whispered:
How do you like it?''
Very smart" 1 said. wondering what
the mystery was about.
THE belt, you know. and all that. I
mean
"Oh. as leather belts go, very much
Don't you?"
The maid of honor shuddered.
That's the awful part of it, she said
IT'S lovely for belts. She showed it to
you before it was made up, didn't she?"
No" I said; she didn't"
"Oh, we'll she was going to. You know
she had the case an fitted up with 1t in
side. too; straps, you know, and flaps, and
things. / saw her packing it. and il gave
mo creeps. Think of strapping down your
clothing with piece of somebody's skin
Hasn't she any feeling about it?" I
asked
"Oh, you know her, said the maid of
honor. laughing. %She'd wear anything
that's swell, and of course it is the swell
est thing. I'm dying to have my piece
made up, but'-and she closed her eyes
affectedly.
Have you got a large piece?" I asked.
"A whole back" said the maid of hon
or opening her eyes again. 1T was a
woman's, and | think it's even smoother
than'-and she looked at the brides dress
suit case critically. yes, it's smoother
and it's a better color. darker tan. May
be-" she added, laughing, maybe she was
a brunette"
1 controlled a desire to shut my own
eyes and faint 1 had to pinch myself 10
avoid this casually.
The maid of honor went on to say that
mems.
cat feast I suppose it is" she added,
because mine is the only piece L ever
saw 1 don't know why it Should be, eth
err. Just as many women die as men. don't
they?"
Il don't know said, family.
"And it must be just as easy to skin
them-ugh!' and she buried her little nose
in her bridesmaids roses and smiled up
over them. ITS a sort of shuddery fad,
isn't it?'
The bride was in her mothers arms. Her
mother kissed and cried over her softly.
Her mothers hand-white, slim, delicate,
sensitive, tapering-rested on the tan belt.
1 wondered If the belt was made of wo-
mans skin. And then l wondered If the
woman had been mother herself before
she became a tan belt.
Then l wondered what would be the eff
feet on all these fine fashionable folk, well
featured and well hammered, gathered to
kiss and wish the girl bride happiness on
her wedding day, if some one should shrek
out suddenly. Her belt is made of a dead
mans skin!'
Then / wondered II everybody was crazy
except myself, and remembered this was
the first sign of insanity, and lest l should
go mad on the spot l, too, kissed the
bride but with my hands behind me, and
got away out into the sunshiny streets
to leave my horrors behind me- But ev-
cry other birl l met wore a leather belt,
and Providence alone knows how many
persons were skinned and tanned to make
them.
Horrors slept with me through the night
and next morning. as early as was civil, I
called on the maid of honor.
Il want awfully to get one of those
belts" / said, land so l came"
why. of course" she said You'd like
TO see the skim"
Yes"
"Of course, you know, you'll have to
have it made. You can't buy them any
where. 1 believe they're not allowed to
sell it,"
"Who?"
"Oh, students-medical students, and. I
don't know, doctors, 1 suppose Do you
know anybody you could get piece of
skin from?"
Not without their noticing it,"
Don't you know any medical students
or young doctors?"
why, yes; rafts.''
There you are then" said the maid OF
honor. That's all you want Tell them
to look out for a good piece for you.
There's lots of difference, but 1 don't
know much about it. except that backs
are biggest Come up to my room and
I'll show you my piece
She went lightly up the stairs before me.
a dainty little Dresden shepherdess figure
in her lowered silk matinee and lacy little
petty pokes, and on the landing she turn
ed her innocent, fiower-like face over her
shoulder, so small, so fair, of such white
and pink purity. She did not look like a
girl who would want to carry a grip COW
cred with skin from a dead woman back
but you never can tell. l followed her in