The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-16

We hear with no end Of interest
about the various clubs that are got
ND to encourage the wearing Of short
skirts. heavy boots, plain hats and the
carving Of stout umbrellas on rainy
DAYS. but somehow if you are out on a
rainy day it dawns on you that on
rainy day the American woman is not
a success She lacks the courage OF
the English girl. WHO does not care now
she looks provided she is comfortable
and who. feeling perfectly secure IN
good storm coat. strides through mud
and water in broad soled shoes and
gaIoches, sure of coming out in fit con-
6ition. She makes one big step over
crossing and does not mind the soft
rain drops falling on her face. she
knows this kind OF water is good lot
the complexion Now, the average
American woman does not look wei on
a rainy day She may go in for COM
fort put on a short skirt, long ulster
and felt hat and carry an umbrella, but
she is uncertain in her grasp Of 1t. She
either takes il by the extreme end so
that it wabbles to and fro, as the wind
listeth. or else she grasps it so far up
mushroom. while she cannot see any
body. and the people who meet her run
the chance either of having their eyes
knocked out or their digestions punch
ed in. After a block or two of walking
the rainy day girl concludes to get on
a car. and her umbrella is wildly waved
TO stop it. Then she makes the usual
feminine effort to get on the platform
with the umbrella still open. AS the
car was not built with this in view, the
conductor yells at her, Shut that"
My lady stands perfectly still, says
something about reporting him to the
superinte~ dent while the nearest man
closes her umbrella for her, and after
that she enters the car. Ten to one
she sits down next to somebody who
has had the rheumatism, and that vile
umbrella drips on him or her until he
or she nearly has a nervous chill.
Twenty to one her money, instead of
being in her ulster pocket, is in her
dress skirt, so that when the conductor
comes for ii she unbuttOnS the coat,
squirms around to find the pocket and
has the whole car interested in her eff
forts. Then, when the money is dis
covered, she gives it to the unfortunate
conductor in a way that suggests he
ought to be giving thanks that she is in
his car instead of making her pay for
the privilege After this she takes out
her handkerchief, dabs her face and
looks around the car with her best
smile and says with d longing sigh,
.Oh. I am so tired" This expression
of weakness conquers every man in the
car and absolutely permeates the being
of each one, and my private opinion is
that if any woman did this the second
time there would be a riot among the
men as to who should have the privi
lege of letting her umbrella drip on
him.
When she gets out, it is fun to see
her. 1t is evident that she is used to
being helped across the street by
man. She grasps her skirt in one hand,
looks around. stands on her tip toes,
gets in the middle of the street, sees
wagon coming half a square away and
chases back. Then she waits a long
time, makes another rush across just
when the electric cars are racing down
the street. after a block, and rushes
across at the risk of her life without
any regard for appearances, or else is
meekly led across by some man who
knows the ways of woman and feels
sorry for her. A FrenchWOman would
never make herself so ridiculous. She
lifts her skirts in a dainty sort of a
way with both hands, gives a full view
of a perfectly fitting boot and the sug-
gestion of a black silk stocking, but
that is only a suggestion, and then
with the quickness of a bird she gets
over the bad places and is safe on the
other side. Her skirts are quickly drop