Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-15
Bah TELLS HOW
TO BE GRACEFUL,

We hear with no end of interest
nbout the various clubs that are got
UP to encourage the wearing of short
skirts, heavy boots, plain hats ana the
CARRYING of stout umbrellas on rainy
days, but somehow IL you are out on
rainy day It dawns on you that on
rainy dny the American woman Is not
n succoss She lacks the courage OF
the English girl. who docs not care now
she looks provided she is comfortable
and who, feeling perfectly secure IN
GOOD storm coat strides through inud
and water in broad solod shoes and
galoches. sure OF coming out IN fit com
dltion. She makes one big step over a
crossing and does not mind the sort
rain drops falling on her face. she
knows this kind of water Is good Tor
the complexion. Now, the average
American woman does not look well on
a rainy day. She may go In for com
fort. put on short skirt. long ulster
and felt hat and carry an umbrella, but
she is uncertain In her grasp of 1t. she
either takes 1t by the extreme end so
that 1t wabbles 10 and fro. as the wind
listeth or else she grasps 1t so far up
that 1t looks like n perambulating
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 block or two of walking
the rainy day girl concludes to get on
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 Mt her. shut that"
Ny lady stands perfectly still, says
something about reporting him to the
superintendent, 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 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 1t 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 1t 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 n longing sigh.
oh I am so tired" This expression
of weakness conquers every man in the
car and absolutely permcates the being
of each one, and my private opinion Ia
that II 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. II Is evident that she is used to
being helped across the street by a
man. She grasps her skirt In one hand
looks around. stands on her tip toes
gets In the middle OF the street, sees O
wagon coming half u square away and
chases back. Then she waits Ions
time. makes another rush across just
when the electric cars are racing dowi
the street, after block. and rushet
across Mt the risk of her life without
any regard for appearances, or else IL
meekly led across by some man who
knows the ways of woman and feel.
sorry for her. a Frenchwnman woulC
never make herself so ridiculous. Sh,
lifts her skirts in Il dainty sort of G
way with both hands, gives full view
of perfectly fitting boot and the sug,
gestion of a black silk stocking, hui
that is only suggestion. and ther
with the quiclSness of u bird she get.
over the bad places and is safe on tn,
other side. Her skirts are quickly drop