New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-02

DRESS AS MORAL SUPPORT.
The other afternoon two young girls and a mid
dle-agcd woman observed chatting together
in the Turkish room at the Waldorf. Presently
the woman arose. and she disappeared in the
corridor Of the girls. with litter. asked the
other: How old is Mrs y do you suppose?
Fifty say. but her gowns indicate that
she would rather be thirty"
Now. the young may be comparatively careless
the subject of good looks. for youth Itself Is
beauty" said the older Of the two. but they are
almost always found to grudge the use Of dress
and personal to others who venture TO en-
croach on what they deem their especial privilege.
To dress cheeTfully and becomingly Is considered
as an attempt to ahcct youth. and there is really
no end Of ungracious things said and looked against
those who indicate that they dislike to be- laid on
the shelf Nothing would please them better. il
seems than sumptuary laws which would pro-
scribe certain colors forms and ornaments OF
dress after given age And if the ordinance
could be devised 10 prohibit laughing and
ivcliness and Joining in Youthful pleasures from
aud after certain period II would he still more
gratifying
None grow too old according TO Nine de stael.
but they VINO were never anything Else but young.
The qualities which make most people agreeable in
ne nEng 1d 1f hero has oenay been
ANYTHING Of value in The mind 4Xper!ence must
cTeaseS with ali but fools and those who were
never ANYTHING else but Young. and although inn
the years that bring the philcsophc mind
And. after all who likes 10 he laid the
shelf and medicined there with such placebos as
Dear Aunt Sally. she hates dress and does 50
Jane she does not care for society. Who likes 10
receive hearty commiserations Instead OF hearty
"Of course every one IS aware Of the truly RI
dculous figure sometimes exhibited by superan-
nuated girl who is weak and silly enough TO make
spasmodic and CHASTITY efforts al the manners and
appearance Of youth. No one has WOrO 10 say
in defence of these but gives them over 10 the ten
dor mercies of Dickens or Thackeray. 1heN are
usually people who never were anything but a brain
Of feathers and heart OF lead, and happily. such
instances are few in siNte OF society AT least
For one aged butterfly we have a dozen prema-
turely antiquated and morbidIy grave people, VINO
think goodness and attraciNenesS inconpat lole-
A certain good woman was heard 10 remark nol
long ago with a delicious degree OF candor, mat
she could not help loving her best friends the bet
ter for being well gowned. Every one Is no' WILING
10 own quite as much. but is there not. In
truth something akin to this feeling in the recol
lection OF every person. Of taste There is a sort
Of moral support that comes on and goes or with
scknowledee that much at least. The desire Of
pleasin IL universal desire. j Ia snug IN the
bottom OF each human heart. from St simeon
StvIites shivering on his column under the night
dews to Jenny Lind flying from adorlng ion
hunters And that branch OF the desire which
chiefly concerns personal appearance ana Is com
monty called dress Is far from deserving to be
reckoncd among failines.
Rather II is mark OF weakness TO disown II;
,,artcuiarlv as no one can ever do that with real
Sincerity Almost as despcable az the unlaWful
arts Alterations and sacrifices or Inodesty Which
an undue anxiety to please sometimes prompts
&c the pride that leads people 20 pretend nddner-
cree TO personal appearance II we admire those
urbo scorn 10 please by the usual means. IT IL
merely as we admire a geological variety-for its
rarity.