The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-29
FRANK G. CARPENTER
a MANS VIEW.
He Thought 1t Took Only Fine Feath-
ers to Make Plump Birds.

Washington Post
Ho, for the Winter Girl! She is up to her
plump snowy neck just at present in the
delicious occupation of buying her fall and
winter costumes. You can see her at any
time OF any day at the .'ready-made' de-
partment of any store in Washington. The
ready-made girl is the girl of the period
After all, you can scarcely distinguish be-
tween her and the tailor-made girl
1t is quite treat TO watch her trying
on. She stands so patiently before the
long, polished mirror while the tired little
seamstress pins, pulls and squeezes till her
ten little fingers ache Don't you think
er-er-a little padding here would be an
immense Improvement" suggests the ready
made girl in fear and trembling.
"Oh, yes" readily rejoins the store-ftter
I'VE always pad across the shoulders in
these days of skin-tight Jackets. All these
means. Don't you think I'd better let the
waist out. Just trifle? ltH squeeze you
aWfully if 1 don't. No? All right Walk
on now, and let me see about the length
on, that trains just too graceful. Amt it,
katyI and of course katy, the clerk who
is selling the suit assents with an assumed
air of ardent admiration; and tile suit is
SOLD. Then the ready-made girl walks Lack
and forth before the glass; cranes her
neck backward IN vain endeavor 10 get
a tull-length view; fiirts her train about
studies out the best way to display her silk
drop skirt, and finally with a sigh Of reglet
allows the tired little seanstress To re-
lieve her of the garment and tuck he- once
years skirt.
made department who chewed her pencil
meditatively and said: "Oh, yes they're
all alike. They all want US TO take in and
take in, and take in until their waists
are mere exclamation points. Then when
they have lived for d week without breath
ing they come back and want us to let the
whole thing out again. Every fat woman
expects to look like a sylph this year and
the skinniest old maid has a yearning desire
TO appear symphony in curves. The women
are all nerve wearing. 1t is only when they
bring man with them-a. husband, or a
brother, or a papa-that the slightest df-
version occurs, and then the risibles of a
sphinx would be excited. A couple of this
slim, little, pale, brown thing, and he the
husband, evidently thought the trouble was
with her dressing and had offered To boss
the job He entered the apartment and took
a chair, like the Christian martyr going to
slaughter pushed his hat on the back of
his head and ran his fingers through his hair
while his wife tried on gown after gown
7 like that or i don't like that he
grunted as she appeared in each new gar
ment, and that was every word that could
be wrenched from him. Finally I got mad
and insisted that the suit in question was
beautiful. Oh, yes he assented in a be-
Wildered voice. with a scared look at me-
it's beautiful. beautiful Then he looked
around the apartment at the other pretty
women trying on gowns, and, catching sight
pointed her out, exclaiming with some en-
thusiasm Now. why don't you get one like
that2
That cried his wife why, John.
that's the first suit ] tried on and you
thought it was h0rrldk' =