Evening journal., 1900-12-06
Notes From Woman's Realm.
NOTED WOMAN NOVELIST SAYS
DRESS is AN AID TO HAPPINESS


would save many domestic quarrel.
and so conduce TO much happ ness.
1t is, indeed. impossible Tor the most
arbitrary fashion to eradicate. in SEN
sitive women ospec ally. certain ten
denotes to symbolic their states OF
mind by their dress. Most OF my fe-
male readers, / dare say. possess bon
nets and gowns that they can only
wear on days when they are at their lest.
when they are equal to them There
are days and moods in which curled.
or loose wandering hair Is intOlerable.
Any man of ordinary tact or intelli-
gencc may know that when a woman's
hair is brushed Ughtly back and rigid
ly cOiled when her bright ribbons are
hidden in drawers. her pink and blue
dresses hung az the back of her ward
robe. and when she herself appears
severely clad in her black alpaca, that
the woman is in an inquiring. reform
ing temper; that she is going to look
into expenses. and call children and
servants to account And if he Is dis
cret, he will not interfere nor ask
questions for the plainly dressed woman
means business, which may fairly be
called happiness making"
IL Is a very useless thing TO advise
a young man as to the girl he ought
TO marry Yet the marrying man may
well take dress into close cOnsidera-
tiOn. He may. for Instance. be sure
that any girl who. without appearing
singular, can keep at a good distance
from any prevailing fashion will make
a good Wife. This not because It is a
proof OF her being quiet and modest.
but because it gives evidence OF her
possessing an art Of great Importance
in domestic happiness-the art of maxi
ing the best of herself Most modes
of fashion carried 20 extremes are ugly.
IL is bunch here and a bunch thefe.
too much drapery In one place. and
not enough in another; health, pro-
priety and beauty are sinned against
without compromise. The girl, then
lwho knows how TO steer clear of these
evils and yet not look singular. Is an
adroit girl, who VII make the best Of
} herself. and of all the circumstances
she may encounter IN life
Women. as wei as men. require va.
= riety In dress in order 10 be happy. MOI
lonly for their moods but for theil
work. Work is easier when we come
To it with a dress that makes IL pos.
sible. Pleasure is not pleasure without
the raiment Of festivity Into the sane.
tuary, good woman likes 10 come
clothed with the grave, spotless gar.
ments Of worship. AS an adjunct tC
Z happiness dress has an Importance We
hardly realize. It Is conservative
not only Of good temper and self-re-
spect, but also Of love. The woman
/ lwh0 dresses herself to please Those sh,
loves wears an enchanted robe ON.
lbroidored with affection Tho dros.
may be Of ordinary stuff. but it has
been touched by her liie-thought ant
embalmed in her love. A different col
+ ored dress, a bow Of fresh ribbon. a bi
Of white lacel Such little things q.
they arel Such great things "a
they arel
Vanity. vanity is an old worn.
out cry with regard to dress. Men anl
women both have a right To make The
most and the best of themselves. IL il.
not vain to clothe the body suitably ac-
cOrding as we can AFFORD it, witt
beauty and grace. A woman withol
the art lacks one of the greatest o
moving forces. She neither does her
self nor her husband nor her fami y
/ justice We are constantly told tha
| beauty is only skin deep-that beautl
is yain-and so on. But there are TWEEN
ty things just as vain as beauty. Al
far as domestic satisfaction goes tn
pleasure of being beautiful is just al
keen pleasure as that of being clever
and perhaps the more amiable of thl
two. It is no more sin in a woman {,
| thank God for the fair looks and prettl
lclothing which enable her TO deligh
others, than 1t is for a man to thanl
God for his accumulation Of money
and his ability TO use II in making
others happy.
i The value of dress does not diminisl
/ with age. Not only for the young Il
recognition OF this necessary. n
i clothes clean and fresh there is a kline
of youth with which age should sur
round itself. There are men and w0
men who are more beautiful I'M thei
age than in their youth. Beautiful th
faded hair and cOmpleXiOnl the softe
! smile the tenderer eyes. The whit
hair may be shaded with laces white
= still: and the neck covered with snow.
kerchief: and the fading form drape
in soft dark cOlors This perfect har
, mony is as fair I'm it's order as tina
Of the most buxom youth; it is the an
tumn Of life. and its lOvelincss last
! until heavens eternal spring begins.
AMELIA T. BARR.
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