The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-16
THE BARGHEADED Girl
She Has Brought Down Wrath ON
Her, Uncovered Locks.
Several Brother Critics Quote In.
Bible to Prove That She Is wronu
When She Goes Abroad without
Her Hat or Bonnct-Mrs Harlnnd
Defends the Rights of the Fair One

Defends the Rights of the Fair On.
The bareheaded girl has brought down
criticism upon her uncovered tresses
1t comes from three young men, Tom.
Dick. and Harry. who united in a letter
OF protest to Marion Harland. and she
told the North American" all about IL.
The writers. claiming to have old
| fashioned ideas of modesty. want to
know from Mrs. Hariand what she
thought of the bareheaded women one
meets driving and walking in the coun-
try and at all sorts OF watering places
nowadays" And would she please. please
let them know if it was to save expense
! in hats or fust the trouble of putting
| them on The lady. In sort Of open
! letter for all the world to read. answers
as follows:
The trio of young fellows date their
protest from a country hotel in the noun
tains. have an idea. based upon nothing
stronger than womanly instinct, that they
are wheelmen. halted day or two al a
wayside inn fashion and bicycling have
made popular. They have taken Cape
May and Atlantic City in their runway
be Long Branch. encountering "barehead-
ed women at every place where society
girls abound and where semi-rural girls
initiate city ways
| congratulate the hale wholesome boys
upon their "old-faskioned ideas of med
esty." Such ideas are made OF stuff that
does not shrink or go 10 pieces in the
washing. Nor do the eolors run or fade
| take it for granted that Tom. Dick, and
Harry" got these sterling principles from
their respective mothers. take it for
granted, yet more positively. that they
have been too intent upon barred heads on
which Time has not laid despoiling fin
ger to notice how many gray and silver
heads are also unborneted. The fad has
taken prodigiously with women of all
ages. Driving to the station yesterday I
passed carriage wherein three genera
tons were represented-grandmo
mother, and girl baby-with not hat or
bonnet in the party.
| know, without asking. what manner OF
head covering our young masculine eriticS
wear while wheeling, walking, driving. or
sailing. cap so light that the weight Is
not appreciate, sitting snugly upon the
close-eropped heads. Rapid motion does
not displace 1t: rain does not injure the
shape; salt water does not deface il. Their
sisters have tried the same. recognizing
the sensibleness and convenience Of it.
Unless SO large as to look bulky, such
cap does not fit over the mass of hair
Auffed or braided about the feminine
head. 1t must be pinned fast to the hair,
whether it fit or whether it be set rakish-
ly atop of the Iuxuriart tresses. When it
is taken off the hair must be done over
again, having been crushed out of form
and matted by perspiration.
The ordinary hat or bonnet worn in CALL
ing and in church has disadvantages that
keep the owner at home many times when
she would like to go out. Unequiyocally
old women tie it under their chins. fear
lessly proelaiming their advanced matu-
rity by so doing. The strings are hot and
uncomfortable, and stain neck and cravat.
Younger women pin the nuisance TO what
ever part OF the couture viii hoid IL. |
have seen the whole construction. with
an expensive attachment of switch"
bang" or waves" carried off by sum-
mer gale. 1t is not straining a point to
say that the trouble of putting on hat
Tor bonnet. of keeping it in place after
il is on the head, the anxiety lest sun.
dust, and dampness may ruin it, have
done more to prevent women from taking
exercise in the open air than
any other three causes combined
The relief from these annoyances Of
fered by the prevailing custom of leav-
ing the incumbrance at home when
e'er she takes her walks abroad" or
drives or rows comes little short of
ecstacy. / do not wonder that women
glorfes in her freedom while the sum
mer lasts.
The fashion undoubtedly saves trou-
BILE. Can the disa pproving triad blame
our girl for sparing her temper and cell
lular tissue in the numerically pro-
longed dog-days that have tried US
sore? If she has an eye to the moneyed
it is to her credit, since
the cost of the hat would come out-of
her fathers pocket She shows no
more of herself than if S25' CONNECTION
OF lace, silk, and flowers crowned her be-
frizzled hair.
THE Bible says''-through the apos-
tie to the converted Greeks -"eyery
woman u..ct prayeth or prophssieth with
her head uncovered dishonoreth her
head. ] am not sure what that means.
Only that while driving or walking she
is neither praying nor prophesying-
down the page that forb ds
such exposure in church or prayer NEST
ing. l read that her hair is given to her
for a covering"
That cannot be the text to which our
three protestants refer?