The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-12
WOMAN'S
WORLD.

Would women, If they could-if it were
good form, If 1t were fashionable, if there
were no one 20 critdcise-would they adopt
masculine garb? says Dorothy Dix in the
New Orleans Picayune. Those Of us who
are worn out with the clothes question
say, Yes, we'd jump at the chance" but
would we? Would we take freedom at the
price of grace? Would we exchange frills
for pockets? Would any amount of COM
fort reconcile US to garments that weren't
accordion pleated and furbelowed? In a
word, after all our abuse of our own
clothes and their manifest lack of adapta-
bility to our new occupations and pursuits
would we adopt the costume we have so
long envied men?
An interesting commentary is offered on
the subject by the experience of the wo-
men of Pitcairn Island a lonely spot in
the Pacific, settled by the descendants of
the mutineers of the Bounty. In this COL
ony there are about 100 women, and a ship
which has recently arrived in Philadelphia
from there brings word of the piteous
plaint these forlorn sisters make for wo-
mems clothes. 1t seems that the supply
OI pottiCOhts, WdiSIS ana OLner FEMININE
apparel gave out The few ships which
touched at the island at unfrequent inter-
walls carried no chiffons for the fair sex,
and the women, many of whom are young
and pretty girls, were forced to don trous-
ers and the other habiliments of the ster-
ner sex. Here, one might think, were the
IDEAL conditions for women TO break away
from slavery to dress that has oppresse
their sex so long. Here were none to jeer
at the amateur DR.. Mary Walker Here
there was no society to cFiticise, for So
ciety, SO to speak, was on its uppers. One
couldn't even be accused of being strong
minded for adopting masculine attire,
when 1t was the only attire there was
ROW we can picture the joy with which
tnese women, emancipated from custom
and fashion. reveled for the first time in
their lives In rational, sensible costume.
admirably adapted to the situation in
which they lived. Unfortunately, nothing
Of the sort happened. The Pitcairn wo
men, It seems do not desire freedom. They
want friils, and they sent, through the
captain OF the ship moving and urgent
plea to their sisters in civilization to send
them some women's clothes, the more be-
runled and furbelowed the better
30 perfshes another theory when con-
fronted with actual experience What is
the lesson of it? Does it mean that wo-
by the passion for clothes that nothing
else on earth can take the place or re-
pay them for the lack of appliques. and
passementerie. and pattern hats? Or does
1t mean that we who are loaded down with
lons-teiled skirts have been wasting envy
on the wearers of trousers? Is mans
Wanted freedom In dress merely an idle
boaR.? Evidently it isn't all that If has
been cracked up to be, for the Pitcairn
Women-the only women of our race who
nave mad a chance 10 try it-won't have
II at any price, and are in haste TO ioin
themselves once more to the god of their
loolatry, and want to get back their stays
ana long skirts and other impediments to
nealth and comfort as quickly as posi-
BILE.
1t Is an old truth in life that n great
zeal that we ardently desire turns to dead
sea fruit once we get it in our hands. We
women ere experimenting with a great
many things just now. 1t may be that
wheh we get them-when we get the bal
lot, ana prove our right, and our ability
10 nave careers, and run business enter
prfses, and be just as free and indenen-
cent as men, we will find out that the
theory OF 1t all was good but it didn't
work out just right somehow in expert
ence, and we will be like the Pitcairn wo
men Well give up trying TO wear the
trousers, and go back home and rock the
irhiest' womanliest dress that money can
buy.
The beauty of American women. saws
the Sun Of New York, is a fact so wen
settled here that it is accepted without
comment Nobody thinks, for instance of
remarking that the women are beautifuI
In this CITY, or that they are better look
ing In one place than another The beauty
OF American women is so peryading that
IL is ukely to be lost sight of or merely
regarded as one of the incidents of exist
ehoe mere, as much a matter of course as
some OF the other blessings for which
americans have cause to be thankful 1t
- to foreigners revelling in the sight of
ah TINS FEMININE loneliness for the first
ume that the preponderance of 1t all is
most surprising. THE beauty of the wo-
man In New York is almost GLOWING" one
OF them said the other day. land where
one would see abroad a single woman
beautiful enough to attract attention, they
pass here in such rapid succession that
tnere Is scarcely time TO take in their
looks Beautiful, regular features ex-
ouisite teeth and hair, lovely compilations
ana ngures that combine feminine tender
ness ana the suggestion of youth and
strength more charmingly combined than
II Is In any other country, make the beau
~ or the American woman uncomfortable
Ahoso "oHueIIul creatures are not seen
at occasional intervals Every other We
man to be met with on the street has
claims to beauty that would make her
conspicuous in any other country and
nearly every face has some distinct ply
f9al beauty. They escape attention here
because the Americans are too accustom-
ca TO good locks in their women to re-
gard them as anything more than a mat
Ter or course. The distinct type of tall
1air wcmanhood and the dark-skinned
soft-eyed italian represent distinct anti
theses In womans looks and are marked
forms of feminine beauty; and the Amer
ican is just as distinct as either of
these, although its attributes may not be
so strongly marked, The American beauty
mas the sugges i'm of strength and health
that is feature of the z glish type. She
mas also the gentle Lowell ness that is a
quality of the women of Southern nations
All the varied types that united in
this country undoubtedly had their effect
IN making the loveliness of American wo-
men so representative of the beauty of all
w men.
But one quality that most women with
any claims to beauty in her countries
possess, the American beau lacks COM
pIetely. She rar ly has striking or even
xlressive eyes. When the eyes of Amer
lean women are expressive they do not
usually Indicate he cha ~. hot