The sun., 1902-10-05

and the remainder Of her communications
she whispered.
The face Of the third woman grew scarlet
Fierce hatred flashed in her eyes Her
lips twitched. She let her skirts fall. Then
she strobe on without uttering a word
The woman who was not always able to
mind her own business stared after her
with hurt surprise plainly depicted upon
her coun,enance. She turned 10 her wiser
companion
Why did she look a. me SOP she asked
of course. il was very embarrassing
accident to have happen to one; but would
be grateful To a woman who warned me
about thing like that
1T was becaus" YOU didn't understand =
her wiser companion replied Il don't
think il was an accident. | was going to
explain, only you spoke to her before /
had time
You sec. it's now fashion They say it
started in tho country a year ago this sum
NOR. Now il is spreading in the city.
Only slowly. though
NV attention was first called to il in
tho spring But | am sorry TO say see
II oftener now Of course, it is startling
If YOU haven't noticed it before. But
you'll get used To it o."
"U+ed 10 it, exclaimed the first woman
why sho held her pctticoa, above The
ground az least-"
But such situation cannot he reduced
to n mere matter Of feet and inches The
effect depends upon entirely different
elements Vertical measurements convey
absolutely no meaning. Therefore, the
estimate Of the distance in this case may
be omitted
To those who have not vet made ohser-
vations of this new fashion of walking
among women, it may be clearly but briefly
described The fashion NAV he udied in
all its frankness and simplicity in any Of
the paint ing- by old masters that show the
manner in which Diana and he other god
desses Of her day tucked UP their petit
coats when they were going hunting
Only in its modern phase the fashion
has been modified so that the pctticoats
are tucked up on one side only. The drn-
peres ara held in the hand. The other
'ais are similar. including the height
That he mere matter Of feet and inches
IS Of little consequence in such situati ions,
il shown by the attention invariably at
tracted by This new fashion when II appears
in the street. Ono takes such things as a
matter Of course among the young ladies'
of the ballet on the stage, but in the street
and in the case Of women clearly not of the
dramatic profession, il is unexpected and.
therefore, entirely different,
Then the first impression generally is that
it ia an accident, hat the woman is not
aware Of all the facts in the case. and
that. Of course, heighens the effect.
A. was said by the woman who was wiser
than her companion, there is a theory that
the fashion originated in the country.
Tho golf links have even been blamed for
It lust as they were for hat similar fashion
AT the other extreme which burst upon the
town last year when young women went
about with their sleeves rolled up 10 their
elbows.
But while il may bc convenient 10 hold
ones skirts high while one is scrambling
over rocks and through woods, the theory
does not explain the utility of the fashion
in city streets when it is not raining. And
il il matter Of observation that while the
fashion is spreading only slowly, still it Is
spreading.
Another explanation advanced which
ako does not explain altogether. IL that il
il merely an extension ~ the rainy daisv
idea curtailing Of it. rather But this
v obviously hlng made by the ul,ra-con-