The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-16

sbly useful. The Philadelphia case.
however, offers some startling ideas
as to the point to which the controversy
may be carried. 1t appears that the
matter has been brought to n crisis
by the action of the dance committee
of the Belomont Cricket Club, a we'll
known and very exclusive social organ.
ization of the Quaker city. This CONF
mittee is composed of Messrs. j. c.
Hlbbs, w. L. Bosbyshell, William Peel,
F. b. Gilbert, Jr,, William James,
George Sayen, r. w. Johnson and
Percy A. Legge. 1t is this asgrega
ton of eight preturnaturally sapient
young gentlemen who recently under
took to refuse invitations to the clubs
entertainments to two prominent young
society women OF Philadelphia. on the
ground that they, had, at a previous
dance, worn costumes cut too low in the
neck, and handled their gowns i'm
properly white threading the mazy
measures of The waltz" Not content
with takiHge this action, they caused
the fact OF the refusal and the reasons
therefor tosbe spread upon the minutes
of the club, and when the irate fathers
and brothers of the. young ladies in
question took up the matter. they did
not hesitate to assume the entire re-
sponSibility. Now 1t is said that an ac-
tion for slander will be brought against
the committee. and aside from the
purely personal matters involved, the
country will have a chance to ascer-
tain just how the law stands on a most
interesting question:
The matter has afforded the New
York Journal an opportunity to coll
lect the opinions of several prominent
people regarding the .decollete dress.
AS may sbe, imagined, their verdict is
generally unfaVorable to extremes of
this mode, while 1t seems to indorse,
rather than otherwise, a modest ex-
posure, to the neck and shoulders. Ella
Wheeler. Wilcox, who contributes to
the Journals symposium, says: MY
idea of what is proper in the evening
gown Is based probably on my admi-
ration for the beautiful in nature and
art. / could never understand why
q beautifully sculptured neck. chest,
shoulders or arms. were more 'sugges-
tive of immodesty than q brow, chin or
cheek. Upon the Informed
woman the imnoderately Iow-cut gown
Is an insult to art, and an atrront 10
Cupid"
A more thoughtful. if less epigram-
matte, opinion is contributed by Miss
Elsie de Wolfe, the distinguished ac-
tress:
This is a question. that every woman
must settle for herself. Her own mod
| esty must be her criterion, Every
matter of dress must be settled by that
standard. The low corsage is not i'm
modesto not too low. But no arbi-
trary rule can be made, for the pro
portions of the sylphlike woman and
the buxom one differ so much that
should give measurements that apply
to the one, they would make the other
ridiculous. l remember that when the
question was discussed few days ago
1t was settled by some wit, who ans
swered: Yes, the low corsage is inn
moral-if the neck is ugly BY way of
modifying the brevity of the corsage
and of satisfying both aesthetics and
noralists, the folds of white illusion
that are laid upon the edge of the
gown, and about the shoulders are use
full They have a softening and re-
f1ning effect upon the gown. Every
woman knows the nne that separates
modestly from coarseness, and no one
who deserves the fashioned term
lady can be in doubt about 1t for
a moment. She must be her own law,
and will not need our Interference.
There is the jail for the other sort"
~@-- sE+s&
The girl who had left her mind at
home was, OH such stunningly pretty
maid! And she was exquisitely dressed
too-real taste displayed in every detail.
1t was not the kind of costume to ar
rest the immediate attention of men.
says the Cincinnati Enquirer but one
that promptly interested, discriminating
judgment, and that grew upon one the
more its harmDny of design and detafl
We're observed& Looking from dress to
the girls fac&g the observer would be
pretty certainNto associate them and
say that it Is the costume of a refined
woman, for delicate refinement seemed
TO glow in the abstracted eyes. upon the
smooth cheeks and the beautifully chis-
eled lips. The external picture was
most agreeable, and the suggestion OF
the spiritual behind 1t was equally so.
The young woman had "a dime in her
hand. The conductor took 1t and gBve
her nickel. which she held as she had
been holding the dime forgetting to
put it in her purse. Evidently her
thoughts. and pleasant ones, were else
where. There was faint smile ON her
lips, and her eyes were very dreamy"
After a few minutes the personnel of
the car load changed a good deal, and
the conductor came in for new fares.
AS he passed her the girl awoke a bit
and handed him her nickel. He took it,
rang up the fare and went on. When
he was well by and the mistake was
irremediable ii dawned suddenly on the
girl what she had done. With start
she sat up straight her eyes flashed as
If with the shock of her suddely return
ing mind, and under her breath she
exclaimed.
"Was there ever such darned fool?"
The second woman was of that self
possessed, quiet type whose presence
anywhere makes you feel rested. You
could look at her face and find II i'm
possible TO imagine anything that could
disturb her tranquility. She boarded a.
car with small. bright-loolSing boy,
whom she helped TO mount the platform
steps. He ran to the forward end Of
the car and stood at the door observing
the work Of the motorman. She sat
near the other end. When the conduc-
tor came she gave him nickel
you Will have 10 pay for that boy
said the conductor. The woman glanced
at the boy. who was small but big
enough for payment II the rules were
construed strictly. and responded: IT
pay for myself" The conductor frowned
and repeated the statement. II think
not" returned the woman. II pay only
my own fare"
There was not even the accent Of
dispute In her tone. She was absO-
luteiy< unrunled save as there seemed
10 be twinkle Of enjoyment IN her
kindly eyes The conductor grumbied
inartlouiately and went back 10 tie
platform n seemed 20 be- an instance
whore the little w0man'n quiet stub
bornnesF had defeated the british
power of an 0flcial. but the conductor
had been ropuisod merely. After few
minutes be- returned no the utiHek more
inaiFicnf than before. The little woman