The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-14
KNELT UPON THE FLOOR

had ordered; dressmaker said she had
forgotten what l told her. Had to go
back another time to get sleeve fitted
and to see il skirt was right. Skirt
not right; had to be ripped and made
over. Dressmaker on each occasion
while she was pulling, hauling, snip
ping and pinning at me entertained me
with an account of her ailments. She
had rheumatism in her knee, for which
she had to have electric baths twice q
week. She groaned every time she
stopped over and groaned again when
she walked. Her eyes We're getting
| weak. too. and she was afraid age was
beginning to work on her." for she
was getting so forgetful.
The fourth time I went to her she
had a new ailment, the grip. She told
me all its symptoms. While she was
pouring out her tale of woe I found
she had made serious mistakes in the
fabricating of that gown, and I had
set my heart on having it just right,
for / don't have a new dress every
day. The dressmaker told me she was
nervous and that was why she had
made the mistakes. BY that time |
was becoming little nervous myself.
went away and returned fifth and
sixth time. Each time / stood for
half an hour watching like hawk
till every wrinkle in the waist was
smoothed out, every dip in the skirt
evened. l called the woman's atten-
ton to the puckered seams in the skirt
and had her press them all over again
and was obliged to note whether she
had done SO next time ! went, for 1
could not depend on her remembering.
I am not delicate person. but every
time after seance with that costumer
was good for nothing for. several
hours. must have gone ten times
before the frock was finished.
I went to another costumer for the
second gown, and you need no expla-
nation why. The second one measured
me, took down, figures rapidly and 81
lentiy and said, Come Tuesday to be
fitted"
I went. The gown was cut and
shaped The dressmaker fitted it
little closer over the body, changed the
chalk marks for the pockets as l want
edit was a bicycle suit-and knelt
upon the floor with tapeline and a
piece of chalk. The exact distance
from the floor upward so many inches
was measured and marked with chalk
upon the skirt. so as to make it the
same length all around.
'It will be done Saturday" said the
dressmaker.
And it was So That was all. No
anxiety, no nervous exhaustion. no loss
of time through running to the cos
tuner ten times and no bother at all.
I heard nothing Of that woman's all
! ments, not a word of her private his:
tory, for which the gods be thanked!
have troubles enough Of my own to
occupy all my attention.
Now note the two types Of dress
makers. If woman would know the
reason why men dressmakers have
such vogue here it is: Men have
learned perfectly cutting, fitting and
sewing in their trade of tailor. They
also understand the importance of
properly shrinking and pressing their
goods. 1t is not that woman dress
makers have not strength enough for
this; 1t is only that SO many Of them
will not take the trouble to be exact.
Bestowing undivided attention on the
work one is at gives skill and con-
| fdence. Could man dressmaker do
his work SO well that oftentimes he
runs women out of the business if he
whined over his troubles, gossiped
with his customers and told them Of
hts ailments and his quarrels with his
wife?
Nay, verify!
Yet even now women dressmakers
can reconquer their own kingdom.
They have only to learn their business
20 well that they have perfect self con.
| fidenee, then adopt business methods.
KATE SHARP