The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-08

There is an old fashioned notion that
q is the height of vulgarity for a wo-
man to rest her elbows upon the table.
In every woman's recollections is an in
junction against this habit instilled by
careful teachers but the past few years
have seen the complete RELOCATION of
this old time rule of etiquette.
I nave been very much surprised" an
eastern paper quotes an English visitor
as saying, at the way American women
sit with their elbows on the table on all
occasions. Everywhere they do tin
private houses, and in restaurants, at
the most formal breakfasts. luncheons,
dinners, suppers- When one hand is in
use they lean on the other elbow and
between courses both elbows are prop
ped up on the table and the hands
elasped under the chin"
The English woman is undoubtedly
correct in her observation but as Harry
Thurston Peck said about Shakespeare's
use of the split infinitive. What are
you going to do about it?" The stan
dard of good manners is merely the
usage Of cultivated people A few years
ago well bred people did not sit with
their elbows on the table-now they do.
That's all there is to it. Pass any fash
tonable city cafe at the luncheon or din
ner hour and at every window table will
be a woman sitting with her elbows on
the table. Many of the smartest new
photographs show the subject similarly
posed. In fact, far from its being con-
to lean on her elbows nowadays it is
really a fashionable posture.
Some have attributed this change in
table etiquette TO the fact that the pose,
once tabu, shows to such excellent adj
vantage the rings and bracelets which
women weir, but jewelry for the hands
and arms mo new fad 1T was always
worn, even in the days when to rest
ones elbows on the table was the height
of i'll breeding. More likely it is mere
ly another manifestation of the increaS-
ed freedom of manners allowable IN
modern times. Many of the old, stiff
ideas of department have passed away
and in nothing is this more evident than
in the poses which a woman may now
assume without fear of criticism.
Time was when mo lady would sit
with her limbs crossed they were
limbs" then, too-or with her hands
clasped above her head or lounging
back in a half-reclining posture. Now
all these things are permissible, and
lengths in their unconventional atti-
tudinizing for the better display of their
figures or their clothes. It is scarcely
noticed nowadays when a girl sits with
her hands clasped about her knee.
although this would have Mortified her
grandmother.
All this brings up a question: Do the
popular artists and illustrators origi-
nate or copy the fashions? Because
you must all have noticed that for
drawing girls who sit with their elbows
on the table. Is he responsible for the
fad. or did he merely copy a pose which
he observed in good society and which
is so admirably suited to show to the
best advantage a pretty forearm? All
the charming pen and ink girls who
sport so oaily through the pages of the
magazines and the new illustrated
novels assume the graceful, unconven-
tional and often somewhat studied
poses affected by their up-to-date pro-
totyDes of the drawing room and bOule~
ward. but who can say whether the
girls are copying Mr. Stanlaws and Mr..
Christy and Mr.. Wenzell or whether
Mr.. Stanlaws, Mr.. Christy and Mr.
Wenzell are copying the girls? Mr..
Christy has often been accused Of be-
ing the originator of that habit women
now have of holding up their skirts
with an arm extended at fun length.
The illustrator objected to the crooked
elbow, fashionable a few years ago. ana
made his creations gather their skirts