The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-17

America Is the women. = To begin
with, the American woman ranks with her
husband; indeed, she is his superior in
that all men render her homage and def
erence." And then he tells Of dinner
party in a Washington home. ''All the
women In this house were beautiful and
covered with jewels. They wore gowns
in the French court fashion, with trains
a yard or two in length, but the upper
part cut so low that large portion of
the neck and shoulders were exposed.
was embarrassed beyond expression; such
an exhibition in China could only be made
by certain class. These matrons were
Of the highest responsibility. This re-
markable custom of a strange people, who
deluge China with missionaries from every
sect under the sun and at home commit
the groSsest solecfsms, is universal. and
not thought of as improper. There was
not much opportunity for interpretive
analysis, yet I could not but believe that
such custom must have its moral effect
upon a nation in the long run.
"Art'' In Woman's Dress
ut was a mystery to me how the upper
part Of some OF the gowns was sup
ported. In some Instances there was no
strap over the shoulders, the upper third
of these alabaster torses and arms being
absolutely naked, save for q band OF
size rarely seen in the Orient: but I
learned later that the bone or steel corset.
which molds the form, constituted the
support of the gown. I gradually became
| habituated to the custom, and did not
| notice it My friend --. an artist of
| repute. explained that it all depends on
| the point of view. Our people are es-
sentally artistic he said. There is
| nothing more beautiful than the divine
| female contour; the American women
realize this and sacrifice themselves at
| the altar of art Yet the Americans are
| such jokers that exactly what my friend
had in mind it was difficult to arrive at. -
He refers to extreme fashions In mi
lady's clothes in this manner:
cat the present time tablets or plates
| Of fashion insist upon an outline which
| shows the form completely, the antipodes
! of Chinese woman; and this Is lnten-
sified by some of the women who. when
! in the street, grasp the skirt and IN an
ingenious way wrap it about so that the
| outline of the American divinity Is suffi
GENTLY well defined to staTtle one. Such
| a trick in China could but originate with
| the demimonde, yet it is taken up by
/ certain of the Americans who are con-
i stantly seeking for variety. There can DC
/ no question but that the middle class
fashion designer revenges herself upor
/ the beau monde. They will not receive
4 It'll SOCidfly, 81 ne 1UICcS tAOAii ~ W.
4 his clothes.
"a year ago the fat went forth thai
the American woman must have wide
| hips. Presto! there appeared especially de-
| vised machinery, advertised in all the
journals. accomplishing the condition fol
| those whom nature had not well endowed
Now the dressmaker has decided thai
they must be narrew-hipped, and half &
| million dollars in false hips, rubber pads
and other properties are cast aside. M
extravaganza is too absurd for these PEG
1 pie who are abject slaves to the whimsi
calities of the designer.
4 Contradictory Modesty
ST was told. that one lady wore a S.,
| 600 diamond in her garter. The utterl.
strange and contradictory customs o
| these women are best observed at thu
beach and bath. In China If a woman Il
modest she Is so at all times; but this Il
not true with some Americans, who ap
/ pear to have the desire to attract atten
| ton. especially that of men. by an appea
to the beautiful in nature and art. a
least this is the impression the unpreju
diced lookeron gets by a sojourn in tn
great cities and fashionable resorts.
YOU happen to be riding horseback, o