The Washington times., 1908-08-15

The sheath gown is causing much
more agitation in America than II Is In
Paris. So said Lillian Russell. in an in
terview given out upon her return from
the French capital. and so say report
and number of globe trotters.
More than this, the she.th gown -
causing quite a number of women In
this country 10 work harder than does
any little grisette employed in an atelier
on the Rue de ia PaiX.
a young woman who has just returned
from Atlantic City relates that wnen on
hot mornings she saw several plump
ladies walking at a great pace up tho
boardwalk toward the Inlet, clad in
heavy skirts and sweaters. she could
not imagine what this eccentric cOu-
duet meant
She asked no questions concerning It.
for at Atlantic City ones left-hand
neighbor knOweth not what the rIgnt
hand dOeth, and caTeth iess-she is 80
busy herself keeping gOUd-uuui one
day before 10 a IN she met her FOUR
ladies thus strangely attIred, ana among
them her own familiar friend Then.
she fell into a dog trot alongside this
person and began a conversation.
What does this mean, Amelia?'' she
says she asked sternly.
Amelia turned upon her then two
WeaTied eyes. She opened her mouth
twice before the words issued from her
pArched lips When they did they were
enigmatiC, not to say uracular. i
weigh 100 pounds said Amelia and
quiCkened her pace.
''NVhy not? Why nOt?' inquired the
friend Like Mrs. Joe Gargery, you
are a fine figure Of a woman. You are
fair, fat but not forty and there are
those as admire you"
Hit Up the Pace.
Don't talk any more until we reach
the hotel" was Amelia's sole response
TO this bandinage. as she again increas-
ed her pace, the breath coming from
her lips in gasps-
At the hotel Amelia went 70 her room,
then sank into a chair after ringing
for a lemonade. She took the beverage
with little sugar, and after ten minutes
Of silence and rePose had sufficiently
recovered from her violent exercise 10
get OF her sweater. When it and the
skirt had been removed her compan-
ion discovered that underneath Amelia
was swathed in thick winter under
wear. and this on a not August day.
Explain yourself, Amelia. Are you
crazy?" exclaimed the friend; and so
Amelia eXplaineG-eXplained that she
weighed the aforesaid 160 and was get
ting plumper all the time, and that no
plump lady could by the rules Of the
game wear a sheath gown.
''And since sheath gowns are coming
In I have to do something, don't I?'
she walled.
stand up for twenty minutes after
each meal" suggested the friend.
Il did that, and I gained four pounds
in a month";" protested Amelia plain
"TRen diet"
What I eat has nothing TO do with
il" insisted the lachrymose one. 81
haven't eaten any sweets for so long
forget how they taste. No, believe
one who has considered the subject
from every point Of view; exercise is
the only thing which really affects
this too, too solid flesh of ours But I
have lost six pounds this last week. %
weeks I Will have lost twenty-five
pounds, and my weight viii then be
but 135 pounds, and that viii not be
too much for a sheath gown. Indeed,
think it Will be very good weight,
don't yOu?''
The friend said that she did; that 135
was the goal which many women hoped
to reach, but she doubted whether Anne
las calculations would come out quite
as she expected.
And so the sheath gown, lying all in
nocently in the wOrkrOom of the c0utu-
rlere, IS already causing much sadness
OF heart and unpleasant eXertion on the
part Of those who expect 20 be its pa
irons.
Curves are melting before the pros
pect of It's approach and new figures
are being built to show OF its clinging
lines.
The sveIte girl has long been sung in