The Washington times., 1908-10-13
Italian Physician Declares
That WhaleboneS Cause
Much tuberculosis.
NOW JUST READ
THIS ARRANGEMENT
Clerk Says: This Will Improve
Your Figure" and Gets in Bad
With Customer.

And now the corset IS accused of still
another high crime and mIsdemeanor.
During the whole Of its innocent life IL
has been the victim Of one libel after
another; it has been berated and abused,
but this last accusation that IL is a pre-
disposing cause of tuberculosis really
caps the climax and leaves the Door
thing without a leg TO stand on-"ou
which to stand" would have been better
English, but in my agitation ! am for
getting my propositions and mixing my
metaphor.
1t is a noted Italian physician who
brings the charge. and as yet not even
a manufacturer Of stays has come for
ward 10 attack his proposition Per
hapS that is because the manufacturer
feels so secure this year.
With the Empire styles in vogue
women would wear corsets II they gave
them bubOnic plague, combined with
measles and fatty degeneration of the
brain.
1 went with a friend the other day 10
buy a pair of corsets.
Ny friend approached a counter and
made known her wishes. A pair OF
corsets. please said she, carelessly,
Certainly" said the clerk; come
into the fitting room"
Into the Fitting Room.
40 the fitting room then we went.
and sank into chairs and adjusted our
wells.
Anon came the clerk laden with the
articles which our grandmOthers called
stays, elegantly, but which l shall Re -er
10 during this article chiefly by the
common or garden name by which they
are known I'm this degenerate age.
They danSled from her arms and she
placed her burden on a chair, and Sc
leCting one particular sort from the
collection advanced with H.
How much is this One2' asked my
friend, languidly, surveying it with in
Twelve dollars" replied the clerk.
and my friend sat UP suddenly, and 1
stopped tiddling with my pOcketbook,
and began to take. notice.
why SIP inquired my friend, with
some asperiUy. The material is not at
all unusual; the lace is very poor Why
because Of the cut" answered the
clerk with brevity, II viii be observed
Nv friend and I took hold each OF a
corner Of the article and began gravely
TO try to observe the cut. After some
moments spent in this pleasing occuPa-
ton we came to the conclusion that II
was cut much like others that We had
seen. There were a multiplicity OF little
cores and a number Of stitchings, but
nothing to distinguish il from other
brands.
Makes for Long Waists.
This corset said the clerk. noting
your incredulous looks no doubt, will
make anyone look long-waisted. What
YOU want" she went on, addressing my
unfortunate friend. lis something 20
Iengthen your waist at least two inches.
This corset will do it
The face of my E1duS AchaleS was
study in pastel shades I am quite sat
isied with my figure: 1 don't care TO be
made over she said, cOldly-
Now my dear. corsets are my spe-
cialty." remarked the clerk 1 know
more about Corsets than the POes know
about football, and you are much too
shOrt-Waisted. If II weren Tor thar
and the fact that you are something
thin you would have very good hS-
ure"
/ walked TO the window 50 that
would be out OF the storm belt
IF am satisfed'-began my friend
with spirit. and then weakly capitulated
The clerk changed the subject OF heI
conversation. ''I viii tell you what Is
the matter, you wear your corsets TOO
ught" she cried.
TOO Tight" exclaimed my friend, en- en-,
ragged. too tight Why, 1 can turn
them all around on me"
They All Say So.
Now, it is a scientific fact known to
every woman that there is no feminine
who does not declare that she can turn
her corsets all around on her. and de-
~
breath, so the clerk paid no attention to
this, but just demanded to know what
number my friend usually wore, and,
hearing that IL was an IS, hastily put
upon her a 20 Anyone who has ever
heard Of a shield and bUCkler must, TO
understand exactly what that express
sion means, see one Of the new corsets.
These commence right under the chin
and go almost to the toes, but once en-
cased in them the wearer presents a
smooth and slippery surface to which
any gown would cling with enthusiasm
When my friend had been done up In
her armOT and Il had been taken VI
here and let out there to suit heI
idiosyncracies Of figure, she prOfesseC
herself satisfied with the result to the
extent Of $12 and prepared to remove
them.
waltz I commanded See IL you
can take a long breath"
Ny friend tried. She tried once; she
tried twice. Then she turned to me al
most black I'm the face Il cannot,
she admitted But does ii look we'll p
/ said that II did
In that case" said she, 81 will dC
without breathing" and put on hel
things and came away.
LEONORE CALVERT.