The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-16
He Proves It is Not Naughty
In Private Exhfbition Mir. Meertief in sheath Gown is>Cynosure of All
 Eyes-It Certainly Was Not "Nnughty' on Him.
"Is the sheath gown naushty7"

IS the sneAtn gown naughty Emanuel Meertief, member of the executive committee of the State Fair says that 1t isn't. And when seen on Mir Meertief 1t really isn't. Positive fact, there's nothing naughty about
 the gown--on MT. Meertief.
 Now 1t all came about by the fact that the executive committee was In quite quandry about Madame De- lney and her ten beautiful CD models who wanted to show the possibilities of the sheath in the textile depart ment of the coming fair. The members of the executive committed were doubtful about the matter. They wanted people to see the rest of the fair and pay admittance to the grand stand for the races and other amuse- ments coming. The textile department should not be the whole show--if the committee could help 1t.
 Mir. Meertief thought the sheath gown would be a drawing card and was strong for Madame Deianeys get ting a place in the main building. The committee felt that way about 1t too. that was the trouble. MT. Meertief even stated to the hesitating ones that the question might be open--and inci- dentally so was the sheath gown--but as Mir. Meertief tactfulIv stated to the shocked members, mot necessarily so." Oh horrors. No. It could be closed, and a strong accent was put on the word could. However, this time Mir. Meertief did not say. mot necessarily so."
 Mir. Meertief then stated that he would give a demonstration of the sheath gown to the members of tho committee. If they would come to a certain place at certain time.
 Now the committee really wanted to see what the sheath gown looked like. er-that they might decide as to the proprieties of admitting a public demonstration inside the high palings of the fair grounds. It was a matter of practical business knowledge. Yes. The thing must be decided. and the torture gone through. They therefore accepted MT. Meertiefs invitation to . private exhibition gladly. They came to criticize, They did.
 The scribe was invited to be present and print the criticisms made by the members of the committee. He came he saw MT. Meertief.
 The committee assembled at tho aforesaid place at the aforesaid time and all were in a sober, serious crit ical frame of mind. But not long. Of course the invitation as extended by MT. Meertief was bona fide. only Mir. Meertief wore the gown and made the practical demonstration. With becom- ing modesty Mir. Meertief wore a gown mot necessarily open" and after the first awed silence of those present, criticisms were forthcoming.
 They came in punches and in single shots and some in pairs. Occasionally there would be a pause in the criti- cism while the members of the com mittee roared and chortled In their glea.
 Mir. Meertief couldn't understand. Here was a practical demonstration of the sheath gown. just as he had prom ised. and nobody did anything but laugh. Nobody made real criticisms Nobody was serious. Nobody thought the gown "open to criticism" few wanted to know where the gown came from. and If 1t was a genuine impor- tation from Paris. In fact the com mittee thought that the gown was mot open to criticism at all. Quite