The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1909-09-24

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| cries weave in and out, arms rise and
fall. 1.-the bodies pose and change and
| pose. in attitudes learned carefully be-
| forehand.
They copy attitudes from Grecian
urns with pain and hesitation. Why
not? So the piano player finds her
way. awkward and hating: only little
by little does practice make those
hard notes fall like showers of pearls.
So the graces Of these earnest girls,
at first stiff copies, became natural
and free. a poetry of attitude and ges-
ture all their own.
When they quit their classical drap-
cries for tailor suits they take their
graces with them into daily life.
| These solemn rituals become habit,
give them-in our careless daily life
touch of gravity and dignity that
surprises and delights young men, so
they would have their girls.
The classical draperies are of i'm.
portance to impose graceful habits on
our bodies" said one girl. And these
ideals are In the air. Fashion itself Is
coming round to them"
Really" | asked. Has fashion the
slightest tendency to corset reform?"
was astonished by her answer.
Remember. these girls are girls of
fashion; and fashion has always
laughed at corset reform. Corset re-
form is In the air OF Europe. yes; but
when ] wrote a few months ago that
the Roumanian minister OF public in.
struction had prohibited the corset In
the highest normal and professional
schools as "a permanent obstacle to
the development Of the body and the
normal functions of the organs" I
felt, nevertheless. that l was mislead-
ing the reader.
What does Roumania count? What
does 1t count that the Bulgarian tsar
banishes the corset from all schools
where girls remain up to the age
of III"
What does It count that all students
OF Russian lyceums and high schools
OF music. ballet and beaux arts are or.
dered to deposit In the cloakroom the
cuirass which they wear under the
name OF corset" and that the Car
Nicholas. in signing the regulation,
added In his own hand that 1.-The de.
velopment OF feminine charms will be
the gainer?" II counts nothing that
In Scandinavian countries the mass of
girls have voluntarily abandoned the
corset through devotion to outdoor
sports"
These are unfashionable lands.
where the costume OF women matters
nothing. Even In Paris the otherwise
powerful League Of Mothers Of Fami.
lies got itself laughed at by taking
up corset reform six months ago. Its
52.page brochure. illustrated by pho
tographs Of paintings and statues. an.
atomical cuts and portraits OF hoating
kidneys was reviewed ironically by
the boulevard press. Its letters OF en-.
couragement from 100 Paris physi.
clans. 100 painters. sculptors and poets
and 100 actresses and professional
beauties. beginning with Sarah and
ReJanc. fell fiat.
The great Paris drcssmakers merely
smiled. When asked about those 100
actresses. they laughed: Sarah Bern.
hardt is still bony: but Rejane? She
fbs-a woman Of that corpulence
without corset-n!"
Then suddenly they began hedging.
Yes. concessions might be made 10
tho demands OF suppleness and grace:
tho tendency toward more classical
garments might suggest kind Of cor.
set reform.
The fashionable girls Of whom I
speak understand this perfectly.
Tho great drsssmakers and the
corsetmakcrs themselves can alone
make tho reform general" they admit,
And tho grace movement IL forcing
them"
The grace movement DO you smile
at 1T DO you see anything futile In
earnest girls copying tho poses and
gestures from Grccian urnai
We pay great prices for Tanaxra
hgurines and ! ask whyf" one Of the
.lrls said. why do we no admire
them. II not for their grace sloneY
Their beauty OF face and ngurs 10 nil.
Their beauty Of attitude and gesture
In everything. Il 10 within the reach
| OF us all Why not try far ~"