The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-05-12

T HE question of gait, OF Just how a
1sU woman should walk, Is an Inn
portant one. and one that few
consider as they should, for It makes or
mars woman's appearance. and In the
lovellest OF gowns a woman may appear
ugly simply because of an awkward
walk.
Just at present. more than ut any
time IN the modern history of dress Is II
important for a woman to consider her
eait--for the scant skirts drawn In about
the feet are made to appear grotesque to
q degree when woman does not walk
gracefully The skirt pulls and twitches
and gets tangled abou, her ankles till she
Is an absurd object Instead of a creature
or grace and beauty.
One should remember that one canrot
walk the same in town as in the coun-
try: one dresses differently In the tyo
places, and the long, swinging stride
when one Is walking across country In
short tweed skirt and thick. hroad-solet
shoes Is not to be prae''sed o. Fifth ave-
nue., when one has on fashionable sklr;
and pointed pumps
When one is going to church or rrorn-
shading on the avenue ono should re nom
Der 10 be graceful and to wax with a
aiding step. neither too quick nor y.
utow. with as little mQven.~rt OF tbs rms
a. possible and no swing Of tho hr,s
This may sound difficult. and oLe roay
imagine that such restrictions would
MAKE a wooden sort of gait. but WITH
,ittie practise and thought one may so,n
aconire the proper graceful glide.
II, should also be remembered that y
q bad form to appear to lolter along
walking aimlessly: one should appear
purposeful and yet not In rush. Tha.
n the one fault find with American
women when they walk: many ars apt
10 appear in hurry
But generally speaking, the American
xonien, II appears to me. walk oette-
than the women of any other country.
n love TO watch them on Fifth avenue,
for their walking Is completely typical of
the American nature-young fearless.
siprt and full OF the spring of life. Their
altitude In walking Is perhaps too 'ar-
rsx,iye" and sure OF themselves to be per.
fect--that Is. from an English point OF
view. but we are slow going. and from
an American point OF view | can under
stand that It Is all right; It belongs with
the country and fits in exactly with tho
sshsme OF things here. where women are
complete masters OF the home. and men
only the adjunct. srf HfFf
English women both walk and hold
themselves very badly, and It Is a SUBJ
jent that am always talking about To
begin with. the shape OF English shoes
Is far. far from smart. and women have a
habit OF shuffling along with a sort OF
dilapidated. dlsinterested air in the street
which Is pitiable They also do not seem
10 care very much how they look on the
street. They pay far more attention to
their homes and spend all their spare
money on them and on their house
gowns. which is delightful for few. but
not for the many. like the American
idea better Of appearing very smart and
slseant when abroad in the streets.
But there is one point about the
Atherican women that must speak of
hsfA for II Is one that strikes every
foFeigner to your shores. and to me Is
uothing less than shocking.
II Is that of women holding up their
long dresses when they enter restaurants
and other public places This should
never, never be done. Some offer the
prptest. when L decry the habit, that they
cannot bear to trail their lovely skirts
through dirt and soil them SO badly.
but that Is no excuse: one must not
hesitate for such reason. but sweep on
through whatever the floor may offer. as
= - mover thought Of ones eiothes A