The National tribune., 1910-08-25
PEOPLE.

It is claimed that the women of the
resent day, with the broadening of
heir horizon. their clubs. their philan-
hropic work, their social duties and
heir families to look after. accomplish
quite as much as the women of any
period in history. Certain it is that
hey rush around madly from one thing
o another, with never time for quiet
moment in which to take account of
nock so to speak. Some of these wo-
s,e1 do accomplish wonders, it is true,
Ind it is not surprising that one of
them falls by the way side with ner-
vouS prostration every little while. In
the early days of the country the work
done by the women seems perfectly
staggering to us of the present day.
One hears of the wife of prosperous
merchant who took care not only of
her own family of II, but of seven ap-
prentices as well, cooking for them all
and weaving the cloth for the clothes
she made for all. The children worked
during the day and were taught at
night, as were also the apprentices. by
both husband and wife. All the boys
became rich, and all the daughters
married men of wealth. In the 18th
century that coterie of women known
as the blue stockings" which included
Hannah Moore, Fanny Burney, Mrs.
Montagu, whom DR.. johnson called the
Queen of the Blues" Mrs. Carter, etc,
not only performed their domestic du-
ties with perfect faithfuness, but found
time for much literary work in addi-
ton to the hours spent in their famous
meetings, where questions of religion,
philosophy, books, etc, were brilliantly
and intelligently discussed. Mrs. Car
ter, for instance, one of the shining
lSBlnf Iii
her fathers house and his large family
of children by a second marriage, pre-
pairing one of these for the university
IN odd moments. found time to master
Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French Italian,
German, Portuguese and Arabic, and
without any special Quickness of intel
lect, SO it Is said. She made a very
fine translation of Epictetus, which
brought her fame and fortune, but
when approached by the publishers to
write life of the Stole philosopher re-
fused, saying she had IL shirts to make
which shows how high an estimate she
placed on the domestic virtues. Mrs
Montague, who was great beauty as
well as a woman of unusual intellectual
brilliancy. gave breakfast parties to 800
or more and frequent dinner parties,
occupying her leisure time in literary
bouts with Voltaire, of whose transla-
ton of Shakspere she did not approve
She also made very beautiful feather
work, which she exhibited with pride
at her entertainments. These women,
altho living in a period distinguished
for its eXceSses and pranks in matters
of dress and manners. prided them
selves on their common sense and their
writings, for they nearly all of them
wrote, and, together with their rare
conversational gifts. greatly influenced
their own times and stimulated the
wonderful intellectual hInSSnn1inu nP
the succeeding era. The blue worSted
stockings SO much worn at that period
implied morning dress, as opposed to
black silk hose, which were put on in
the evening, and the term blue stock
ing is said to have arisen from a con-
Versation which took place between an
English woman and a foreigner who
had been 41vited to one of the func-
tions of the wits, and who was told
that dress was so little regarded that
he might go in his blue stockings.
Nothing brings home more forcibly
the fact that woman spends to-day
twice for clothes what she did 10 or Is
years ago than the comparing of a
gown she had at that time with one of
her present costumes, if she happens
to have on hand so ancient a creation.
A lady noted for her taste in dress and
for the success of her toilets unearthed
from her attic recently a gown in which
She had made great success some 10
years ago The costume was so pretty
and tasteful that mention was made of
II in the local papers at the time the
occasion being cricket match, the So
clai event of the season. The gown
was l2-cent percale of mauve and
white stripe. made by machine in a
day and trimmed with white cotton col
lar and cuffs, starched stiff and edged
with a narrow Hamburg. White satin
ribbon tied around the neck and waist
and IS sailor hat completed this cos
tune, which the newspapers reported
as one of the smartest gowns worn.
Just imagine any woman of this class
appearing at large society affair in
such costume nowadaysl The same
occasion would seem TO demand a toilet
costing anywhere from 500 to $500.
OF course, / am speaking of our
wealthy, fashionable class, to which
this woman belonged, but exactly the
same increase in the expense of clothes
Is experienced by every woman, rich or
poor. Ten years ago only a few women
wore silk petticoats. To-day only the
poorest class do not wear them Ten
years ago a pretty hat could be bought
for 81 or SS. Now one no prettier costs
SIS. And SO II goes. Nearly every ar
ticle of woman's dress costs almost
double it did 10 or Is years ago, and
the women do not look a bit more at