Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-06-24
The Home Circle
Thoughts from the Editorial Pen
Reforms and Reformers.

In our grandmother's day, before
a trock could get frayed, shabby, or
in any wise unseemly, they used 10
refashion it-'make il over" They
achieved real triumphs, too-back
breadths to the fore, hem ripped out
and the whole thing reversed-that
is, top became bottom and the inside
was turned out.
This procedure applied especially
TO Sunday silks, mohairs, lusterings,
poplins, cashmeres and brocades.
And you wouldn't believe it, if told.
how many years a best" frock
served. adequately and hOnorably.
Besides. there was the remodeling
of elders garments TO fit out the
little folks. with whom the acquisi-
tion OF a whole really, truly new suit
was so unusual as 10 constitute
memorable event.
When one thinks of the love and
care that went into this refashiOning.
and how snug and safe they fitted the
sole needs of little chaps, and the
JOY mothers had in the work. nobody
can pity either party to the transac-
tiOn.
But ways change as days change.
and We must keep pace with the times
Nowadays nobody willingly tolerates
a last seasons frock or a remodeled
one. and while there's much waste
that soon or late We all must suffer
and pay for. still, if our mental and
physical habits harmonic. We are. as
Dooley says, all right, or nearly
right"
But do they? Seems like most
folks these days waste a tremendous
amount of effort to fit us into out
worn, or outgrown. or shabby, or
shoddy outcast beliefs of one kind or
another that should go into the dust
heap. They're not fit even for a
rummage sale of cast-off ready
mades for those too thriftless for any
but hand-me-down faiths
Anyhow. ii is what you do, and not
what you believe. that counts.
Women, in particular, want to in
sist on the old ways of the old days,
and it might be good thing if every
woman convicted of advocating any
old fashion less elemental than
breath, death, wisdom, honesty and
gentle speech, should be condemned
to wear garments that would fit the
crime, of as many years antiquity as
the reform she advocates, and of her
own fingers fashioning.
! Nobody cares so much as yourself
whether your clothes and your faiths
are fit and becoming and up to the
minute, but if you take note you will
find it is always some other fellow
the zealots want to reform, not them
selves; they wouldn't tolerate dicta-
tiOn in the relatively unimportant
matter of clothes, but they insist on
certain formulas that will cure all
the ills we suffer from if THE
OTHER FELLOW will follow the
rules.
There's one safe, sure and painless
way to abolish all the troubles we
think we suffer from. Only one.
That is, for each one to expend all mis-
capabilities for reform upon his own
case. 1t will give him plenty to do
is he goes about it whole-heartedly
and pushes it to the limit
Our souls must tenant the gar.
ments we fashion for them. so il
would seem to be worth while to be q
leader OF the fashion of casting aside
all that is Outworn or a misfit, wear.
ing only what is appropriate and be-
coming, letting the world see us only
at our best, and engaging strenuously
: in the pursuit of happiness just per
r sonal happiness. The other fellow
, not wanting to appear shabby or Joy
less, will follow suit, and the frs
thing we know pVerVbOdv will ha c,
t busy doing good and being happ!
= that wrong will go out Of business
, permanently and painlessly.