The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-20
MRS. PUMPKINS DISCOURSES ON THE NEW
 STYLES SHE HAS SEEN DURING THE WEEK
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

1 Pumpkins, how can you wear lace or chiffon gown with red flannel petticoat? l don't especially approved of the diapha- nous gown-not entrely-but 1 can easily understand how it can be- Tt isn't so much that the slit gowns | or the diaphanous gowns are immodest but that all the women in a bunch will chase after such fool fads," Mrs. Bump kins answered. Tt isn't sweet and it isn't womanly. It used to be that a wom- |. an blushed occasionally, and a blush, let me tell you. is not to be despised It is pretty and very unusual thng, for it's mighty seldom that you ever see these days a real good sized mans blush like our grandmothers used to make. You haven't blush to your name and neither have l. But as l was about to say about 1 the fashions: 1 draw the line at this dar ing and daring and daring, of wearing frock cut bit lower than your neigh
 bor's: of having d skirt split little it splitter than your best friends, and finally of thinning out your underwear until you've got a yard of shadow lace sowsd to a band at the waist and call yourself clothed.
 ''I say. let em wear 'em, let cm wear 1 'em. Mrs. litter observed.
 Would you have your daughter wear
 em? asked Mrs. Pumpkins irateiy.
 Haven't got d daughter to my name. You know that all my daughters are sons" replied Mrs. litter
 You are hedging" Mrs Pumpkins in- sisted. IT this generation goes about clad in net and chiffon. what will the next generation wear. l wonder? "Pshaw!" exclaimed Mrs litter. The next generation can look after it's own dressing. Goodness knows. 1 have enough trouble getting good dressmaker and selecting | style and making MT. Titter dig for the bills to be worrying about the next generation"
 Mrs. litter. you belong to the spine less age." Mrs. Pumpkins pronounced.
 What do you mean? asked Mrs. Tit ter, curiously.
 You belong to the spineless ,ge,' Mrs. Pumpkins repeated. "We all owe 1t to ourselves and our families to make char acter and reputation and it Is done rlEnt at our own fires.des, not by a lot I philanthropists who get their names Tn the papers for building big buildings ana things, and by men who desien indecof- ous fashions, and you've got your husband and boys 10 consider
 "But | do considers then," Mrs. ritter declared ''Tf I were any more eonsldeiate or any sweeter to them. l couldn't stand my own sbcletA. W HN' IL NNut' '.it--f other people look so mean and piggN.
 "Oh, how you talk Mrs. Pumpkins ie- trained But as l was saying, l believe dress has as much influence on womaii character and a mans. too. Tor that ints.- ter as any other one essential In tts world. Now. l refuse to consider ti'' 'see-through' gown, or the slit skirt oF the loose hoppy. blouses, and if heai of any of my friends wearing them III poiuo to their ncUuaintance.
 I've done something worse than hat acknowledged Mrs. litter. "IVe bought a box of purple powder, and put 1t on my nose''
 "The box Mrs. Pumpkins eXcla.ned
 "No-the powder" Mrs litter cotrecteo'
 The place for the box is on the ear at least that's where most people Aget It. also purchased some dark, dank, yellow poudre One day 1 powdered my nose twice within 15 minutes, quite by accl dent and what do you think? turned perfectly green"
 You were that to begin with, or you wouldn't have used the foolish stuff, said Mrs. Bumpkns "I've heard of people talk ing foolish powder but l never heard or any wise woman using 1t on her nose Will you kindly tell me, please, why any sensible woman should want purple face or deep yellow mug? If you want such a physiognomy, then ] am all the more sure that you belong to the spineless age" &
 all about this spneless age business, begged Mrs. litter.
 ''The age we are living in is the spine- less age," Mrs Pumpkins declared Every body's looking for new sensations and new fads Behold the colored hair and col ored face powder, and the sloppy way the women are dressing! They wear no eor- tl,n at nd pliffnn hlnllGAG wear wouldn't furnish enough material to wad a gun with. When they walk they draw in their chests and slump in at the neck. | like the no-corset idea all right. but I hate the slinky, snakey shuffle. They mozy' along like they didn't have enough energy to blow good sized soap bubble. The big waists are dandy because they give a fellow chance to breathe freely but there isn't much to be said of the spineless girl
 Dresses and hats match' Mrs Bump