Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-01-08
Knee-Deep in Knockers
4 Business Adventure of Emma McChesney
NSSGC2SSS2S2S2S2S2
copyrght by Frederick A Stokes Como
By Edna FERRER
Author Of ''Dauon OHaro. ..uttsr.d Side Doon. s,e



chairless, of course. He had to be II.
That's the skirt business today. There
aren't enough chairs to go round. and
in the scramble somebody's got to be
left out And let me tell you. here
and now, that the firm OF T. A. Buck.
featherloom petticoats, is not going
to be It"
T. A. rose as YEARLY as he had sat
down. Even the most optimistic Of
watchers could have discerned no
CLEAN of enthusiasm on his face.
Il thought" he said listlessly. that
you and l had tried every possible
scheme to stimulate the skirt trade"
Every possible one. yes." agreed
Mrs. McChesney, sweetly. And now
it's time to try the impossible. The
possibilities haven't worked My
land! l could write a book on the
decline and fall of the petticoat, be-
ginning with the billowy white mus
lin variety, and working up to the
present slinky messaline affair. When
| think of those dear days of the
gloriOus-er-past, when the hired girl
used to complain and threaten to
leave because every woman in the
family had at least three RULED, EN-
broidery-flounced white muslin petit
coats on the line on Mondays"
The lines about T. A. Bucks mouth
relaxed into a grim smile.
Remember that feature you got
them to run in the Sunday Sphere?
The one headed Are Skirts Growing
Fuller, and Where?"
| DO / remember it," walled Emma
McChesney. And can l ever forget
the money we put into that fringed
model we called the Carmencita! We
made it up SO it could retail for a
dollar ninety-five, and l could have
sworn that the women would main
each other to get to it. But 1t didn't
go. They won't even wear fringe
around their ankles
t. AS grim smile stretched into q
reminiscent grin. But nothing in oul
whole hopeless campaign could touch
your Municipal Purity league agita
ton for the abolition of the form
hugging skirt. You talked public NOR
ais until you had A. Comstock anC
Lucy Page CASTOR looking like Pari
sian apaches."
A little laugh rippled up to Emm;
McChesneys lips only to die away Il
a sigh. She shook her head in sorrow
full remembrance.
Yes. But what good did it do
|. The newspapers and magazines di,
take It up, but what happened? Tn
dressmakers and tailors. who ar
charging more than ever for thei
work. and putting In half as much ma
terial, got together and knocked m
plans into a cooked hat. In answer
those snapshots showing what too
place every time a woman climbed
car step, they came back with picture
Of the styles Of 81. proving that tn
: street car effect is nothing to whs
/ happened to a belle of 81 IL sh
/ CHANGED to sit down or get up too su,
denly in the hoop-skirt days"
. They we're both laughing now, lik
D a couple Of children. And, oh, say!
r gasped Emma, remember Moe 8
Zig OF the Fine-Form Skirt compan
d trying to get the doctors to state tn;
s hobble skirts we're making wome
g knock-kneedl oh, mercy"
t But their laugh ended in a lit
J. rLefu1 silence. IL was no laughiT
matter. this situation. T. A. BuC
e shrugged his shoulders, and began
!. restless pacing up and down. '.Ye
r There you are. Meanwhile"
d Meanwhile. women are still wea
e ing EN- tight. and going petticoG
e less"
Suddenly T. A. stopped short In b
q pacing and fastened his surprised al
interested gaze on the skirt of Il
trim and correct little business fro,
a that sat 30 well upon Emma McChs
Ie ney's pretty figure.
ID Why, look at that" he exclaime
T. and pointed with one eager finger.
T. Mercy" screamed Emma McCh'
ney. what isett7 Quick! A mouse
8 T. A. Buck shook his head. iml
tiently Mouse! Lord. no! Plaits
Or "Plaitsi"
Id She looked down. bewildered.
C. Yes. In your skirt. Three pla
IT at the front left. and three In {
I'd back. That's new. isn't 1T II oui
skirts are being made fuller, then
IT, follows"
Ia 1T ought to follow" interrupted 2
de ma McChesney, but it doesn't.
lags way behind. These plaits 1
at stitched down. Sect That's
ct Hendishness OF It. And the pettic'
m underneath-lf there is one-must
just as smooth, and unwrinkIed. 9
ar scant az ever. Don't let 'em fool 20
he Buck spread his palms with lii
gesture of utter futility.
A I'm through. Out with y
ne scheme. We're ready for IT. It's I
last card, whatever II is."
st There was visible on Emma Mech
rts ney's face that little tightening Of
mt muscles, the narrowing OF the eyel
1m which bet0kenB intense eaTnestne
I've the gathering or ali the forces Def
om taking a momentous step. Then.
TO quickly, her face cleared. She shi
fly her head with a little air OF sud,
led decision
ZEN Not now. Just because it's
last card want to be sure that
We playing It well. III be ready for
OBJ tomorrow morning IN my once. CO
ell prepared for the JOLT Of your 20
0fit life"
I - "a. /.