The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-24
r MILLINERS.

ihcy wear IO iiuoiS "
a realization OF the fact that they
constitute a social problem. They
seem, despite the energy that is ex-
pended in considering their state. g
sonably happy. II it be a sign and
symbol of oppression and discomfort
to be exceedingly Industrious, then
they are oppressed and discontinued.
for they are amazingly, reproachfully
industrious. But they display a con-
tinuity Of apparent enjoyment that
stamps them az deceitful, II they do
indeed fulfil the theories Of the So
biologists.
They should look old, careworn. ut
terly depressed. They do not. On
the contrary. they look like all other
modern women, young; and they are
juvenilely clad. also after the fashion
Of the day. Ten years q the casual
observer would have said that they
were girls; but apparelled according to
the mode, they may be grandmothers
for all mere man can tell to-day.
Grandmotherly. indeed. Is their dill
gence; there Is nausht Of youthful
~frivolity in the assiduity with which
they snip and stitch and quicker and
shirr and do a thousand other things
hat must be done to hats. That IL,
to downtrodden woman's hats.
For they are mllliners. They must
be new mdlliners. or milllners in a
new shop. It's area Is so CONSTRUCTED
that the magnificent expanses Of
women's h%eadgcar Of a short time
ago could not be compressed therein.
Where were those trlumphs OF aerial
architecture, those s~kyscrapers Of cap
ltal adornment, composed? Nobody
ever saw n mill!ner working on the
Central Park meadow. it Is not re-
corded that Madison Square Garden
for a time agone was possessed by the
ha, makers: yet all outdoors must
have been the workshop OF the au-
thors VI year before lasts hats.
Not Of hat kind the CONNECTIONS Of
these three. They are, perforce. up
to date. Perhaps they are specialists
In toqucs. turbans may engage their
exclusive efforts; certainly not skull
caps, for on those no feathers, strange
bows. brilliant knots assemble. AMI
the products Of these always busy
are EiyT IbllS4N ItlfT lffl. lldl Hlu' II
plain. II Is reflected in the compla-
cent, prideful Smiles that accompany
each inspection OF a finished product
Il IL revealed in the a~ffectionate'y
disciplinary pats with which refractory
materials are compelled to obedience
in artistic design. Il IL disclosed In
the whole attitude OF the workers
toward their work
II Is disCouraging. the apparent
non-recognition hy these downtrohden
that they arc downtr~dden. Their
wage slavery rests too light on them.
They should be- forloru. gloomy,
morose hut they are not. Instead.
they seem to have "A reasonably
plea@ant time. Their lips move az II
they chattercd. They might, indeed.
constitute "A section ~ the church sow
ing circle. mixing charitable efforts
with neichborhood gossip. neighbour
hood gossip. ono VI IN" noble relaxa-
lions Of the human mind.
l. is a mistake to dcrominate
gossip as feminine. IN brand It az un-
worthy II il universal, II IL entirely
admirable. |, exercises the highest
reformatory Influences on the de-
pravci II serve M n bureau or
domestic research. correcting. admon-
ishing warning without ofiCit, inter
v%.utioN. rcctify ing many ~lamcntabl"
conditions. To call a person an old
gossip IL to pay a high compliment.
II is infinitely better for tn. intel
lcctual processes Of the Intelligent
than statistics. Stat sites stu,tify the
fancy, dwarf the imagination and Kill
romance Let bank clerks. the most
prosalC 90 creatures, monopoii2c sta
"tis,ics. they are not FOR m!lliners, who
dwell under a kinder dispcnsatton.
M!l.incrs are to he preferred to hank
clerks They indulge In no mathe-
matcal computations, the never
write no funds" cross the face of a
check. and they are much moro at
,raCtivc than the bank clerks or
redgling lawyers Ia look upon.
lerhap, they chew gum.