Catoctin clarion., 1918-01-17
HORRORS OF kits
Proposed Dress Reform Doesn't
Appeal to This Britisher.
Roman Costumes Also In DIsfavor for
One Could Never Keep His Toga
In Place, He Fears.

Godolphin G. Ginkle, who arrived re-
Gently from British port to buy soft
socks for soldiers, said that conditions
In the country were fairly tOllollish
when he left there two weeks ago, says
the New York Times.
"Apart from the war and the soul
destroying Irish conundrum," Mr.. Gin
kle continued, "the chief excitement IN
London is the fight over the proposed
dress reform. A lot Of silly blighters
"a refrain from using stronger
term-insist that men and women
should wear kits and short jackets
with the old-fashioned Glengarry cap
and feather and leather brOgans. or
course the kits are quite all right for
fellows built on the plan for an Apollo,
but what about the people who are
bOw-legged and knockkneed?
II was never intended to wear kits,
and I swear that I never will again
after an experience had, even If l
should be compelled to adopt the cos
tune and customs Of HottentOt on
Africa's burning sand.
shortly before / left London ] was
invited to 60 to an al frescO luncheon
given at house in the country, and all
the guests, men and women. were
to wear kits. The house was close to
my own villa, not far from town, and
the luncheon In highland costume was
the idea of our rector, one OF those
kindly. portly. white-haired, dear old
things with red nose. who always
look as If they were giving away things
to all mankind and keeping their
hands in their pockets.
II did not like the look Of the
grounds where the luncheon was laid
out, because there was gurgling
brook on one side, and that meant in
sects Of a savage type. With my usual
luck l had to sit on the side next the
water, on one Of those silly cane set
tees that are constructed to turn over
when they are sat upon suddenly.
II was at one end and the rector's
wife, who weighed at least $50 pounds,
sat at the other and looked as graceful
in her kits as did In mine. fancy
that was why they placed us away
from the giddy throng, so as not to
cast a gloom over the affair. Just as
l was helping myself to some lobster
salad a spiny-tailed gazeka bit me on
the right knee, while a double-horned
flying goozog stung me on the left leg.
AS l sprang into the air with wild
yell heard fearful scream and saw
the rectors wife go over into the
ditch Really l don't know what hap
pened afterward, except that the rec
tor called me villain and everyone
said that ! had done 1t as a practical
Joke. I managed to reach London
somehow and got out of the dreadful
kits, and did not 60 back to my home
again before sailing for America.
IN addition to the kilt revival
crowd, another lot Of dOdos have
formed society to have men and
women dress like the ancient Romans.
You know the kind of thing I mean
toga for the men and jacket with
sarong like the Dutch women wear In
Java, no hats and sandals for all, with
out socks"
Mr.. Ginkle looked sad when he re-
lated the details of the proposed dress
reforms, and asked plaintively how he
could ever keep toga In its place.
" couldn't really, you know" he add
ed, land one never can tell what will
happen In England these days" In
view Of these dress reforms Mr.. Ginkle
threatens to come and live the rest OF
his days In America.