The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-14
Evening Chat
Tho "HohhIe.p

The other day I was walking down
the street and saw Just ahead of me
young woman whose painful mode OF
progress led me to believe she was a
cripple or at least had some impedi-
ment which made walking q rather diff
ficult feat On closer view, however.
discovered that the cause of her
awkward unsteady progress was an
entirely too narrow skirt. She bunch
ed and hitched along making scarcely
any Roadway and in order to keep be-
hind her so that l might further OBJ.
serve her had to creep almost as a
snail does or would have with a few
quick strides have left her far to the
rear.
When she reached the end of the
square we were traversins and attempt
ed TO step down OF one curb and on to
another shn had to stop short anu
carefully manipulate both skirt and
steps in order to attain the desired
pavement. She was rather pretty and
becomingly and stylishly dressed and
would have otherwise-but for this
outlandishly narrow skirt which my eye
measured to be not more than a scant
yard-have made an attractive appear
ance. But as 1t was everyone that
observed her and her mincing foot.
steps had a twinkle In their eye or a
smile on their face which either denot-
ed amusement Or disgust as the case
might have impressed them.
imagine this kind of TORTURE must
have emarated from the dark ages the
reign of terror or the Spanish inquisi.
ito mas l can scarcely imagine any
thing more painful than to be compell-
ed 10 hobble along in this manner en-,
tirely devoid of comfort or freedom.
know whereof | speak, too. Sew.
eral years ago when the long narrow
skirt came into popular favor withou:
realizing how these skirts hamper one,
/ purchased one of them. The first
time / wore it went to an afternoon
tea" and in ascending a pair of int.
rior stair steps | fell up them ano
spoiled pair of brand new white kid
gloves. had made the trip to the
J place where the tea" was held in a
motor car but walked home and will
never forget what time | had In
reaching by home at all. l was abso-
lutely tired out, cross and miserable
and no sooner was out OF this dress
than It was altered in order to give me
the desired freedom in walking. Since
that time in buying dress try ia
walk across the floor before | take It
If this poung wTman of whom l am
speaking, had been afflicted with an
impeachment which would have com.
PEELED her to "hobble" through life in
this manner she would have undoubt
eddy have been the object of the sin
cerest pity but here she had her choice
OF attiring herself in u costume which
would have allowed her to proceed
along in the easy swinging manner
that is characteristic of the usual
| American woman or to doll herself III
. in this freakish attire in order to an
pear up 10 date" and thus make her
self not only thoroughly uncomfortable
but the object as well of ridicule and
amusement, and she chose the latter.
l could not help but wonder whG
would have become of her had a mad
dog dashed wildly around the corner
had motor car rushed madly across
her path or had sudden violent storm
or down pour of rain come up. She
surely would have been the easy vic.
tic OF any one of these disturbances as
had her life depended upon it she
couldn't have possibly qulckened her
steps into anything resembling a run.