The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-07-10
SOME PLAIN THOUGHTS DRIVEN
HOME BY A GIRL - FRANK
STATEMENTS ABOUT CRAZE
FOR UNDRESS JUST WHY
MARIE SHOULD INDEED WORRY,
AND THEN REFORM.

I do not think there is a Catholic
paper published nowadays that does
not contain an article of some length
on the present day garb of women,
writes Grace Keen in the Tablet |
wonder who reads these articles? Per-
haps the ones for whom they are in
tended scan the headlines and no
more. And if all that has been writ
ten has not seemed to make an i'm
preston will anything that | have to
say in the matter be worth while?
The above was my first thought
when it was suggested to me that
write something along these lines.
Yet the idea was added that fathers
and mothers might begin to consider
what is really dreadful problem if
other fathers and mothers could be
induced to give their views on the sub
ject. | say might begin, for up to the
present most parents do not seem to
have taken the matter seriously.
ScoIding Marie.
One woman remarks: yes, I do
scold Marie for the clothes she buys.
But she tells me you can't buy any
thing else. Ard when I look at other
young girls, they dress even worse
than Marie Some of the older women
too! Women as old as I am! So I
guess I can't say anything. Marie
must be right"
What Marie Thinks.
And Marie says: "Of course all the
stores are showing these clothes-and
you might as we'll be out of the world
as out of the fashion-and if you dress
like dowdy no one wants to be seen
with you. You never catch a man
looking at a girl that isn't up-to-date!
And you feel like fOol!'
But my dear girl, it is much better
to feel like a fool than to be the
occasion of SIM"
"Occasion of sin. Who's the occa-
sion of sin, I'd like to know?'
you are-When you dress down to
the waist and up to your knees. No
men
Men! The poor things! | suppose
we must think Of the men now. They
don't have to look at u.s."
But they do! Eyes were made fol
seeing!"
"Too bad about them! If a man
can't look at us girls without think
ing wrong things, that's his fault. We
should worry"
| wonder how many Maries will rec
ognize the above conversation. A few
will say | am quoting them verbatim
They dismiss the subject-and me-
very red of face, very bright of eye
and very light of head. They make
one feel these young, implusive
thoughtless creatures, as if one were
trying to induce a butterfly to behave
like a bee.
The "For Sale" Sign.
Nevertheless, dear girls, you should
worry. And your mothers, you should
worry too! And your fathers-yOu
should do more than worry. 1t is
your duty, if mother fails in hers, tc
tell your daughters some strong home
truths, without sugar-cOating the pill
And all decent Christian men, young
and old, will subscribe to every wore
I say.
Your girl, ii she comes out uncloth
ed because she must follow the fash
ions, writes herself down as a char
acter without courage; a mind with
out matter; poison without andidote
Inspecting. the Goods.
We read of the slave markets oil
days not so long ancient; of buyers
who were at liberty to inspect and
handle the human things they pur
chased. Your girl, who appears I'm
clothed in public, makes herself "Fol
Sale" as much as ever a slave was
marked for sale. There are eyes ap
praisirg her-and you fathers know
it. If your girl wishes to display the
beauty of her person before the gaze
of men-you-or she-must not pro
test when you find that familiarity
breeds contempt.
My dear girl, when every man who
cares to have weighed your personality
has ventured as far as he may go with
you; has perhaps insulted you covert
ly if not openly, you must not com
plain that you have done nothing tt
court Such insult
A Girls Modesty.
When goods lie on a counter for any
length of time they must be marked
down and sold at lower value. Wher
a girls modesty is stained by expos
ure of bosom and limbs before the
common horde, she, too, deteriorates
in value The time may come wher
she, too, will wish that she had moi
so boldly displayed her price tag
Some girls escape dangers openly
courted. Others are not so lucky.
The purity of a woman is the pre-
cious jewel of her soul. 1t is bidder
in the casket of modesty. No ruth
less hand can touch this jewel unit
the casket be broken. And the cir
of today who wears the fashions of thu
day has broken the casket.
s~ Up and Down.
But 'the parents are so old-fash
ioned!" And 'the priests are 81