Year: 1878

London Cor San Francisco Chronicle


sent you lately some stories descrip-
tive OF the woes attending those fair
ones who torment themselves by wear
ing scanty skirts, tied into that terribly
fashionable extent that their wearers
walking powers are seriously impeded.
in fact, completely crippled. Here is
another also perfectly true tale (or so
the lady who told it assured me) which
| hope you will not consider too shock
ing for publication. 1t may at least
serve as what very good people are fond
Of calling an awful warning A dinner
party was about to be held at very
grand house in London; the guests had
arrived, gorgeous funkey had announ-
ced that all was ready and the guests,
pairing off in the usual fashion, so sug-
gestive of the loving couples in the val
entines adorning our shop windows,
were in the act of descending the stair
case toward the dining room. Below,
in the hall. stood any number of mag
nlficent men servants, walters, and sol
emn rctainers generally. And now,
leaving the guests upon the stairs for
half a minute, | must diverge just to in
form you, in case, as a member of the
sterner and less made-up sex, you
should not be aware of the fact that the
present attenuated style of female fig
ure from the hips downward is caused
by what fine writer in late millinery
and dry goods advertisement called
perfect revolution in the style of la
dies underclothing." Which revolution
being interpreted, means that the null
tltudinous uncomfortable garments
which used in days of yore to make up
is not displayed outside for rude mas
cullnc public to gaze at, are by the pres
ent deyotees of fashion entirely discard
ed, and that underneath a lady's dress,
nowadays, is hardly anything to be
found save a tight fitting suit of brown,
composed of soft and yielding leather in
winter, and Of Heaven knows what in
summer. Only by wearing this perfect
ly revolutionary style can the closely
clinging fit of the skirts so dear to the
fair sex Of to-day be produced To re-
turn to the dinner guests upon the
staircase. The lady on the arm of the
HIoU StlItlCHldH VI lIle pIOctSSlou was
gliding down in all her glory. her train
trailing after her several yards along
the stairs, when suddenly the gentle
man next behind her, in the dreadfully
clumsy manner of his misguided sex,
trod upon her dress. Can you not fan
cy the look with which, across her
shoulder, she withered that unhappy
wretch? Horror There was, all in the
space of second, dreadful crack.
fearful sound of rending, and the entire
skirt, in the sight of all the company
behind its wcarer, and of all the fun
kies in the hall below, fell to her feet
Shall ! pursue the awful story, or will
you fancy for yourself the picture. The
elaboratcly arranged hair, the white
neck ringed round with glittering jewel
ry, the fashionably trimmed dress body,
and then-no, really, it is quite too aw-
full. Let us stop; let us drop the sub
ject: let us discuss the weather, Doctor
Cummings last birthstone prophecy,
Spurgeon latest discourse on everlast-
ing woe, or some other highly proper
and moral matter for conversation; for
if you are not by this time covered with
bushes | most certainly am.


Ewes GRANDDAUGHTER