Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1883 — The Worn Turns. [ARTICLE]

The Worn Turns.

From the sterner sex, and from the sterner members of her own sex, poos defenseless woman has Mgsived an enormous amount of reviiin* hex corsets, her high heels, her bustles, her tight shoes,, and the thousand and one other things which she imagines make her more charming. All this she has endured up to the present, and with saintly patience, but at last even the worm brought Jto bay will turn and rend his accusers. And the peculiar thing about this is that she seems to have some reason on her side. She tells her critics to remove first the beam from their own eyes, then they will be better qualified to judge of the size of the mote which is obscuring their sisters’ vision. Her first point of attack is the starched shirt-front This we surrender at once. And so on until we are reduced almost to the condition which Eve succeeded in making improper for Adam to appear in on the day when that wretched couple indulged too unrestrainedly in a vegetarian diet. Then it was that woman first provoked the dress discussion, and it has remained with her a fruitful topic ever since. Up to that time there was no qgestion. as to what was and what was not “rational” dress. But Eve listened to the Worth of her day, and here we are,, after centuries of evolution, each sex wearing a fashion of figleaf which the other knows to* be ridiculous, and yet are no nearer a solution of the vexed problem than were our unworthy progenitors that November afternoon when they were evicted fipm the Garden of Eden. Is their no compromise possible ? If we yield points on our side, will our daughters, wives and sisters meet us half way? . Will the abandonment of the high hat purchase abstinence from the flower and feather-trimmed monstrosities that furnish the millineis a luxurious existence? Will the giving tip of -starched collars, cuffs and shirt-fronts gain the abolition of an equal number of starched skirts and lace-trimmed petticoats? Will our return to sandals mean death to French heels ? Will our absolute desertion of barbers secure temperance in the use of rice-powder and arsenical solutions?When these questions are answered in the affirmative we will give in Our allegiance tb. the r\ew order of things, but until the J are weshall cling manfully to the right to encase our bodies in stiffened linen and torture ourselves in any other way we may see fit.—The Modem Age.