 | Life and sayings of Mrs. Partington and others
of the family |  |
THE NEW DRESS FOR LADIES.
“A new custom for ladies!” said Mrs. Partington,
when a friend spoke to her about the proposed innovation
in dress. The sound of “costume” came to her ear indistinctly,
and she slightly misapprehended the word.
“A new custom for ladies! I should think they had
better reform many of their old customs before they try
to get new ones. We 're none of us better than we ought
to be, and” —
“Costume, ma'am, I said,” cried her informant, interrupting
her; “they are thinking of changing their
dress.”
“Well, for my part I don't see what they want to
make a public thing of it for; changing the dress used
to be a private matter; but folks do so alter! They are
always a changing dresses now, like the caterpillar in
the morning that turns into a butterfly at night, or the
butterfly at night that turns to a caterpillar in the morning,
I don't know which” —
“But,” again interrupted her informant, “I mean
they are a going to have a new dress.”
“O, they are, are they?” replied the old lady; “well,
I 'm sure I 'm glad on it, if they can afford it; but they
don't always think enough of this. A good many can't
afford it — they can't! But did you hear of the new
apperil for wimmin that somebody is talking about?”
“Why, my dear Mrs. P.,” said he, smiling, “that is
just what I was trying to get your opinion about.”
“Then,” returned she, “why did n't you say so in the
first place? Well, I don't know why a woman can't be
as vertuous in a short dress as in a long one; and it will
save some trouble in wet weather to people who have to
lift their dresses and show their ankles. It may do for
young critters, as sportive as lambs in a pasture; but
only think how I should look in short coats and trousers,
should n't I? And old Mrs. Jones, who weighs three
hundred pounds, would n't look well in 'em neither.
But I say let 'em do just what they please as long as
they don't touch my dress. I like the old way best, and
that 's the long and the short of it.”
She here cast a glance at the profile on the wall, as
if for its approval of her resolution; and an idea for a
moment seemed to cross her mind that he, the ancient
corporal, would not know her, were he to visit sublunar
scenes and find her arrayed in the new dress; and her
compressed lips showed the determination of her heart to
abide by the old costume, and she solemnly and slowly
took an energetic pinch of snuff, as if to confirm it.
| Life and sayings of Mrs. Partington and others
of the family | |