Carolyn Wells

The Eternal Feminine Carolyn Wells

SCENE.-A sewing-room, with the usual piles of unfinished or unmended clothing heapedon tables and chairs. Mrs. Lester, a pretty, fussy little woman, is trying on her own gownsand then tossing them aside, one after another. Enter Miss Cotton, a visiting dressmaker. Mrs. Lester: Oh, Miss Cotton, I'm so glad you've come! I'm nearly frantic. Excuse thelooks of this sewing-room. I don't see why a sewing-room never can keep itself cleared up! Isuppose it's because they never have any closets in them; or if they do, you have to hangyour best dresses there-there's no other place. And so this room gets simply jammed withwhite work and mending and hats, and I don't know what all! My husband says it's like theRoman Forum done in dry-goods. But he's a regular Miss Nancy about neatness and order. Now, to-day, Miss Cotton, we're going to do sleeves. See? Sleeves! And nothing else. I'msimply driven crazy by them. Oh, don't look as if you didn't know what I meant! You know, all my gowns have elbowsleeves, and I must either have long ones put in or throw the whole dress away. Yes, I know I said I'd wear the short sleeves, if other people did insist on having longones. I know I said I'd be independent, and at least wear out the ones I have. But I'mconquered! I admit it! It isn't any fun to go to a luncheon and be the only woman at thetable with elbow sleeves!Yesterday I went to Mrs. Ritchie's Bridge, and my partner, that big Mrs. Van Winkle, with chains of scarabs all over her chest till she looked like the British Museum, keptpulling her long sleeves down farther over her knuckles just to annoy me. Yes, I know it, my forearm is white and round, but I declare it makes me feel positivelyindecent to go with it bared nowadays. If those suffrage people would only get for womenthe right to bare arms, they'd do something worth while. No, indeed, I can't afford to get new gowns. These are too good to throw away. Well, they may not be the latest style, but I don't want those bolster-slip arrangementsfor mine. Mrs. Van Bumpus, now-you know her, don't you? Well, it would take two kimonos togo round her, I'm sure; and I saw her the other day in one of those clinging satin rigs. My!she looked exactly like a gypsy-wagon, the kind that has canvas stretched over its ribs. No, it's sleeves, sleeves, I'm after to-day-and that's why I sent for you. I'm going to superintend them, you understand, but I want you to help, and to do theplain sewing. Well, to begin on this mauve crépon. I want to wear it this afternoon, and I think we caneasily get it done, between us. I've bought a paper pattern-I bought three-for I mean to spare no expense in gettingmy sleeves right.