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observe her； or what the time or the place； is always persistently and
grotesquely overdressed。 From the women who frequent the hotels of our
summer or winter resorts； down all the steps of the social staircase to the
char…woman； who consents （spasmodically） to remove the dust and waste…
papers from my office； there seems to be the same complete disregard of
fitness。 The other evening； in leaving my rooms； I brushed against a portly
person in the half…light of the corridor。 There was a shimmer of （what
appeared to my inexperienced eyes as） costly stuffs； a huge hat crowned
the shadow itself； 〃topped by nodding plumes；〃 which seemed to account
for the depleted condition of my feather duster。
I found on inquiring of the janitor； that the dressy person I had met；
was the char…woman in street attire； and that a closet was set aside in the
building； for the special purpose of her morning and evening
transformations； which she underwent in the belief that her social position
in Avenue A would suffer； should she appear in the streets wearing
anything less costly than seal…skin and velvet or such imitations of those
expensive materials as her stipend would permit。
I have as tenants of a small wooden house in Jersey City； a bank clerk；
his wife and their three daughters。 He earns in the neighborhood of fifteen
hundred dollars a year。 Their rent （with which； by the way； they are always
in arrears） is three hundred dollars。 I am favored spring and autumn by a
visit from the ladies of that family； in the hope （generally futile） of
inducing me to do some ornamental papering or painting in their residence；
subjects on which they have by experience found my agent to be
unapproachable。 When those four women descend upon me； I am fairly
dazzled by the splendor of their attire； and lost in wonder as to how the
price of all that finery can have been squeezed out of the twelve remaining
hundreds of their income。 When I meet the father he is shabby to the outer
limits of the genteel。 His hat has； I am sure； supported the suns and
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snowstorms of a dozen seasons。 There is a threadbare shine on his apparel
that suggests a heartache in each whitened seam； but the ladies are mirrors
of fashion； as well as moulds of form。 What can remain for any creature
comforts after all those fine clothes have been paid for？ And how much is
put away for the years when the long…suffering money maker will be past
work； or saved towards the time when sickness or accident shall appear on
the horizon？ How those ladies had the 〃nerve〃 to enter a ferry boat or
crowd into a cable car； dressed as they were； has always been a marvel to
me。 A landau and two liveried servants would barely have been in keeping
with their appearance。
Not long ago； a great English nobleman； who is also famous in the
yachting world； visited this country accompanied by his two daughters；
high…bred and genial ladies。 No self…respecting American shop girl or
fashionable typewriter would have condescended to appear in the
inexpensive attire which those English women wore。 Wherever one met
them； at dinner； FETE； or ball； they were always the most simply dressed
women in the room。 I wonder if it ever occurred to any of their gorgeously
attired hostesses； that it was because their transatlantic guests were so sure
of their position； that they contented themselves with such simple toilets
knowing that nothing they might wear could either improve or alter their
standing
In former ages； sumptuary laws were enacted by parental governments；
in the hope of suppressing extravagance in dress； the state of affairs we
deplore now； not being a new development of human weakness； but as old
as wealth。
The desire to shine by the splendor of one's trappings is the first idea
of the parvenu； especially here in this country； where the ambitious are
denied the pleasure of acquiring a title； and where official rank carries
with it so little social weight。 Few more striking ways present themselves
to the crude and half…educated for the expenditure of a new fortune than
the purchase of sumptuous apparel； the satisfaction being immediate and
material。 The wearer of a complete and perfect toilet must experience a
delight of which the uninitiated know nothing； for such cruel sacrifices are
made and so many privations endured to procure this satisfaction。 When I
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see groups of women； clad in the latest designs of purple and fine linen；
stand shivering on street corners of a winter night； until they can crowd
into a car； I doubt if the joy they get from their clothes； compensates them
for the creature comforts they are forced to forego； and I wonder if it never
occurs to them to spend less on their wardrobes and so feel they can afford
to return from a theatre or concert comfortably； in a cab； as a foreign
woman； with their income would do。
There is a stoical determination about the American point of view that
compels a certain amount of respect。 Our countrywomen will deny
themselves pleasures； will economize on their food and will remain in
town during the summer； but when walking abroad they must be clad in
the best； so that no one may know by their appearance if the income be
counted by hundreds or thousands。
While these standards prevail and the female mind is fixed on this
subject with such dire intent； it is not astonishing that a weaker sister is
occasionally tempted beyond her powers of resistance。 Nor that each day a
new case of a well…dressed woman thieving in a shop reaches our ears。
The poor feeble…minded creature is not to blame。 She is but the reflexion
of the minds around her and is probably like the lady Emerson tells of；
who confessed to him 〃that the sense of being perfectly well…dressed had
given her a feeling of inward tranquillity which religion was powerless to
bestow。〃
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CHAPTER 5 … On Some Gilded
Misalliances
A DEAR ol