Home Lights and Shadows Part 25

"Every body wore them, and their unsightly appearance had not been made apparent by contrast."

"Exactly! They were fas.h.i.+onable. But when a new fas.h.i.+on laughed them out of countenance, you cast them aside, as I do an old fas.h.i.+on for a new one. Then came the quilled border all around. Do you remember that change? and how, in a little while after, the plain piece of lace over your forehead disappeared? Why was that, aunt Abigail? Was there no regard for fas.h.i.+on there? And now, at this very time your cap is one that exhibits the latest and neatest style for old ladies' caps. I could go on and prove to your satisfaction, or at least to my own, that you have followed the fas.h.i.+on almost as steadily as I have. But I have sufficiently made out my case. Don't you think so, Henry?"

Thus appealed to, her brother, who had been surprised at the turn the conversation had taken, not expecting to see Mary carry the war home so directly as she had done, hardly knew how to reply. He, however, gave a reluctant

"Yes."

"But there is some sense in your aunt's adoption of fas.h.i.+on," said uncle Absalom.

"Though not much, it would seem in yours, if you estimate fas.h.i.+on by use," retorted Mary.

"What does the girl mean?" asked aunt Abigail in surprise.

"Of what use, uncle, are those two b.u.t.tons on the back of your coat?"

"I am sure I don't know."

"Then why do you wear them if you don't know their use, unless it be that you wish to be in the fas.h.i.+on? Then there are two more at the bottom of the skirt, half hid, half seen, as if they were ashamed to be found so much out of their place. Then, can you enlighten me as to the use of these two pieces of cloth here, called, I believe, flaps?"

"To give strength to that part of the coat, I presume."

"And yet it is only a year or two since it was the fas.h.i.+on to have no flaps at all. I do not remember ever to have seen a coat torn there, do you? It is no use, uncle--you might as well be out of the world as out of the fas.h.i.+on. And old people feel this as well as young. They have their fas.h.i.+ons, and we have ours, and they are as much the votaries of their peculiar modes as we are of our. The only difference is, that, as our states of mind change more rapidly, there is a corresponding and more rapid change in our fas.h.i.+ons. You change as well as we do--but slower."

"How could you talk to uncle Absalom and aunt Abigail as you did?"

said Henry Grove to his sister, as they walked slowly home together.

"Didn't I make out my point? Didn't I prove that they too were votaries of the fickle G.o.ddess?"

"I think you did, in a measure."

"And in a good measure too. So give up your point, as you promised, and confess yourself an advocate of fas.h.i.+on."

"I don't see clearly how I can do that, notwithstanding all that has pa.s.sed to-night; for I do not rationally perceive the use of all these changes in dress."

"I am not certain that I can enlighten you fully on the subject; but think that I may, perhaps in a degree, if you will allow my views their proper weight in your mind."

"I will try to do so; but shall not promise to be convinced."

"No matter. Convinced or not convinced you will still be carried along by the current. As to the primary cause of the change in fas.h.i.+on it strikes me that it is one of the visible effects of that process of change ever going on in the human mind. The fas.h.i.+on of dress that prevails may not be the true exponent of the internal and invisible states, because they must necessarily be modified in various ways by the interests and false tastes of such individuals as promulgate them. Still, this does not affect the primary cause."

"Granting your position to be true, Mary, which I am not fully prepared to admit or deny--why should we blindly follow these fas.h.i.+ons?"

"We need not _blindly_. For my part, I am sure that I do not blindly follow them."

"You do when you adopt a fas.h.i.+on without thinking it becoming."

"That I never do."

"But, surely, you do not pretend to say that all fas.h.i.+ons are becoming?"

"All that prevail to any extent, appear so, during the time of their prevalence, unless they involve an improper exposure of the person, or are injurious to health."

"That is singular."

"But is it not true."

"Perhaps it is. But how do you account for it?"

"On the principle that there are both external and internal causes at work, modifying the mind's perceptions of the appropriate and beautiful."

"Mostly external, I should think, such as a desire to be in the fas.h.i.+on, etc."

"That feeling has its influence no doubt, and operates very strongly."

"But is it a right feeling?"

"It is right or wrong, according to the end in view. If fas.h.i.+on be followed from no higher view than a selfish love of being admired, then the feeling is wrong."

"Can we follow fas.h.i.+on with any other end?"

"Answer the question yourself. You follow the fas.h.i.+ons."

"I think but little about them, Mary."

"And yet you dress very much like people who do."

"That may be so. The reason is, I do not wish to be singular."

"Why?"

"For this reason. A man who affects any singularity of dress or manners, loses his true influence in society. People begin to think that there must be within, a mind not truly balanced and therefore do not suffer his opinions, no matter how sound, to have their true weight."

"A very strong and just argument why we should adopt prevailing usages and fas.h.i.+ons, if not immoral or injurious to health. They are the badges by which we are known--diplomas which give to our opinions their legitimate value. I could present this subject in many other points of view. But it would be of little avail, if you are determined not to be convinced."

"I am not so determined, Mary. What you have already said, greatly modifies my view of the subject. I shall, at least, not ridicule your adherence to fas.h.i.+on, if I do not give much thought to it myself."

"I will present one more view. A right attention to dress looks to the development of that which is appropriate and beautiful to the eye. This is a universal benefit. For no one can look upon a truly beautiful object in nature or art without having his mind correspondingly elevated and impressed with beautiful images, and these do not pa.s.s away like spectrums, but remain ever after more or less distinct, bearing with them an elevating influence upon the whole character. Changes in fas.h.i.+on, so far as they present new and beautiful forms, new arrangements, and new and appropriate combination of colors, are the dictates of a true taste, and so far do they tend to benefit society."

"But fas.h.i.+on is not always so directed by true taste."

"A just remark. And likewise a reason why all who have a right appreciation of the truly beautiful should give some attention to the prevailing fas.h.i.+on in dress, and endeavor to correct errors, and develop the true and the beautiful here as in other branches of art."

A DOLLAR ON THE CONSCIENCE.

"FIFTY-FIVE cents a yard, I believe you said?" The customer was opening her purse.