Hobble Skirts Court.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 25, 21 December 1910, Page 65

Hobble Skirts Court.

The severe and highly respectable atmosphere of the Supreme Court at Washington was disturbed recently by the arrival of a lady clad id what an American judge is declared to have called an “atrocity”—a hobble skirt.. To add to the enormity of the “offence,” the fair wearer was none other than Aliss Adelina Burd, a New York lady lawyer. Miss Burd, despite the fact ’that she is still looked upon with disapproval and suspicion by old-fashioned male members of the legal profession, is a very clever young advocate, and hars a rapidly growing practice. She was due at the Supreme Court recently to argue a case, •but when she appeared she was stopped by the qualified attendant, who protested that hobble skirts were undignified and could not be tolerated in the Supreme Court. Tire, official resolutely refused to admit her, but, bringing her legal knowledge into play, she challenged him to quote the rules laying down the dress to be worn by lawyers, and particulaily that one barring hobble skirts. The man was naturally- nonplussed, and could only refer to the etiquette of the profession; but still etiquette bad never made any allowance for feminine fashions, and Aliss Burd was easily victorious in the argument. She accordingly entered and commenced her vise nriretbuked by the judges, who were ton stupefied to be able to think of any reasonable protest.