Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-10-26
From the National Advocate.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

uays ago, dt loss Wnal 10 Go win myself,
| made halt at Goodrich's Library, and
attentively regarded the persons passing
up and down that busting street, aud en-
deavoured TO read from their several coun-
tenances, what were their occupations,
habits and pursuits. The sun shone bright
ly, the air was balmy and refreshing, and
the whole city in motion, happy TO escape
from that domestic confinement which o
week OF rainy weather had produced.
The current increased aftertweIye O'Clock.
Here good looking young gentleman
came out Of Dubois store with roll of
music 10 his hand, humming the air Of
/" There's nothing half so sweet 10 life as
loves young dream" | dare say he was
going to make an amatory offering of the
sonnet at the shrine of some young lady s
piano, and between them exchange such
ilattering testimonials of j" loves young
dream" that the parties will become old
before they realize their hopes. Long
courtships are insufferable they have
made me an old bachelor. l observed a
number of dandy beaux, (for they do
spring uplike asparagus in our city, with
rattans ia hand and gloves of bright yell
low, sun themselves 10 frost of the City
Hotel, and with peculiar snirk, and
elegant negligee nod of the the head, aud
kind OF drawing :" how-de. do" salute
the passing traveller, or the drawing room
acquaintance. These exotics worry me
they are Of no possible good to society,
and may do, as Iago says, to "suckle
fools and chronicle small beer" What
| particularly object 10 in them, indie
pendent Of the bad example they set to an
enlightened community, is the inordinate
appetite which they exhibit at the routs
which We good people make for them
and they can clear a waiter with the same
facility as a good general and his troops
clear the field of enemies. A number of
young ladies stepped in casually TO the
library, sauntered few moments, adj
mired the splendid binding of the books,
looked into La Belle Assemble and the
fashions for April, and made their exit.
Several gaily, and several neatly dressed,
passed with rapid steps--some shook their
reticules, and heard some money jingle.
which they were Fastening to get rid Of
at d fashionable store, where articles are
charged twenty-five per cent higher by
virtue of name, One object attracted
my particular attention; a lady dressed
not very extravagaDtly, nor yet very
plain, young and beautiful, was walking
slowly, leading by the hand a very inter
estipg baby Of three years of age. The
dear little chernb, with flaxen hair in
flowing ringlets, and rosy checks, could
hardly get along, 10 consequence of the
heavy incumbrance and weight Of dress,
with which her fond mama had loaded
her. l examined her attentively; she
had on cambria dress, scaIlopped at the
bottom, aud exquisiteIy worked, and rem
dered, Of course, unnecessarily heavy by
wleaths of embroidered flowers, pantalets,
silk stockings, and pink kid slippers. On
her little head she wore good sized chip
bonnet, decorated with artificial flowers,
and over which the little miniature woman
carried a green silk parasol. began to
calculate the cost OF all this finery, (for
always calculate things and made out
that the aecoatrements of this dear little
baby must have swallowed up near forty
dollars. Now, this is really an object Of
just apprehension love Of dress in a
grown female is natural, and we are dis
posed 10 overlook occasional extravaganza,
when it don't run into extremes; because
ii is reasonable that lady should expect
admiration, and dress is sometimes a great
auxiliary; but 10 crush an infant with
tinery, 10 decorate baby just as per.
ceptible Of propriety as large doll, and
to waste money SO unnecessarily, nay, SO
wantonly, cannot be too severely cen.
sured. What Kind of admiration does a
mother expect to derive from such an ex-
hihition She surely cannot be looking
out for sweetheart for her daug liter so
early and she can, in conscience. expect
nothing from the passing Observer but an
expression of epoor, dear little babv
what weak mama you have sot,'' how
much you would ornament parlour man.
tie, by being stack up 10 your elbows in
one of the vases.
! don't know any extravaganza which
is SO reprehensible, as that of wasting
money on the dress of an infant. First
impressions are always the most lasting !:
and therefore, first impressions should ey-
er be judiciously formed. Just as the
twig is bent the trees inclined" Once
fill the head Of prattliug child with ideas
Of embroidered dresses, chip bonneis, par
asols and kid slippers, and walk in
Broadway for an exhibition, aud the child
will talk Of nothing else; will think Of
nothing else. She will grow up with ex-
travagant attachments too early formed.
and too deeply rooted to be ever eradi-