Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-05-19
From the ST. Gainesville Gazette.
CONFESSION OF A COQUEITE'

Being Dorm anu OTOugIs W -.
where female education is greatly neglect
ed. and where the young ladies spen:
more az their time in dressing and endra-
vor,nc 10 attract The attention Of persons by
their external appearance. than IN cu'''v !.
timing and improving their minds. ! read''
ily conformed to the fashions OF the peo-
nile. by whom ] was surrounded. ane ie!'
school at an early age 10 commence RI
va.ship with the female world at my toilet:
was rich. gay, beautiful and lively anu
DESTROYS of being esteemed the creates.
belle in all the town. II is true my nina
was entirely uncul,ivated, and ! knew III.
lie more than an ordinay school girl should
a, seven years Of age, except il was to
play on the piano forte. dance minute or
ogle young fellow out of his heart but
these were altogether disregarded by the
Young men with whom assWlaled. Tor
the greater par. If them had skimmed The
surface Of science as lightly as myself. and
the res. believed that too much intelleciu'
al Improvement would render a female an
unpleasant companion. In the course OF
a few years. spent in dissipation and nov.
el reading, by the aid Of paint. cosmetics:
STAYS and corse,s. injured my health ana
gra,iied my vanity. attracted the alien
iion Of all the f"ps and dandies in town.
The first pronounced me pretty. the next
handsome and then ,ranscendanlly beautl
full. Not a young fellow Of my acqnalnt-
ance. who possessed the least vanity or
confidence. bu, became my most enil'usl.
as,ic admirer. 1t seemed that they all
strove to see who could pay me the great.
est attention. or fatter me the most. l
thought it would he cruel moi IL receive
with pol;eness the attentions of such lie
voted admirers; so encouraged them all;
some | pleased with bewitrhIng. and 9th
ers with tender words. was anxious to
have as grea, relinue Of beaux as posi-
bile and therefore was extremely cautious
not to give offence 10 any one. This
believe actually effected, ("r they all aP.
peared 10 be equally we'll pleased. aud
were all no doubt equally sangulne IN
their expectations. Each one presumed
lie had my heart. and fairly anticipated the
time when he should become master OF
my person and fortune. A, balls. parties,
&c, there were always half dozen tops
and coxcombs crowding around me al
once. endeavoring TO catch smile. an
Ug!e. or tender look, whilst, to my mex
pressibIe pleasure, many other young la
dies who wished TO be considered my RE
walls. were neglected and nnnoticed. To
me this was like exhilera,ing gas. In this
manner passed away few years. till some
of my devoted lovers pressed me TO know
their fate will frankly acknowledge ,ha.
this was new source of pleasure 10 me,
for wanted to have i. rn,nored abou. that
had dismissed from my re,inuc half a
dozen Of the most ordinary of my gaIlants.
and knew it would ado new iustre 10
my fame.
BY some girl is never esteemed very
highly till she has rejected two or three
beaux. was aware of this. and therefore
gave positive relusaIs to three lawyers, two
doctors. and several others uf less no,e-
| was now in the zenith of my glory. ad-
mired by every young gentleman who saw
me. and despised by every young lady
who considered herself any thing like my
equal. The latter par, Of This EXPRESSION,
may appear strange to those who are un-
acquainted with the secret envy. and ill.,
will which exists between rival bellies, but
not to those who are. speak from ex-
perence when say that as soon as any
young lady gains the decnied ascendancy
over all the others, she Immediately gains
their ill-wiIl. Aspiring politicians are no,
more jealous and envious ri each other
than fashionable young ladies' are. B"t
let me proceed in my confession. In the
course Of one year after had made the
frs, rejection. was asked by the rest Of
sui'ors To let them know their fate like
wise They were all so handsome. so
fine. and SO accomplished. that it would
have required being Of superior judg-
ment to point out the best choice. first
engaged myself TO one aud then to another.
and. a, las. displeased. and rejected las
thought) the whole Of them. had now
arrived a. pretty good age, my charms
were fading and my attractions were eclip.
sed by those of other girls. WIN had grown
up equally as beautiful and fascinating as
| had been, and much better calculated to
please certain class of young men
endeavored To rum more hearts, but alas !
il was too late. All Of my mild looks.
ogles, and tender words were Of no avail.
| now. i"r the first time in my life. began
10 reflect seriously Oh my actions and con-
duct. and became az anxious To get mar-
ried as had hitherto been Indifferent about
it. Al length one Of my old sui,ors was
induced TO renew his address, aud lie was
more successful than before When was
married iorsook The world and its folly.
de, o,cd my time To reading. meditation.
aud domestic affairs, and am now hapuv :
before ! was always in The extreme c,,her