The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-12-01
AGIs0MNN u A NlG o v >
Fashionable Girls.

Mrs. Swisshelm, OF the Pittsburg Saturday Wis.
itor, gives the following matter-of.iact intoTma-
ton in one Of her admirable "letters TO country
girls"
"There are hundreds of girls in every
large city who parade the streets in feath-
ers, silks aud laces, whose hands are soft
and white as useessness can make them,
whose mothers keep boarders to get liv-
ing for their idle daughters. These moth
ers will cook, sweep, wait on the tables,
carry loads of marketing, do the most. me-
nial drudgery, toll late and early with lit
tie more clothing than would be allowed to
a Southern laye,whiIe their hopeful daugh-
lers spend their mornings lounging in bed,
reading some silly book, taking lessons in
music and French, fixing fnery, and the
like. The evenings are devoted to dress
ing, displaying their charms and accom-.
plishments to the best advantage, for the
wonderment and admiration of knights of
the yard stick and young asplrants for pro-
Fashionable honors doctors without pa
uents, lawyers without clients-who are as
brainless and soulless as themselves. Af-
ter a while the piano-sounding simpleton
cap,ivates tape-measurlng, law-expoun-
ding or pill-making simPleton. The two
ninnies spend every cent that can be raised
by hook or crook--get all that can be got
on credit in broadcoth, satin, flowers, lace,
carriage, attendance, &c, ,-hang their emp
ty pockets on somebody's chair, lay their
empty heads on somebody's pillow, and
commence their empty life with no other
prospect than living at somebody's expense
with no higher purpose than living gen
teelly and spiting the neighbors. This is a
synopsis of the lives of thousands of street!
and ballroom bellies, perhaps of some
whose shining costume you have envled
from passing glance
Thousands of women in cities dress ele-
gantly on the streets, who have not SUI
fciency of wholesome food, comfortable
bed, or fire enough 10 warm their room
once boarded in agenteel boarding house
in Louisville. There were two young la
dies and a piano in the house; halls and
parIors handsomely furnished. The eldest
young lady, the belle, wore summer bon
net at SO, a silk and blonde concern that
could not last more than two or three
months silk and satin dresses at two, three
and four dollars per yard, and $5 a piece
for making them, and the entire family,
women, boys and babies, nine in all, slept
in one small room, with two dirty bags Of
pine shavings, two straw holsters, and
three dirty quilts for bedding no sheets,
no slips, and there on the wall hung the
peagreen and white satin, the rich silk and
lawn dresses. These ladies did not work,
but played the piano, accordion and cards 1;
and nearly broke their hearts the week be-
fore we were there, because another, who |
presumed lived Just as they did, called on
them with great, clumsy gold chain on
her neck. None of them had one, and
Miss LabaInda, the belle, could eat no
supper, and had bad fit of the sulks to
console her for the want Of a chain. But,
dear me had no notion of running away
off here. was just thinking how busy
you country girls are apt to be in the fall,
and this led me to think what blessing it
is that you have something to do, and that
you think it disgrace to live idly. 1t is a
great blessing TO live in country where it
is a credit to work, for idleness is the pa
rent of vice and misery. So do not get
weary or think your lot hard one when
putting up pickles or preserves, applebut-
ter, sausages and sauces for future USE"
The Morning and EUening Of Life.
The following is an inscription on a tombstone
in Massachusetts,. II beautiful:
81 came in the morning-it was spring,
And smiled;
walked out at noon-it was summer,
And was glad
sat me down at event. was autumn,
And was sad
lal me down at nght--it was winter,
And slept"
The Psnnsyi0dnian says: Three million seue'
hundred and thirty thousand doiiar, of Cal
jfarnla gold had been received at the Z. $ Mint
N phllsds,nhia, ur ,o Saturday last