Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-10-11
Fashionable Girls.

Mrs. Swisshem, of the Pittsburgh Saturday Vi<i-
ter, one of the peaSautes and most original writers
of the age gives the following malter-of.fnct lnor
nation in one of her admirable .'leters country
girls"
There are hundreds Of girls in every large city
who parade the in feathers flowers, silks and
laces, whose hands are soft and white useeSsness
make them, whose mothers keep borders 10 get
n living for their idle daughters. These mothers
will cook, sweep. wait on tables, carry loads ct mar
ketng, do the most mental drudgery, toll late and
early with very little clothing than would be
allowed to u Southern slave, while their hopeful
daughters 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 DRESSING displaying their charms and
accomplishments to the best advantage, for the won
dermeat and admiration of knights of the yard stick
and young aspiranls for professional honors-dOctOrs
without patients, lawyers without cents-who are
as brainless and souiless as themselves. After
while the piano. sounding simpleton captivates tape
measuring. aw-expoundIng. pill-making simple
ton. The two nlnnles spend every cent that can be
raised by hook or crook-get all that can be got
credit in broadcloih satin, flowers. lace, carriage,
attendance, &c.-hang their empty pockets on some
bodys chair, lay their empty heads somebody's pill
low, and commence their empty life with no other
prospect than living at somebody's expense-with no
higher purpose than living genteely and spitlng the
negbbors. This is synopsis Of the lives of thou
sand of street and ball bellies perhaps of
whose shining costume you have envied from pass
ing glance. Thousands of women III cities dress
elegantly ON the streets. who have not suthclency
of wholesome f;Iod a comfortable bed, fire enough
TO warm their rooms. ! once boarded in 'genteel
boarding house" in Louisville. There two
young ladies aud piano la the house; ball and par
lurs handsomely furnished. The eldest young lady,
the belle, wore a summer bonnet at ten dollars;
silk aud blond that could not last thun
two three months; silk ond satin dresses at two
three and four dollars per yard, and five dollars
piece for king them, and the entire family,
men, boys and babies, nine i'll all, slept in small
room, with two dirty bags Of pine shavngs two
holsters and three dirty quilts for bedding;
sheets, slips aud there on the wall hung the pea
green nnd white satin, the rich silk and lawn dresses
These ladies' did not work. but play ed the piano..
Gordon and card; and nearly broke their hearts the
week befnre there, because another, who /
presume lived just they did. called on them with a
great, clumsy gold chain her neck. None of them
had one and Mrs. Labalinda, the BELLE could eat no
supper and had bad lit of The sulks To console her
for the want Of chain. But. dear me. had no
notion Of running away of here. was just think
ing how busy you country girls are apt to be In the
fall and this led me to think what blessing 1t IS
that you have something to do, and that you think 1t
disgrace to live idly. 1t is great blessing to live
in a country where il is credit to work, for idcness
is the parent of vice and misery. So do not get
weary, think your lot hard one when putting up
pickles preserves apple butter sousages and
ces for future use.