Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-11-10
OLD SERIES VOL. 10, NO. :.
rAsHioNApLE otnLs.

Mrs. Swisshelm, of the Pittsburgh Sus,
day Tisitor, one of the pleasantest and most
original writer's of the age, giving the fol,
lowing matter-of-fact information in one Of
her admirable .letters TO country girls.
sThere are hundreds Of girls in every
large city, who parade the streets in feath-
ers, flowers, silks and laces, whose hands
are soft and white as uselessness can make
them, whose mothers keep boarden to get
a living for their idle daughters. These
mothers will cook, sweep, wait on tables,
carry loads of marketing, do the most me
NAL drudgery, toll late and early with very
little more clothing than would be allowed
to Southern slave, while their hopeldl
daughters spend their mornings lounging in
bed, reading some silly book, taking lessons
in music and French, fixing finery, 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-
fessional honors-doctors without patients,
lawyers without clients--Who are as brain
less and soulless as themselves.-Atter
while the riano-sounding simpleton capti-
Yates the ape-measuring, law-expounding,
or pill-making simpleton.-The two nin-
nes spend every cent that can be raised by
hook or crook-get all that can be got on
credit in broad cloth, satin, flowers, lace,
carriage attendance, Sc.-hang their empty
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 gem
teely and spiting the neighbors. This is 4
synopsis of the lives Of thousand of street
and ballroom bellies, perhaps Of some whose
shining costume you have envied from 4
passing glance. Thousands of women in
cities dress elegantly on the streets, who
have not suffciency of wholesome food,
a comfortable bed, or fire enough to worn,
their rooms. ,- 4;
l once boarded in 'genteel. boarding
house in Louisvile.-There were two
young ladies and piano in the house; hall
and parors handsomely furnished. The
eldest young lady, the belle, wore sum;
mer bonnet at ten dollars; silk and blond
concern that could not last more than two
or three months; silk and satin dresses Al
two, three and four dollars per yard, and
five dollars piece for making them, anc
, the entire family, women, boys and babies
nine in all, slept in enc small room, witt
two dirty bags of pine ahavings, two straw
holsters, and three dirty quilts for bedding
no slips, and there on the wall hung thu
peagreen and white satin, the rich silk ant
lawn dresses. These ladies did not work
but played the piano, accordion and cards
and nearly broke their hearts the week be
D fore we were there, because another, VIII
4 I presume lived just as they did, called o.
S them with great clumsey gold chain OF
q her neck. None of them had one, an
o Miss Labalinda, the belle, could eat no sup
!. per, and had bad fit of the sulss to con
, sole her for the want of chain. But, dea
!. me. had no notion of running away O
= here. was just thinking how busy 20
country girls are apt to be in the fall, an
e this led me to think what blessing il
that you have something to do, and III;
e you think it disgrace to live idly. 1t is
j. great blessing to live in a country where
r is credit 10 work, for idleness is the Pr
e rent of vice and misery. So do not g
IS weary, or think your lot hard one whe
IS putting up pickles or preserves, apple bu
~ ter, sausages and sauces for future use.