The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-11-10


Mrs. Swisshelm, of the Pitsburg Saturday Wis
tier, one of the pleasanlest and most original wri-
lers of the age, gives the following matter-of fact
information in one Of her admirable "lelters TO
country girls:
''Thete are hundreds Of girls in every large city
who parade the streets in feathers h0Yera silks
and laCes, whose hands are soft and white as use
lessness can make them, whose mothers keep board
ers 10 get living for their idle daughters. These
mothers will cook, sweep wait the tables, carry
loads Of marketing, do the most mental dTudgeFYs
toll late and early with very little more clothing
than would be allowed 70 a Southern slave, while
their hopeful daughters spend their mornings
lounging in bed, reading some silly book, taking
lessons in music aud French, fixing fnery, and the
like. The evenings are devoted 10 dressing, dis
playing their charms and accomplishments TO the
best advantage, for the wOnderment and admiFa-
ton Of knights of the yard-stck and young aspi-
rants for professional hOnOrs-doctOFs without pa
TENTS, lawyers without clien's-whO are as Brain
less and sOulless as themselves. After while the
piano sounding simpeton captivates tape meas
nring, law-expounding, or ll-making slmPletOn.
he TWO nnnles spend every cent that can be raised
by hook crOOk-get all that can be got on credit
in brOadcloth, satin, flowers, lace, carriage, at
tendance, etc.-hang their empty pockets on some
body'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 genteelly and
splitting their neighbOrs. This is a synopsis of the
lives Of thousands of street and ballroom bellies,
perhaps Of some whose shining costume you have
envied from passing glance.
Thousands of women in cities dress elegantly
on the Streets who have not sufficency of whole
some food, comfortable bed, or fire enough to
warm their rooms. once boarded in genteel
boarding-hous in Louisville. There were two
young ladies and piano in the house halls and
parloFs handsomely furnished. The eldest young
lady, the belle, .WOre summer bonnet at ten dol
lars, silk and blonde concern that could not last
more than two or three months silk and satin
dresses two, three and four dollars Fer yard and
five dollars apiece for making them: and the enllre
| family-women, boys and babies, nine in all
slept in 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, accOrdlan and cards and
| nearly broke their hearts the week before we were
| there, because another, who | presume lived just
| as they did, called ON them with great, clumsy
| gold chain on her neck. None of them had one,
and Miss Labalinda, the belle, could eat no supper,
and had bad fit Of the sulks 10 console her for the
want of 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. It is great blessing to
live in country where it is credit to work, for
! ideness is the parent of vice and misery. So do
| not get weary or think your lot hard one when
| putting up pickles or preserves, apple butter, sau-
| sages and sauces for future use"