The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-06-21

The Improved Dress-The Philadelphia In
quirer takes a leaf from history to prove that the
style of dress is many centuries old. The In
quirer says:
'tThe city of Babylon, so far as its more com.
plete form and glories concerned, may be said
to have been founded by Queen Semiramis This
lady, one of the most beautiful women, greatest
heroines, and accomplished sovereigns of antiquity
was born at Ascalon, of doubtful parentage From
cruel family policy she was exposed in infancy
TO perish IN the woods or on the plains of Assyra
but legends say that a flock Of doves came every
day to the infant, and supplied it with food, until
she was at length year old, and required more
substantial nourishment The doves then packed
cheese for her, and the farmers of the neighbor-
hood finding several of their cheeses spoiled in this
way, followed the doves, and at length found, to
their astonishment, a beautiful child. They took
the child, and gave her to Simma, chief of the
Kings shepherds, who being chlldess adostsd her
as his own. She was highly educated, grew up,
aud married very respectably-her husband being
hienon, surveyor OF the Kings cattle. They had
born unto them two sons, and lived happily, except
tina; Semrarnis imperious in disposition, ami
metaphorically at least, by governing her husband
completely, wore the garment in spirit, which, as
we shall hereafter see, she suggested to all future
times as Queen Of Fashion, well as of empire
and OF war.
1t so happened that Minus, King of Assyria, be-
came at this time engaged in the Bacuian war,
and in the course of its prosecution, he laid siege
10 the capital city, Bactra, Nienon, the surveyor
of the royal cattle, was compelled to attend the
army, but such was his affection for his lovely
wife, that he could not live without her, and being
impatient to see her, sent for her to join him in the
army before Bactra, but go disguised that she
would be mistaken for young man. Now dawned
the latent ambition of the future Majesty of Assy-
ra-the bold foundress and decorator of Babylon
She being anxious to display her confessedly supe
ror mind, faculties, judgment and accomplish
ments--and also, perhaps, her SURPRISING beauty
cheerfuy acquiesced in her husbands proposal
and joined the troops, of course, on horseback.
She soon observed that the beseging force only
attacked such portions of the wall as were evil
DENLY weak, but being weak, for that very cause
the garrison was drawn away from the citadel to
repulse the assailants Still attired, disguised and
acting as man, she reconnoitred and discovered
that the citadel was ne frly deserted by the SOL
ders, for such points Of attack at the walls as
should and must be necessarily well defended. She
persuaded a party of men accustomed to climb
rocks TO accompany her, and with immense diff
Guilty and labor they reached the citadel, which
they entered, and without much opposition took
possession of.
At the same time, furious combat ragged at the
walls, but Semiramis caused the Assyrian sigma
to be hoisted, to show that her flag waved over the
towers OF Bactra Thither repaied all the power
and current OF the siege the citizens aston
ished and terror stricken, and Bactra fell easy
prey to Minus. The monarch Immediately sem
for the supposed hero of the war, and then discov
ered to his surprise, that he was indebted to a he.
roine, Semiramis, who formerly introduced tt
him, He rewarded her, and fell a slave to her ire
sistble beauty. He resolved to have her for hi.
Queen, and tried to persuade Menon to give he
up to him, and even offered the unhappy HUSBAND
his daughter, the princess Sofana, to wife. Blu
Menon would not agree. Minus then threatened
that if he would not give up his wife peaceably
that he (the king) would have his eyes pulled out
This cruel menace threw poor Menon into sucl
rage and despair, that he went forth and hange'
himself Semiramis was Immediately raised t.
the throne of Assyra. She had son by Minus
who was called Ninyas, and when in few year
the King died, he made Ninyas his heir, and Semi
rams his wife, Queen Regent. She surpassed he
husband in glory, and especially one of tn
founders of Babylon, for it is said that she EN-
ployed two millions Of men in the mighty work q
building the great city. When the Modes came t
Empire and ruled Babylon and Assyria, tn
Median ladies' wore trowsers, and the PERSIA
ladies also, in honor of the memory of the famou
and fascinating Semramis Such was the origi
OF the trowers article of female attire-an
they are worn in Persia and the East--and meta
PtortcaAy sometimes also in Christian nations
even to the present day. Nor was this the onl
national custom in honor of Semiramis, for tn
people OF Ascalon, grateful to the birds for feedin
their far countrywoman in her infancy abstaine
from killing and eating doves and pigeons eve
far q