Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-11-13
lir skins become so brown as mula,toes.

Que dooNe aiio'Hef over grass, among
rocks, over sand, through SHOWS now
chilled to the marrow by icy winds now
schorchcd by sunshine, from which there
is no shelter but the fiat cotton caps, with
which they thatch their bare crowns on.
on, for fifteen thousand miles, to the bor-
ders OF Russia, TO sell the shawls which
are 10 hang on ladies' shoulders in Hyde
Park, and where beauties mos, do congre-
gate in Paris and Vienna.
The passion for shawlS amo1g all women
everywhere is remarkable. In one coun-
try, the shawls may flow from the head
like veil in another it hangs from the
shoulders in another, ii is knotted round
the lonS as sash in yet another, IT is
swathed round the body as pet,coat.-
Whenever worn at all, ii is the pet article
Of dress. From time remote beyond
computation, the sheep of Cashmere have
been cherished on their hills, and the goats
OF Thibct on their plains, and the camels
OF Tariary on The St"rprs, 10 furnish ma
telia for the choicest shawls. From time
immcmorial, the partners which we know
SO well have been handed dowr as half
sacred tradition through a liindoo ancestry,
which puts even Welsh pedigree to shame.
For thousands OF years have the bright
dyes, which are the despair OF our science
aud art, been glittrring in Indian looms, in
those primitive pits under the palm-tree
where the whimsical patterns grow, like
the flowers Springng from the soil. For
thousands OF years have Eastern potentates
made presents Of shawls to distinguished
strangers, together with diamonds and
pearls.
AT this day when an eastern prince
sends gifts TO EUROPEAN sovereigns, there
are shawIs 10 the value OF thousand OF
pounds together with jewels, perfumes,
and wild beasts aud valuable horses, Just
as was done in the days OF the Pharaohs,
as the paintings on Egyptian tomb shew
us at this day. And the subjects of sover-
eigns have as much liking for shawls as
any queen. AT the Russian Court the la
dies judge one another by their shawls as
by their diamonds. In France, the BRIDE
groom wins favor by iudicious gift OF this
kind. In Cairo and Damascus, the gift of
a shawl will cause almost as much heart
burning in the harcm as the introduction
OF new wife. In England, the daughter
ot the house spends the whole of her first
quarters allowance in the purchase of
shawl. The Paris erisettc, and the Lon
don drcssmakpr 90 their work with the
little shawl pinned nearly at their waist.
The lost gin-driuker covers her rags with
the remnants of the shawl of better DAYS.
- 4 Il lt,, ,,.b,
shawl, with gay border, for her wedding
and ii washes and dyes until, having wrap
Fed all her babies in turn, it is finally
dyed black 10 signaise her widowhood.--
The maiden aunt, growing elderly, takes TO
wearing a shawl in the house in mid-win-
ter; and the granny would no more think
OF going without it at any season, than
without her cap.
When son or grandson comes home from
travel, far or near, his present is new
shawl, which she puts on with deep con-
siderationi PARTING with the old one with
a sigh. The Manchester or Birmingham
factory girl buys a gay shawl on credit,
wears II on Sunday, puts it in pawn on
Monday morning, and takes it out again on
Saturday night, for anotheI'S Sundays wear,
until she has wasted money that would
have bought her good wardrobe. Thus,
from China round the world to Oregon,
and from the queen down 10 the pauper, is
the shawl the symbol of woman's taste and
condition. Whence come all these shaws!
For it is clear that the supply which ar
rives from Asia over bleak continents and
with oceans, can be only for the rich and
great. Some o! the shawls from Bokhara
sell, in the market on the Russian frontier,
for two thousand ioar hundred pounds each.
Whence come the hundred thousand shawls
that the women of Great Britain purchase
every year!
Some of the richest that our ladies wear
are from Lyons; and the French taste is so
highly esteemed that our principal manu-
tacturers go to Lyons once or twice year
for specimens and patterns. Some Of our
greatest ladies OF all, even the the Queen
and certain duchesSes and counteSSes, offer
to our chief manufacturers a sight of that
treasurers from India, their CashmereS, and
other shawlS, from patriotic desire for the
improvement of our English patterns
From these, the manufacturers of Norwich
and Paisley devise such beautiful things
that, but for The unacCountable and unrival-
led superiority Of the Orien,als in the pro-
dnction of this particular article, we should
be all satisfaction and admiration. The
common cotton shawlS, continually lessen
ing in number, worn by women of the
working classes, are made at Manchester,
and whenever the cotton manufacture is
instituted. In order to study the produc-
ton of British shawIs in perfection, one
should visit the Norwich or Paisley manu-
factories.
THE President ELEcT.--The New York
Mirror, Whig paper, speaking of General
Pierce, says:
"Of the President elect, we have only 10
repeat, that he is a man of excellent abilities
of undoubted patriotism, and Of finer person
al manners than any public man we have
known since Mr.. Clay. Cordial, of hand,
diguifed and courteous, he wins the warm
est affections of all with whom he held i'll
iercouse. Ia personal popularity, he vii ex'
eel any of his predecessors in the Presidential
Chair. The manner in whichall his intimate
fiends speak of him--as "FIank Pierce, a
good fellow" is sufiicielt indication oI