Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-04-13
What will the Ladies do, Next 2

formlhg their b1-fork junction oeneath
bonnet in Broadway)-is. of course, on
step of achieved progress which but make
way for another. Mrs. Bloomer will no
stop at trousers. The equalisatOn Of tn
privileges of the sexes in their ontwar'
signs and embellishments, will proceed b.
a daring seizure OF some other distinguish
ing mark, hitherto monopolized by man.
1t will neither be beaver nor. broadcloth
probably for these are already impressed
into lady-service by composing her riding
dress. 1t must be something decided, tc
take rank with pantalooning-somethins
bold enough to make its championship
memorable. What will it be- What 10
ours" will the ladies want, ,next'
"In our respect tor precedent,", says al
ancient writer, s'lce. are apt to be blind Il
what Me age is reqdy tor..' True as this
was, in the slow days when II took phi
losopher to give birth to so sage remark
it is doubly true at atpresent. Surprises. in
the apparanily instinctire impulses of the
public, come upon US faster and faster
We daily wonder-not at individuals--but
at the doings of numerous bodies of men
and women. Nobody knows what may
have its apostle and epoch. Conjecture on
the subject can scarcely be too bold. With
out venturing, for instance, to intimate the
of an emulous encroachment up
on her right Of beard, BY the ladies', let us
look into history, and see that even this is
a possibilty-the ladies of various periods
and countries having rebelled against our
present respected monopoly, and left upon
record their efforts to wear boards as WELL
1t was found necessary IN Rome, at one
time to pass law against the cultivation
of the beard by women. :, Cicero mentions
it (De legibus, lib. 2.) They commenced
by shaving; but the art of promoting the
growth of hair upon lips and chin,by chem
zeal applications, was carried 10 great per-
fection. 1t was understood to be method
of disputing the sovereignty of the master
sex.
1t is recorded in the P0gonias, that the
women of Athens attained wonderful
skill at one period, in so ,oearing their hair
as 10 initiate the achjsker upon Me cheek and
Jazz. Advantage was taken of this TO make
a show of them as soldiers, on the invasion
of the city, thus doubling the apparent for.
ces upon the ramparts, and effectually in
timidating the enemy. This fashion of an
tiquity was copied by the women of Lom-
bardy, at a late Period, every dame of quail
ity being whiskered, to all appearance with
a most luxurious growth Of hair, short and
curly, from temples 10 chin. The Egyp
tan women, at one time, wore upon the
chin pendant plant called the persia. in
of the growth of the beard
Their statues and mummies represent this.
certain relation to The beard was given
to women by the customs of ancient Rome,
where second wife formally adopted the
male children of her husband, by shaving
their youthful chins with great ceremony,
and easketing this their first crop of man
hood in golden box.
The inhabitants of the Isle Of Cyprus re-
present their goddess Venus, ip painting
and sculpture, with beard. Their books
state that they wished 10 endow the Moth
er of Love With the one gift that Jupiter
denied to women-denied, because, hav-
ing given them every other charm,he fear
ed that this crowning grace might draw
i on t'em the incense and worship due
only to himself.
In the .Mpnaginna, collection of songs
and sonnets publ he'd il France in the six
teenth century, it is recorded as truth of
Art that the expression of the beard is that
of gravity and modesty and it is added
that nature denied 1t to women to save her
from the dahger of cutting her face by oc-
casional shaving, as she could moi be long
enough still to submit safely to the process
of the razor.
That the beard is not always denied to
women, there are various proofs in history.
Htppocrates mentions Phefhusa, woman
whose beard took TO growing during the ab-
sence of her husband Pythas in exile. A
Swedish grenadier was taken prisoner by
the Russians and presented to the Car, in
1924, who turned out to be woman with
beard d foot and half long, There is a
portrait Of a Bearded woman ii tie royal
gallery at Stuttgard. Her name Yas Rar-
tel Graetie, and her chin was Buried ii dark
hair. In 1926, the fashionable rage of the
Carnival at Venice, was a danselye, who
had never been exceeded Ii grace and sup
pleness, but who had a Black and thick
beard Of sllksn and remarkable Beauty
Marquerite, The Queen of the Low Coun-
tries, was heavily bearded. Naturalists tell
us that there is race Of women in Ethio.
pla, whose hair upon the face shows nc
difference from that of men. A French
work upon expression and beauty, declare.
that nothing is more captivating and mis-
chievously piquant than a slight down o
silky Black Upon tie lip Of pretty woman
Notwithstanding this opinion however, the
history Of chemistry shows US that the ar
of removing and suppressing the growth o
hair upon the female face, has been pursu
ed with great painstaking, the "dopilatory
fluids" being numberless, and advertised
for sale in all ages.
Having thus gathered from history th,
proofs of what is poss,ble,in the way of en-
crcachment upon male privilege by the EN-
ulous gentler sex, let us suggest what nigh
at least be easier-trifes that could be in
ermediately adopted, If 1t were though
worth while gradually to pave the way L
graver hovelties-high heels and ,cdlkin,
sticks. Any one who has ever noticed TIL
difference OF grace with which an actres
walks do'cn the stage towards the foot
lights, will remember what al effect tn
raising of the heel has upon the ease ant
dignity of movement 1t lifts The iiiste
also, and, Beside the addition to the stat
ure, high instep Tin podology) is sig
OF frmness and lofty purpose. Why ladie
do moi always wear high heels to their shoe
and whylmen always dove confess #