Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-29
EVENING STAR.
SALLY sUNFLowER TO THE BEooMER.
WASHINGTON, Dec. q, 1855.

ring up pen. war in the slways-dignifed col
umns of your paper, for did not suppose any
one would more than glance at stupid Sally's
| thoughts, much less think it worth while 10
take so much notice of them as TO spend a
| single moment of precious time in writing
such a really interesting, and, withal, strong
minded letter TO enlighten the darkness of
| "pert Sally" and at the same time so gener
| ously and completely to satisfy her curiosity.
| l don't know what yOW think, Mr.. Editor;
but don't think pert folks ought ever to be
enlightened, but ignorant ones always pa
| tiently and kindly instructed.
L have often heard of knock down argu-
ments," ;" but must confess [ never knew they
were half so powerful before for actually,
| Mr.. Editor, l could not rise from off the
| lounge where was obliged to recline all next
| day after perusing that letter, and so L was
completely cheated out of my Christmas din
| Der, and couldn't even take a small glass of
egg -nogg; and the fact is, L have just strength
| enough now to hold my pen, sitting in
| easy chair before the fire, because L don't
| think it would be quite polite not to acknowl
| edge letter written expressly for ma benefit.
| l N iglad, however, that Washington Irving
| said that " the tongue is the only edged tool
| that grows sharper from use,'' or 1 would be
| afraid . to take my pen in hand to write to
you again" You know spinsters are prOver-
bIally more or less nervous how much more
Wild woods. And you must excuse me, Mr..
Editor, If, like the rest Of my sisterhood when
| L want to have my say L do 20 long ways
| round to get it out. 1 might have thought
| this was popularity of "our section - but
L think the lady Harper tells US about IN his
| December magazine, whose " tongue kept
| running all the while," and still kept far
| away from any point, does not live a thou
| sand miles north Of that sweet elysium where
| the Bloomer says her home is. No doubt it is
charming place, that sylvan home so
smooth and bright; and if poor Sally had had
| a home where g her father and grandfather
| had lived, you wouldn't have caught her
| rowing away from it on any account-nOt even
| To see sights In Washington.
You may thank her, Mr.. Editor. for her
| kind invitation for me TO return with her in
| the Spring; but as | am awfully afraid Of rise
| toomen, L shouldn't like to venture for /
hear that those regions of " sweet cream" and
golden butter produce also exceedingly
learned and strong minded women. and spuRkv
once, too, should judge, with all sorts of ex-
traordinary "rIghts" that we poor souls of
the South and West don't dream of And, be-
| sides, how awkward it would be for me to
know how to make use of those " rights" that
would fall to my RI ght there and in fact, I've
more now than l know what to do with. If
go to the Capitol, some grave old gentleman
evidently much interested in what's going on
pops up and gives me his place; if stop an
omnibus, aud 1t is full, gentleman whose
up Is as good as mine jumps out with, q Take
my seat, mas am" and / must always have
the only comfortable seat 1chsrerer | 60 the
sGuggest place near the fire Oh cold winter
days, ana all the breeze on warm summer
days, and so much bowipg and scraping to
please me, till feel as if must be tie most
selfish person in the world, and sm actually
bothered with my numerous rights so /
kunkE no will 4
trsssing my sensibilities still further, espe-
clally as she Is well aware how far it goes to-
wards preserving health always to keep ss
calm and unexcited as one can think, too,
L have as great desire AS our friend n pro-
long my life ard health as long as possible
and have no objections to all my fellow-crea-
lures trying every lawful means TO do the
same. L an, too, great believer in free and
beautiful exercise in the fresh open air. l
know, however, that the Washington pave
ments arc rather irregular, and rather dan
gerous to walk over sometimes, still L was
not aware that it required a peculiar dress to
give one volume enough to breathe, and sutfi
clent compass for action, to be able to navi-
gate smooth city pavementS in general. As
far as my 0ucn experience goes, have never
found my dress an impediment to any of my
peregrinations in this region, nor any him
drance In many race I've given the squirrel
| In my western home nor has il ever kept me
from padding nay canoe-a feat that requires
no little agility, and gives play enough to
ones muscles TO prevent their getting Into a
knot at least; nor has it prevented me from
giving my share of help in setting nets for the
fish, down in those dear blue waters, from a
dancing log boat just wide enough for one per-
son; To be sure L hadn't on a hoop, or the
saucy little scoop would have been bottom up
IN two seconds; and if it hadn't been for mi
sktrts couldn't have kept my balance upon
the logs that helped me over swampS nor
did l ever dream Of any other dress than my
own in crossing wilds, where no pathway was
marked even by "graZinG kline - and where
at every step bramble bush, or fallen tree
had to be cleared, and if L had stopped TO
"fUnlbte 0IOng,n think I'd have come out
a leetIc the worse for wear. And as for lump.
ing fences, why hear there's pretty respecta-
ble-looking fences right here, out by Rock
creek, where, old as [ am, might challenge
the BlOomer jump now. And if she has
nothing particular to do, I'd like Just to run
down with her to place In Texas, and show
her how some women folks "a white as we, and |
with skirts as long, ride out upon the prairies |
and rope the wild mustangs at full speed, |
draw them down, "hObble'' them, and drive |
them of in triumph.
Indeed, Mr.. Editor, l don't believe the |
Bloomer knows how many and various are tn Q |
exploits that have been, and can be performed |
In this same disgusting costume" 4" that Sally |
feels equallysure she'll stick to tight as the |
Bloomer to hers But do not wonder she is |
glad to get release from +" screws, bonds, and /
cords, and take any dress that would relieve /
her from the torture she must have suffered |
under. have read of such things in the days
OF the old Spanish Inquisition, but never sup.
posed anything of that sort could exist in the 1
present age, and certainly never experienced |
anything like it myself.
As to the fashions of the day in general, |
must hope that some gallant knight will rise
up and fight the battle for the ladies' for it is as
much as can do to take up the cudgel for mr.
self against such valiant champion of such
a rare genera" Though 1 will say for the
ladies, that by raising their feet as high as
possible from the damp ground, and having
free circulation of air about the head, they
no doubt are following closely the advice Of |
all sensible physicians to keep the feet warm
and the head COOL However, if all lad ydom
will come out in committee of the whole and /
agree to adopt the costume of the sterner sex !
out and ont, why l shall have no objection 10 |
81 l.