Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-07-16
Prom Harper's Weekly.
Nothing 10 w ear.
AN EPISODE OF CITY LIFE,

Prom Harper's Weekly.
Nothing TO Wear.
AN EPISODE OF CITY LIFE,
Miss Flora M'Flimsey, of Madison Square,
Has made three separate journeys to Paris,
And her father assures me, each time she there
That she and her friend Mrs. Harris
mot the lady whose name is so famous in history
But plain Mrs H., without romance or Mystery
Spent six consecutive weeks without stopping,
In one continuous round of shopping;
Shopping alone, AMI shopping together,
At all hours Of the day and in all sorts of weather;
For all manner Of things that woman can put
On tbs crown of her head or the sole of her foot
Or wrap round her shoulders or fit round her waist
VI that can De sewed on, OF pinned Oh, or laced,
Or tied on with string, or stitched on with bow,
In front or behind, above below;
For bonnets, mantilas capes, collars and shaYls;
Dresses for Breakfasts aud dinners and balls;
Dresses to sit in, and stand in, and walk in,
Dresses to dance in, and flirt IN, and talk in;
Dresses in which to do nothing at all;
Dresses for winter spring, summer and fall;
All Of them different in color and pattern,
Silk, muslin, and lace, Grape, velvet, and satin,
Brocade, and broadclotb, and other material,
Quite as expensive and much more ethereal;
In short for all things that could be thought Of
Or mlliner, modiste, or tradesman be bought Of
From ten Thousand francs robes to tweny,s fris;
In ali quarters of Paris, and to every store
While NJ Flimsey in vain storrued, scolded and swore
They footed the Streets and he footed the bills
The last trip Their goods shipped by the steamer Arago
Formed, M'Flimsey declares, the bulk of ter cargo
MOE 10 mention a quantity Kept from the rest
Sufficient to 6'l the largest szsd chest,
Which did not appear the ships manifest
But for which the ladies themselves manifested
Such particular interest, that they invested
Their OFn proper persons in layers and rows
vi muslins, embroiderles, worked under clothes,
Gloves, handserchefs, scaris and such es as those;
Then, wrapped in great shaws like Oircassian beauties
Gave good-by to the ship, and go by to the duties,
Her relations at home all marveled no doubt
Miss Flora had grown so enormously stout
For an actual belle and possible briae;
But the miracle ceased when she turned inside out
And the truth rame to light and the dry goods beside
Which, in spite of Collector and Custom house sentry,
Had entered the port without any entry,
And yet though three months have passed since
the day
The merchandise went on twelve carts up Broadway,
This same Miss NJ Flimsey, of Madison Square,
The last time met, was In utter despair,
Because she had nothiag whatever to wear
Nothing to wear Now, as this is a true ditty,
do not assert--ths, you know. is between US
That she's in state of absolute nudity,
Like Powers Greek Slave or the Medic Venus;
But do mean to say, have heard her declare,
When, at the same moment, she had on dress
Which cost Ave hundred do,lara, aud not cent less
And jewelry worth ten times more should guess
That she had not thing in the world to wear
should mention iuIt here, that out of Miss Floras
Two hundred ami hay or sixty aiorers,
! haa just been selected as he whoshoud throw all
The rest in the shade by the gracious bestowal
On myself, after twenty or thirty reflections,
OF those fossil remains which she called her affections
And that rather decay ed but well known work of art,
Which Miss Fora persisted in styling ''her heart"
So we were engaged. Our troth had hem plighted
Not by moonbeam or starbeam, by fountain or grove,
But in a front paror, most brilliantly lighted,
Beneath the gas fixtures whispered our love,
Without any romance, or rapture, lr signs,
Without any tea in Miss Flora's blue eyes
Or bushes, or transport, or such silly actions,
It was one of the quietest business ira, sections,
With a very small sprInklng of Sc inent, if any,
But a very large diamond imported by Tiffany,
On her virginia. lips while printed Kiss,
She exclaimed as a sort Of pareuthess,
And by way OF putting quite at my ease,
"You know, I'm to polka as much as please,
And 1irt when like-uow stop don't you speak
And yon uusS not come here more than twice the week.
Or talk to me either at party or ball,
But always be ready to come when call;
So don't prose to me about duty and stuff,
If we don't break this off there will he time ugh
For that sort of thug; but The barga must be-
That, as long rs choose, am perfectly free.
For this is sor of engagement, you see,
Which is binding on you but not binding on me-"
Well, having thus wooed Miss MFimsey and gained her.
With the Silks crinoiues and hoops that contained her.
had as thought, q contingent remainder,
AZ least in the property, and the best right
To appear as its escort by day and by night;
And il being the week Of the stueket's grand ball
Their cards had been out q fOrtnightor So
And set all the avenue on the tiptoe-
considered it only my duty to call,
And see if Miss Flora intended to go,
Ifound her-as ladies are apt to be found,
When the time intervening between the FIRST sound
vi the Dell and the visitors entry is shorter
Than usual found; won't say-I caught her.
Intent on the pier glass, undoubtedly meaning
To see if perhaps IL didn't need cleaning.
she turned as entered" Why, Harry, you sinner,
thought that you went to the Flashers' to dinner ~
80 did," replied, ''but the dinner is swallowed,
And digested, trust, for tits now nine and more,
30 being relieved from that duty, followed
Inclination, which led me- you see, to your door.
And now will your iadyship SO condescsnd
As just to inform me if you intend
Your beauty, and graces and presence to lend,
All which, when own, hope no one will borrow
To the stuckups, whose party you know, is tomorrow m
The fair Flora looked up witha pitiful air,
And answered quite promptly, "Why Harry mon cher
should like above all thugs to go with you there;
Bat really and truy-Pve nothing to wear"
s'Nothipg to wear go just as you ase;
Wear the dress you have on, and you'll be ny far,
engage, the most bright and particular star
= On the Stuckup horizonu-I stopped, for her eye,
Notwithstanding this delicate onset of hattery
Opened on me at once most teri battery
u. scorn and Amusement She made no reply,
But gave slight tnfn to the end OF her nose
F.. THAT pure 9recian feauture) as much as TO say,
Glow absurd that amy should suppose
Thst lady would go to a ball in the clothes,
No matter how hne, TINT she wears every day %
soIyeptured again-'' Wear your crimson brooade,n
Your blue sikn "Ihat's too heagy;n WYour pinkn-
"That,s too Ight.n t
NWear tulle over satn"-sI can't endure Whitep
Your rose coored, then, The best OF the batehp-
II haven't thread of point lace to matchn .t
Tour Drown more eHiqao"Yes, and look like a
nm, VusSerj maker
TIhe pearl coloredsI wou d, but that plaguey dress
Has had 1t week'-"Then that exquisite lilac.
In which you would melt The heart OF a shylock,
SHere the nose tool again the same elevaion)
II wouldn't wear that for the whole Of efeaionn lit
way nott IT'S my fancy, there's nothing could strike
AS more canine 6ant ''Yes but d ear me- that lean
sophronia s'ucsup has got one just ikelt
ana wont appear dressed like emit Of sixteen"
.Ihen that splendid purple that sweet Mazarine
That superb point d aiguiLe, that imperial green
That zephyr-like tarletonj that rich grenadinen-
, mo o., one o. an which is nj to be seen"
sad The LADY, becoming excited and flushed
IReh year" exclaimed, in tone which quite crushed
Opposition, 'that gorgeous toilette which you spore
lAst spring at The grant presentation, lton
when Yn quite turned The head Of the head Of the
ana w All the grand court were very muchc0utted
the enl Of the nose was potenti0uny tipped up,
ANA ooih the bright eyes snot forth ndil nation,
AS she buist upua me with the fierce exclamation,
y nave worn Il three Times AZ The least calculation,
And that AMI the OF my dresses ripped up"
here ripped out spmsthing, perhaps rather fash,
Quite innocent, though bat 70 use an expression,
More striking than classic, II ''setted my hasn,n
And proved very The last act Of our session.
"fiddlestcks, i'it, slrf / wonder the ceiling
Doesn't lal Town and crush yoa- oh you men have nc
You selfish, unnatural, iliberal creatures feeling
Who set yourselves up as patterns and preachers.
Your silly pretsnst--why what mere guess II isl
Pray, what do you know Of woman's uecusslte,f
| have told you and shawn you I've nothing to wear,
And ne perfectly plain you not only don't care,
ne you do not believe me fnere the nose went still high
suppose e you dared yeu would call me liar. er)
YOU'RE brute, and monster, ani-l don't know.yhat
mildly suggest,d the words tiouentOt,
Pickpocket, and cannibal, Tartar and thief,
As gentle ypletiyes which might gyeFelief;
But this only proved as spark 10 the powder,
And the storm had raised came faster aud louder
II blew and IL raned, Numbered, lghtened and hailed