Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-06-13
About the Girls.

one Of the most lively, sensible and piquant v
rctorts on the prosy and stupid advice to y
etc, which ruin so many of our II
otherwise goodjournals, that it has been our T
good fortune to meet with in the year 1860. c
How often we have '1aughed in our sleeve +
to see how chary the gentlemen of the y
press are of copying such articles as the {
following-though every paper we pick up
has some sage q edcice to aoomen in it. Per-
haps if the advisers knew how the saucy girls
laughatthem, and what Zine remarkin'," as
Burns says, they have over their long, la
bored essays-they wouldn't be quite 50
free in giving them a piece of their mind"
We advise them (gratis) to keep all Of that
commodity they've got, they can't afford to
spare any for the girls:
"Advice to Girls Advice to Girls: One
unceasing, everlasting strain sung by crusty
mankind. Why is it that they are forever
forcing upon our weaker sex an article which
they invariably refuse to accept themselves
Dear me, it is a wonder that they do not tire,
or else like overtasked clocks, run down"
But no, not they. If an old bachelor comes
home to his comfortless domicil with the
memory of a tantalizing smile, and a posi-
tive no. of which he has been auditor and
spectator, he draws out his dusty desk, dons
his dnstier thread-bare slippers, and taking
out an unwiped pen, commences an article
of "Advice to Girls which goes on to show
up in astrong light their foibles and frivol.
ties, and ends by Shades of Annanias and
Sapphire l') thanking his lucky stars that
such an Undesirable article has never Kallen
takes up &essionho a4aaar SS8Rn9lnt5sTeer a list
of articles declined, finds his pet illusions
rejected, and on the same page finds an ac-
cepted composition from a woman's pen,
with a few c~ommendatory words appended,
how his chivalric blood boils how quickly
he seats himself to indite a few words of
advice to girls" telling them they should
not step out of their sphere, and not dip in
to what is SO far above their cemprehensions
as literature. And so it is, every d~isappoint,
) ment in life furnishes the lords ofcreation' with
a textfrom which to preach a sermon of advice
: to girls This preaching and writing, though {
D Dor, might be said to bel haFmless amusement
j were it not for the fact that while they be
I, hold the mote in cur eyes, they forget tn
; beam that is in their own. Then what
r catalogue of duties haWe we to perform er
we can be considered anything like compan
: ions for the exalted animal-man. We ar
r to Mise with the lark, get breakfast, milk
churn, sweep, dust, wash, iron, feed chickens
: scour, scrub, get savory meals, (for we woul
t not be considered deserving of their hearts
q i. we knew nothing about gaining access t
them by that unfailing avenue the palate
: darn stockings, sew on buttons, run up hi
and down, climb trees, roam fields, leap ditcf
es, surmount fences, all the while havin
. our dresses faultlessly neat, for if we were I
: return with muddy boots, draggleds skirt, tor
' collar and disordered hair, we must forthwith
q endure a lecture for slatternly habits. No
!. withstanding these manifold calls upon OF
time, we must read a great deal, be alb
when called upon to play the part of parlC
ornament with grace, and must converse il
e diligently about all the new standard pub
q cations in fact we must assume the chara
ter of belle, artist, musician, critic, hersew
;" man, instructress, romp, and never look pa
or wearied, for that seems an un~paxdonab
sin in the eyes of our advisers"
Now / should be thankful if any one cou
" tell me how the twenty-four hours can co
O. tain time for all these duties and a period f
repose beside en- sure no loves T
hoid communion with dear old Mother I
tn, ture than /, when | can do so free from
nestle care and trouble; but where is
Il pleasure of going on an excursion, when y
are IN a constant worry about how things
sh- at home, wondering if brothers dinner v
err not be underdone or overdone if you are
there to superintend it, which c~atastroE
will involve the loss of that drive he prom
ed you; hoping he won't go into the libr;
IN and throw it into confusion just as you h;
self nicely arranged it, or else drop the fire Fl
ION his cigar upon the carpet, burning a hole
il, which father noticing will call Town a
nu proof on his careless daughters-and a tn
ing sand other imaginary evils haunt you,
ssh king your rambie more a matter of pena
than profit. AS a reward for all these m
commendable duties we'll performed-our
on visers hold out the idea Of a husband to
and seeming to think the acquisition of
individual task-master to be the acme OF
made ambition and a sufficient recompt
WV for all we may be called upon to endur
e. Angels and ministers of grace defend us f
our the recompense, if we are to marry for
pleasure of being called extravagant, and
ing blamed because our husbands pen
go fast, as if we could prevent his buyin,
gars, wines, giving oyster and champ;
suppers and driving his fast horses-if
state of scrvitude be the aim, end and e
ence of woman, Heaven help her"