Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-31
War Letter from n Belle - Handsome
Women In Diemay,


A New York belle writes as follows:
= = = Handsome women are in dis.
may. The Ladies Association have re-
fused all volunteer nurses except plain ones
Nobody is.to be sent 10 Washington who
has any pretension 10 good looks. Beauty
10 to stay at home aDdscrape limit This eeems
to us all exceedingly tyrranical, though
some of Us are trying to disembellish to the
eligible degree-leaving off our various lit
tie hecoming-nesses, etc, etc. But it does
not seem to US very polite; for, who wishes
TO be banded over to history as a woman
certified to be 'plsin" by a committee 2
Then they accept none who are under
thirty p Dear mel Is nobody to be devoted
to a dying young hero except an old fossil
like that? And how many are going to
confess to thirty 2 The arGy should be con.
suited, l think, too, as to whether they
really prefer these nurses that are old and
ugly2 All doses are not agreeable, aud it
may need a handsome nurse, sometimes, 70
persuade the wounded Adolphus to take his
medicine. Should there not be at least a
Reserve Guard" (of US pretty girls) for this
branch of The seryice2
Of course there is an elderly Army Sur
Peon at West Point. Could you not ask
him the professional question, as to whether
good looks are not naturally more soothing
and healiDg2 And ask him whether a plain,
gloomy looking nurse (like that hideous old
Aunt Hepzibah who has been accepted and
gone to WsshiRgton) is not discouraging
and irritating TO the handsome young suf-
fe1ers2 / am sure that all this prejudice,
against those of US who might possibly be
fallen in love with, IL based upon that letter
which some old maid wrete 70 ole OF the
papers a few days ago. Here is a passage Of
it; a -r l
Those personally acquainted with Miss
Nightingale know how much she wac har-
raised ard tncumbered by the amateur lazy
nurses who accompanied her, and this not
witbstandiDg all the care of the Government
to have il Otherwise. With the news of the
victory at Alma there came to England the
ti0ipgs that three thousand wounded meu
lay helpless and unattended in the hospital
at Scutari. The women of England were
aroused, as are our country woment at this
moment, in anticipation of q like need, and,
within three days, two hundred and eighty
women OF gentle birth offered themselves as
nurses for the East. 1t was a noble impulse,
q generous enthusiasm, but examination
showed hat with regard to most of them
their whole education, ideas and habits un-
fitted them for the service. OF the two
hundred and eighty, only fourteen were
considered at all eligible. More we're after
ward chosen from among other applicants,
but not with much success, else why is Miss
Nightingale recorded TO have said, after
months Of experience, 4 want nurses, not
h, dies2'p
This looks as if the objectionable class
were those who are too fastidious, and not
those Who are too pretty-does it not2 Or,
do we give up taste and refinement as we
grow plain Qnquiry made for an nxiou
irieId)
a few OF us are thinking Of proposing To
IecipTocate Florence Nightingale" with the
Sbemy-a few Southern ladies, for instance,
coming to nurse The Seventh" at Washing
TOD, and an equal number of member Of
"The Minerva" Tour New York Olu0) going
to Charleston or Savannah, Love your en-
smies1 includes Dursing them, suppose
And then, as the war is TO be q short one
and We shall all want our Southern lOVeri
again, when it is over, how much better !
is 10 be kept afectionately in mind of eact
otberl l4s
We are go thankful that every soldier
wears his beard They will look so meet
hADdsOmer in their slck bedsi Indeed j
Seems u special Providence that beard
should just about have become universal
North and South, when the war began. |
improves them SO exceediAgly on parade, o.
on fatigue duty and then see what they es
eaps-the dreadful misunderstanding Of an un
shaver face for a smeoth, chinnsd invalid
1t is 10 be hoped that the declaration 0
peace will not bring about the fashion Q
shaving close aRainl So many men ar
handsome, now, who never were so before
See wSa y a paragraph tells about "Th
1--WE learn that when the Massaehusee
troops arrived at Fort Monroe, the com
msnder Of the fort was moved to tears. H
exclaimed Selling the hand Of their Colone
SIN Heavens name, where did you get sue
noble looking fellows as these n He shoe.
every man by the hand"
Now do You suppose that Commander
would have been thus moved to tears"
IL bad rot been for the beauty Of the beard
they all woTe2