The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-08-19

you may grant it," My face flushed
all over at this. / could feel the blood
tingling at my very finger ends.
"What is it, Betsey Jane ?" says
father. "Has Will Hastings been max
ing
''No-Will Hastings has nothing to
do with it, nor anybodys ioW but my
own. Ills Just this: / want you to dis
miss our help girl; there are only three
of us in the family, and really think
we need no girl"
But" interrupted mother, edo you
think your poor old mother wants to
kill herself ?"
mo; / mean that 1 don't want to
kill myself doing nothing. i have
lived uselessly about long enough"
There were numberless objections to
this, but by diligent entreaty and ar
gument, / carried the day. Three
days later, i assumed the position of
Bridget. But before half the morning
had elapsed, Ilods tired 10 death yes,
my lady was tired to death" If |
went up stairs, one hand must hold up
a quantity of crinoline and skirts. II
l came down stairs, there was the rat,
tat, tat, of steel upon the stairs. If |
passed into a narrow place, both hands
must be enlisted in squeezing the bal
loon into collapsed state. i was in
constant fear of tipping boxes, jugs,
catching my dress on nails, or wiping
off some convenient black kettle. Ny
dress must be PINNED up, or be beauti-
fully drabbled around the bottom. My
shoes were too thin for outdoor wear.
had another battle to fight. There
were no lives acrifced-only a few
false notions of gracefulness, dignity,
&c, quietly beheaded and buried. My
first attack was at the shoe store, and
resulted in the capture of pair of bal
moral skins-No. illegally cap
tured, of course. The dress question
occupied my attention next. / had
heard of boomers, but most ungraci-
ously stuck up my proboscis at them,
like hundreds of other foolish women
who klo,U nothing of their excellences.
l did not have any of DR.. Harriet Aus
tins patterns or guides--neither
wanted any. j took from my ward
robe cast-off dress, very good, except
it was most shamefully switched out
around the bottom. Cutting off the
rags and hemming it up, had dress
two or three inches above the top of
my shoes. The next morning l APP
peared in the kitchen, sans crinoline,
sans trail, sdns fummydiddles. Cous-
in John, who happened in to see
father, cries out, "Och and Bridget,
how long since ye came over from Ould
Ireland 2"
This put us all iii roar of laughter,
which OF itself was enough to pay for
one Bloomer scene. Father, who like
sensible men, never admired the in
stitution, (as he calls crinoline), said
"Betsey Jane never looked better.
He always calls me Betsey Jane, and
thinks it is very substantial name.
He says these Jennies, Carries and
Lotties. do very well for these high
flown folks, who are always running
after some new-fangled notions.
My new harness fitted me so well
that / found my work completed in
half the time, and with more than
twice the ease could now hunt for
hens nests without frightening the
hens with a transient ghost of hay
stack. So l started for the barn. On
my way, uncle passed with well there,
you look like the last run of shad
My Katie had on something like that
the other day, and l threatened to turn
her away"
Whenever you tire of her. Ireplied,
''send her here. This shall be an asy-
lum for the oppressed, hereafter
/ had fine time hunting for eggs
My movements were so free and un-
trammeled that it seemed like living
over again my childhood
just before sitting down to dinner,
Cousin John came in, saying, 81
thought I'd come over and dine with
you, Jennie, and see how you hold out
in your new-fangled costume"
"Well, Sir John, despite all your
sarcasm, / hold out faithful, and with
the aid of common sense, intend to,
while my laboring life lasts"
"Will you receive visitors, this after
noon, in your really charming habit p
"No-I shall dress up this afternoon;
but if my friends make morning calls,
they will find me in my working dress. "
But what if DIR. Wilson or Hay
ward, Or"
II wouldn't run for all the gentle
men in town. 1 presume the said
dandies would stare and wonder if ]
was sane, fee-faw-fum awhile, suddenly
call to mind an engagement, and YAM
ose. You needn't laugh, Cousin John,
and think will not dare do as / say
/ know 1 am surrounded by fashion,
and caste is at premium, and women
are sacrificing health, comfort and
happiness, for the looks of the thing
1t is really relief to me to see how a
woman really does look. She has been
COMPOUNDED with stays and hoops SO
long that we cannot help fancying her
a moving pyramid An African wo.
man seeing a French madame, with q
grand panier under her long robe, ex-
claimed, "Madame. tout celia est-l uous
meme ?" No wonder the japanese
thought American women very queer
specimens of the genus homo. I'm