Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-08-11
MISCELLANEOUS.


Drunkenness Among Women.
ASTONISHING CHARGES AGAINST THE NEW
YORK LADIEs-DREss MAKERS SUPPLYING
THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH BRANDY--wINE
ABLE FEMALES.
| The Round Table recently had an article
on the revival of intemperence, which has
lately taken place, and asserts that the
ravages of the vice are particularly n0ticea-
BILE among women. 1t says:
Drinking is again becoming fashionable,
and the ladies are responsible for this retro
gressIon. Two weeks ago we had occasion
J to notice the prevalence of drinking among
ladies at our watering places but it is not
alone at the watering places that the ladies
| thus indulge. AT their own homes, at the
stores, and at those public nuisances called
ladies' restaurants they are accustomed to
drink liquors. The sight of tipsy or in
toxicating woman is not uncommon at the
seaside, and it is by no means extraordinary
upon Broadway. We have the best author
| ity for stating that some of the most elegant
ladies Of our leading cities will pass this
summer not at Saratoga or Newport, as
usual, but an asylum for inebriates. And
vice of fashionable drinking is now more
prevalent among the ladies than among the
gentlemen of this country.
| In support of these statements instances
of the most distressing character have been
brought to notice. Some women trace their
degradation to natural appetite for spirits,
and Others to habit formed during long
illness, when they were ordered to drink
| liquors as tonic. Once developed, the
taste seems less controllable in women than
in meE. The ladies drink in secret. They
have private bottles hidden about the house,
in spite of the vigilance of doctors, nurses,
husbands and fathers. Certain drgssmakers
make it point to furnish their customers
with drink, and some of the most fashion
able maisons des modes are, in fact, fashion
! able drinking houses. In some stores bot
ties of wine are also kept on hand fer lady
shoppers, and in Others the merchants allow
their boys to be sent to the nearest bar-room
for liquor when ladies desire it. AT the So
called ladies' restaurants all sorts of fancy
I drinks are as freely ordered by and supplied
to women as creams and ices used to be,
and anybody who will take the trouble to
visit one of these resorts may see well-dress-
ed. fashionable ladies enter unattended and
call for liquors at all hours of the day.
These are startling facts but there are
Others still more surprising and equally true.
Our fashionable female drinkers do not care
so much tor wines, and claret punches and
sherry cobblers. They can obtain such bev-
erages at dinner or evening parties, and
when left to themselves they prefer stronger
spirits Whiskey and brandy are the favor.
ite drinks with these ladies. 1t may be true
that q woman is very far gone upon the
| u-h oh Arip nnl,
s.imulants in public saloon but still hun.
dreds of women ir our best society do this
every day. Some of the saloons which they
frequent do not have the stronger liquors
upon the bill CT fare, but neat little sign
which reads, II: you do not see what you
want, ask for it," gives the hint to the ini
tiated.
In dress makers bills the significant item
"small trimmings" often covers up the eX
pense of liquors which the lady has ordered
through the modiste who panders to hel
vitiated taste. At the watering places
bribe to the waiter procures a secret supply
of the liquor, which, by the connivaEce o
the landlord, is charged as "extra lun-
cheons." Thus the poor infatuated womeI
fnd no difficulty in obtaining the means o.
intoXication, and often the man of business
engrossed with his cares, and thoughtlessl.
unsuspicious OF the serpent that has crep
into his Eden, discovers to his horror tina
his wife or daughter has become confirmed
drunkard, and that all his efforts to reform
her are utterly useless.
IL We could unroof the houses of this ant
other cities, we would exhibit to the reade
instances of female intoxication that wouls
make angels weep. Mothers of families ar
breaking the hearts of their husbands anG
, daughters by this vice. Girls of eighteen
the daughters of our most respectable mer
chants, have been seen grossly intoxicated
in Broadway stages and upon the publ
streets. Many home, apparently mos
elcgan. aud attractive, is rendered perfec
pandemonium 10y one of the lady inmates
through this weakness. The bellies at fash
ionable watering places, this summer, VIII
sit upon the piazzas late at night, and thin
it very amusing to be made funny" b
drinking with gentleman, little know tb
f fate that is in store for them. The painte
courtesans who flaunt in low groggeries an
[ nerve themselves for their foul vocation
glasses of gin are hardly so much to b
pited as these respectable ladies who s,
: cretly indulge the same craving for stint
ants. but who are unable to conceal the e
fects of their indulgences.