Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-04-09
Nelly's Advice to the Girls.

Girls, you want to get married, don t
you? All, what natural thing it is for
young ladies to have such hankering
for the sterner sex 1t is a weakness
that woman has, and for this reason she
is called the weaker sex. Well, if you
want to get married, don't for conscience
sake act like fools about it. Don't go
into fit of the nips every time you see
hat and pair of whiskers. Don't get
the idea into your heads that you must
put yourself in the way of every young
man in the neighborhood, in order to at
tract notice; for if You don't run after
the men, they will run after you. Mark
that
A husband-hunter is the most detest-
able of all young ladies. Size is full of
starch and Fuckers, she puts on so many
false airs, and she is so nice, that she
appears ridiculous in the eyes of every
decent person. She may generally be
found at church or meeting, coming in,
of course, about the last one, always at
social parties, and invariably takes a
front seat at concerts. She tries to be
the belle of the place, and thinks she is.
Poor girl you are fitting yourself for an
old maid, Just as sure as the Sabbath
comes on Sunday. Men will fiirt with
you, and Aatter you, simply because they
love to do it; but they have no more
idea of making you wife than they have
of committing suicide. If Iwere young
man | would have no more to do with
such fancy women than | would with
viper.
Now, girls, let Nelly give you piece
of her advice, and she knows from expe-
rience that if you practice it, you will
gain the reputation of being worthy girls,
and stand fair chance of getting re-
spectacle husbands. 1t is all well enough
that you learn to finger the piano, work
embroidery, study grammar, etc, but
don't neglect to let grandmama or your
mother teach you how to make pies and
puddngs, and get meal of victuals
good enough for king No part of a
housekeeper' duties should oe neglected
if you do not marry a wealthy husband,
you will need to know how to do such
work and if you do, it will be no disad-
vantage for you to know how to instruct
a servant girl to do these things AS you
would have them done.
In the next place, don't pretend to
be what you are nots Afectation is the
most despicable of Accomplishments,
and will only cause sensible people to
laugh at you. No one but fool will be
caught by aiiectation; it has Il transpa-
rent skin, easily to be seen through.
Dress plain, but neatly Remember that
gives girl so modest, becoming
and lovely an appearance as a neat and
plain dress. All the mummery aud tim
of the dress-maker and the mil
liner are unnecessary. fyou are really
handsome, they do not add to your
beauty one particle; if you are homeiy
they only make you look worse. Men
don't court your face and jewelry, but
your own dear selves
Finger rings and folderols may do to
look at, but they add nothing to the
value Of wife ~ all young men know
that. If you know how to talk, do it
naturally, and not be so distressingly
polite as TO spoi! all you say. If your
hair is straight, don't put on the curling
longs to make people believe it is not
If your neck is dark wear lace collar,
Dut don't be so foolish as to daub on paint,
thinking that people are so blind as not
10 see it; and if your checks are not
rosy, don't apply pink sancers, for the
deception will be detected, and you will
De laughed at.
Finally, girls, listen to the counsel Of
your mothers, and ask their advice in
Think less of fashion than
you do of home duties, less of romances
han you do of the realities of life; and
instead of trying to catch beaux, strive
o make yourselves worth being caught
~ them