The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-01-02
F A S e 10 N

FASHION.
FOR THE LADIES.
Written for the Democrat
There Il no empire in the known world
half so absolute as the. autocracy of FASH
ion; no monarch on earth reigns over his
subjects with sway half SO potent as this
invisible, intangible, indefnable thing; no
heather iLol was ever go destructive Of the
lives of its votaries. The fire OF MOloch,
we are tod by Ho!y Writ, was very de-
structise in the Old time particularly to
children; but the numbers OF unfortunate
little wretchps who are inundated on the
shrine Of Fashion nowadays diminish
Moloch's list into inter insignifcance.-
The car Of Juggernaut crushes the life out
Of thou ands Of dtlnded victims every year,
but Fashion counts her tens ofthousands.
From the cradle to the tomb we groan un.
der her iron rule, and death alone can re-
lease US from thra|dom that would be
utterly intollerable-ifis were not fashion,
able! Nay, death itself cannot bring en-.
tire freedom, for Fashion follows US to the
grave dictates the form of the coffin and
shroud, and prescribes the exact quantity
of black Grape, bombazine, and sorrow
proper for the bereaved relatives. Now as
We feela particular interest in the fairer
half Of erpa,ion, and deep sympathy for
them as being individually the greatest sui
ferers from the tyranny Of Fashion, we
propose giving brief sketch of the proha-
BILE existence Of every unfortunate cf the
feminine gender who may be born into the
genteel world in the year Of grace 1851
Immediately npon her advent she will BE-
swathed in bandages so tight as almost to
squeeze the breath out Of her unhappy little
body "to make her straight" for, thank
heaven, crookedness is not in fashion Just
at present. This unnatural compression
producing the natura! consequence Of fret
fulness in the infant she will be Quoted
"a
with alternate doses Of Godiey's Corchial
and Devices Carminatiye, very fashionable
specifics both, and admirably calculated to
lay the basis Of good sound constitution.
Suppose these perils and others incidental
to infancy safely surmounted, and the pc
Rod Of childhood reached, the little unfor
tunate is destined to other trials, different
but not less severe. The childish feet that
should bound in untrammeled freedom are
encased in sht.6tting shoes-the body in
a tighter dress overloaded with senseless
fnery which must be worn with the dignity
and decorum Of old age lest it be spoiled
the hair plastered back from the forehead
apd drawn so tight under long comb that
the poor little vctim cant possibly wink
its eyes, or else tortured into curbs contra
ry to natures evident intention; and worse
than all the tender ears mercilessly bored
through and through to stick gold rings in
g. & I
"a practice not one whit less barbarous
than the Indian custom of boring the nose
to insert silver coins. Then as years in
crease comes the necessary corset, to
6 form the figure heaven help us! as i'll
the shapes God gave US were not good
enough without our trying toimprove them
exercise is dispensed with altogether, or
taken only in the funn Of violent dancing
or an occasional lazy saunter Of an evening
cold water, the greatest remedial agent in
the whole pharmacopeia, is as sedulous!y
avoided as if the whole human race were
infected with hydrophobia; close hot rooms
habitually used to sleep in; and then when
the constitution is nearly wrecked, board
ing schools are called in requisition to
the work so we'll begun at home.
Of course,no young lady Of any genti'ity
could complete her education anywhere
but at a fashionable boarding-schooi; and
so ct ages varying from ten to sixteen, the
very period Of oil Others when young girl
most needs careful, judicious, and affection
ate superintendence, she is sent to one Of
these hot-beds Of disease and vice to herd
with all sorts Of girls in crowded iIl-ventil.
ated apartments, learning more impropric-
lies and immoral.ties than anything else, or
spending hour after hour in the weary pur.
suit OF useless and Improbable accomplish
ments when she should be out in the free
air and bright sunshine enjoying life as God
md nature meant she should enjoy til
After years Of this assiduous apprentice
'hip to disease she returns, if she lives to
'eturn home, with corrupt and vitiated !.
mind and warped enfeebled body mot
me faculty either mental or corporal be-
towed on her by all-bonntifal nature ap- /
'lied to its proper use--all, all misdirected,
nisusea, destroyed! Is it any wonder that ,
girl reared and educ ated thus should pos /
ess silly frivolous, ignoble mind, reach :
ng after nothing good or great, with no t
Ugh aspirations, no lofty aims or sinking /
till lower in impure, and sensual feelings ;;
hould live content to be but little above !
he brute? i-l 49, '2 al''... !
Is it any wonder that such a girl should i
trive to disguise her shrunken misshapen i
orm with padding hoops and crinolne, /
md color her pallid lifeless complexion /
With artificial roses !! is it matter of sur. !
rise to any one that she is not fit to be a !,
n . /