The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-09-09

The following communication appeared IN
the Register Of Saturday. It's all about the
"Grecian Bend" We publish it for the
benefit of those who have any thought OF
adopting this mode of committing suicide
It's a sure mortality.
THE BEND OF ALL BExDERs.-Denr Local -
n ANYBODY has seen any Of US ladies going
along our streets doubled into shape which
naturally suggests that the distorted person u
suffering from the consequences OF eating too
many cucumbers, they needn't be prod!gal OF
their pity or peppernint--thAts only the tire
clan bend" the latest quirlamaeue which fashion
has imposed upon her devotees. 1t is hard to be-
lieye they will en- deavor to throw themselves into
the shape of dropscal interrogation point mere
Iy because fashion says so; but it'll crooked
fact, and every day growing crookeder. II Is the
stest agony which the exauisites of SaratogA
have invented, and as many Of your readers may
never have seen it land We hope they never may)
we will kindly attempt type photograph for
their benefit II is merely graceful twist Of
painful deformity which fashionable bellies take
on, and Hcall the Grecian bend 1t is performed
thus: In the first lace the victim wears very
high heelcd cutters, which naturally incines the
upper part of the body forward. Tho graceful
stoop is II de still more Halieky by pulling the
lower alps up to point even with the lower ribs,
throwing the pit Of the stomach back or in. and
the shoulders torward-giving the upper shape a.
near as possible an S like curvature. The hands
are held in front, loosely juggling from the wrist
while the elbows hug the sides. To further
heighten the poetry of the effect, the gait Of the
victim must be tortured into the tiller canter
notion when all these agones put on, the
victim is able to present profile and gait which
the wicked men very graphically liken to the
looks and motion of q lame kangaroo
:; u, IN tuis heu tr this
shape without aid of.artifcial eontriyances, and
already the fashion gazettes advertising these
contraption., but many ladies are generally
offended at reading in public journal what our
pet magazines talk about openly, We can only tell
you it is made out Of two STRIPS, two
whalebones and two buekles---and then shut ouI
mouth ID 60 no further.
People who have never seen ladies suffering
with the "Grecian Bend" may think our descrip'
ton oyer-ludicrons. We assure you it is not
We have seen only specimen, but the profile
of that the chamera Of mind took in with
faithfuness, and jurt 50 faithfully have we giver
it 10 you, free of charge and exaggeration.
II is to be hoped that our western lAdies viii
Ut once and generally repudiate this fashion O.
the form, which if rightly named
would have besn called thu
cotic stoop not alone because It 10 horrld and
unrainly in appeA ance. but ecaussit 10 killing
to the body OF the victim and retails death TO hel
postsrity, 1t i. not 50 awful homely IN appear
ance but what it could be cultivated into favor.
Il is not moro unsightly than ths poderous water
fall and chignons were at hrst. They are no
very unhealthy fashions, and constant association
has nearly lorely,zed all their uglinsss away. Blu
the Grecian bend, with its unnatural stoop
brings nothing but pain, weak backs, disease an
ridieule with it. Goldsmith must have had hii
prophet. eye on this fashion in writing When
lovely woman stoops to folly"
We are told that it took its start from stAtuary
a. the sculptors most faYorise pose for woman
in marble is that with the shoulders thrown in.
cliningly forward and hence lady lovers Of tht
"Bend,,' with an DIR OF triumph assert that every
body knows that position is graceful in marble
women aud therefore must he iii medt women
Bat, ladies' will youplease bear in mind that Coo
waa the first sculptor ard as He moulded the fe
male "huDan form divine" SO should it remain
until He Transforms il into the manner Of tho"
who walk the streets Of his own city
INpESpABLA.