Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-17
HE GRECIAN BEND.
ITS Cultivation, Practice and
Final Development.

! =
The true bend, the bend of the elite
and refined, consists in the young lady
! throwing her body forward and head
back, as though she were trying to catch
sospa bubble on the end of her nose.
At the same time, through the medium
of gaiter heels from three to four inches
high, she Is compelled to walk almost on
the very tips of her toes. This, as mat
| ter Of conse quenee, throws the posteriOr
portion of the frame far into the rear,
| giving the entire form the figure of tri-
angle, with one Of the angles resting on
the ground, the other shooting heaven
ward at an inclination OF about thirty
five degrees, and the remaining one
pointing in line parallel with the earth's
surface.
The hight of the fashion Is to enhance
the latter angle by q certain puffy, hood
like article Of dress, resembling the tail
plumes of an ostrich, thus giving de-
lightful exsggeration to the triangular
figure which is meant to be particularly
rsvishing. A young lady,
ON A PERFECT GRECIAN BENDER,
moves along the street in q manner to
disturb all dear old notions Of 8 motion
that should flow, rather than step.
Gone is the good old flounce fiingiDg
swing; gone the saft, yet nervcus grace
* the free, unconscious step; gone the
long, undulstius carriage, like . trim
clipper swinging gracefully over the long
swelis Of surgipg sea.
She trips, or rather pegs her way along
With an anxious, studied expression OF
countenance, rs II under perpetual sp-
prehension Of losing her equilibrium ard
toppling over on her head. II, in the ex-
erciss of her undeniaDle privilege, she
attempts to display her pretty ankle at
the curb, she spins about ridiculously,
regsins her I've were about to say per-
penGieular) triangle with difficulty, and
either gives 1t up in despair, or spasmod'
icslly exhibits far more than she in-
tended.
II she meets a gentleman friend, she
responds TO his gallantly lifted tile by q
distorted wriggle, wag of her ostrich
tsil, and forced smile, by which she
vainly endesvors to mask the physical
anguish shs is suffering.
In educating a young lady up to the
perfection OF this cruel distortion,
THE AGoEIEs ENDURED BY THE VICTIM
thought incredible, considering that she
usually submits to them Of their cruel
process by one who has "been there.H
We will suppose the case of board
iDg-sch00l miss, possessing both beauty
and graee-all Of which is proposed to
transform into the hideousnes5 bearing
the classic misnomeT. In the first place
she is enyeloped in corset as stiff and
strong as q coat of arms, and drawn so
tightly that she can but with difficulty
breathe. She is compelled to wear this
night and day for q certain number of
weeks, the corset never being meddled
with, except for the purpose of drawing
little tighter.
When this phase OF the deformity Is
complete, she is subject to what is called
THE STEEL sFRETCHER.
This is the broad, fiat steel rod, always
as stiff as a poker, extending up the
back, from the lower edge of the straight |
jacket Ito which 1t is riveted) to the /
nRpe OF the neck, and at the same time /
sdheriDg firmly to the jacket all the way |
up. AT the top is strong but delicate /
screw, twist of which presses hard /
pad against the summit of the spinal /
column, forcing 1t forward at the will of /
the operator.
A Apsir of shoulder-brsces beneath the |
corsage keep the shoulders forced back /
in q manner that would be beneficial I
were it not for the accessories Of the cruel |
instrument. When completely encased I
in this contFivance, the screw is turned 1
down as far ss possible, without actually
snspping the backbone, and the victim
is permitted to limp, groaning about the
premises for i certain number of days,
until the upper portion OF the bend is
supposed to be achieved.
One would think this were enough for
an ordinary mortal to endure without
actually tempting the grim destroyer;
but she has yet to receive the finishing
touch.
HIGH-HEELED CATERS,
the heels of which in many cases are,
without exaggeratiOn, three and half
inches high, are the shape in which this
refinement of torture comes.
If the poor girls sufferings were great
before, they are absolutely excruclsting.
Daily she is compelled to walk, or pick
her way along, for miles, and even
leagues in those denominations, in COM
parison with which the iron shoe of the
Chinese belle is an Indian mOcessip,
lined with elder down. Every step Is
torture, every movement anguish. But
the young lady is ambitious. The Gre
clan bend glimmers in the distance, and
she will attain it or die.
Presently she does attain &c, and is
forthwith turned out from stTeicher,
spine breaker, strsight-jaoket and shout
der r-straps-turDed out from ever hing
but The high-heeled gaiters-and is there
after the minee-f0oted, bent back, ami
mstsd, triangle of present pain and fu-
ture incurable maladies, which has been
the object OF her am mbition.