The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1868-03-20
The Evils OF Fashion--COr-
l-uption among the Women:
From the N. Y. Freeman's Journal.l

From the N. Y. Frceman's Journal.l
Modern school ''education" having been
completed for girls, now, doting mothers
who admire accomplishments" which
they think queer, but accept as the fash
ions Of the ''best society,"" the next thing
is to "get into" this wonderful "good So
cioty." To do this, Yankee ingenuity
has devised living in city hotelsin winter,
and at Watering places in summer. Per-
haps the kind n,ammas urge their dangh-
ters to observe caerfully, and copy the
manners of tho sine ladies" they see.
Perhaps the daughters exert their taste in
doing it themselves. A lady friend from
the country came to town last week, and
told near friend of ours that she had
tried to get corset made, but was told it
could not be done under two weeks, be-
cause all hands in the largo establishments
she visited were engaged in making false
calves for "ladies" who rear The lifting
hoops!
On last Sunday, walking home from
Church through several fashionable
streets, we noticed women walking with
fitting skirts from whore they had been
pretending to say their prayers; and on all
the corners, and on hotel fronts, we saw
rows of well dressed blackguards stand
ing, observing and laughing, and common-
ting on what these women were exhibit
ing.
Out on this indeccncy that would dis
gust honest Pagans. Let every modest
woman who has been tricked into getting
these traps of the harlot as the latest
"fashion,' pull them off and burn them /!
Let every parent see to it that his guile
less daug ghtcr is not disgraced by 'follow-
ing this fashion," Let masters Of house,
holds do the charity to a "servant-maid," |"
to provide her with such as are modest,
and forbid her, while in his house, to play
the airs of the wanton
Why even in Pagan times, when the
men abandoned themselves to the most
vile practices, they tried to keep their wo-
mon uucorrupt. What are we coming to!
1t is not here question ~ Republican
ism or Imperialism. 1t is not question
of free government or despotism. 1t IL
question Of the existence of families and
Of society. By the memories of our vir-
tuous mothers, by our love for our wives
and daughters, let us stop these public
outrages, and put under the surveillance OF
the police impadic wOmen.
Let US make remark on the latest
outrage and indeooncy of "fashion." A
few weeks ago on muddy day, we saw
walking, some ways before US q pitiablC
object. In the distance, it resembled Q
poor German peasant-woman, with hcl
short petticoat coming somewhat below
the knee. There is nothing immodest in
that peasant dress. The German peasant
walks with her ankles exposed, but there
is no illusory pretense Of covering them.
Tho poor creature we saw seemed to be
such an one, with huge clothes line
strung around her on frame, on which
she seemed to be carrying various gew
gaw dresses for different people. She
seemed to bo the humble errand-girl .ot
some dress making establishment. Or
:. passing the unhappy creature, we noticed
that she was sailing along with the idei
that the dresses hanging around her shoul
ders were her own, aud she looked a'
modest and unconcerued as if she wal
really decently covered. Speaking of il
to those who are aufait in such matters
we found that such kind of dress is sal
the rage" for some time past. It's etfec
ted on purpose, by having hoops made
with the sharp and stiff curve at the foot
that will tilt the dress above, and expos,
the legs to the knee. Another "progress
keeps pace with it. 1t has been in th'
daily papers, but we rarely belleve any
thing we see in them. On,
of the. latest ''fashions" has been to have
dancing soirees at Delmonico's, in Four
teenth street, 'for young people," A
rule of this fashion is that no parents o.
guardians are to be admitted. We die
not believe the statement when it wa
first made in some of our city papers,
Bat we have it now on good authorit.
that it was true, and that, this past winter
fathers and mothers have permitted thei
daughters to 60 to those soiress will
young men, to sup and to dance, and Il
come home with them at three or four o.
clock in the morning. just put it il
plain language: young girls in this city d.
not find it blot on their characters to G
with young men, unaccompanied by thei
parents, to'a public tavern, to dance AM
eat and drink with them, and to com
home with them toward daylight.