The Republican journal., 1869-06-17
FANNY FERN ON STREET DRESSES.

One cannot smile at the young girls who
are, one day,-Heaven help them 9-to be
wives and mothers l say to myself, as / see
the throat and neck with only the protection
of a gold locket between itself and the cold
autumnal winds Wives and mothers! | say
as | see them running their feet and throwing
their ankles out OF shape, in the vain endeaV or
to walk on heels like corks, fastened far into
the middle OF the sole of their boots; and
those boots 50 high upon the calf of the leg,
and so tightly buttoned across it that circula-
ton is stopped, and violent headaches follow.
Wives and mothers! say, as | see the heat
ing and burdensOme panier tackled on the most
delicate portion of womans frame, to make
still surer confirmed inyalidism. What faith
ers, husbands, brothers, lovers can be think
ing about to be willing that the women they
respect and love should appear in public look
ing like women whom they despise, is mar
vel to me. Why they do not say this to them,
and shame them into decent appearance-it
their glasses cannot effect it-I do not know.
Oh, the relief it is to see a healthy, firm step
ping, rosy, broad-chested, bright-eyed woman,
clad simply with dress all of one color, and
free from punches or tags! | turn to look at
such an one with true respect, that she has
the good sense and courage, and good taste
to appear on the street in dress betting the
SlittlS lCtlN my W luOSc pOOl NlSttlCu W.
men whose business it is to advertise their
persons, a free field without competition. If
| seem to speak harshly it is because | feel
earnestly on this subject | had hoped that
all their time would not be spent in keeping
up with the chameleon changes OF fashion
too ugly, too absurd for liberation. 1t is be-
cause L want them to be something, to do
! something higher and nobler than a peacock
might aim at, that turn heart-sick away from
those infinitesimal frippcrics that narrow the
soul and purse, and leave nothing in their
wake but emptiness.
A JUVENILE ROMANCE. Two children who
work in one of the Chicopec factories, Eli
Goodro, fifteen wears old, and Louisa Steb-
bins, fourteen, fell downright into love, and
they determined, with an utter contempt of
consequences, to 90 and get married, as
grown folks do. Chicopee clerks and clergy
very sternly and sensibly refused to grant
marriage certificate or ceremony, whereupon
the decided youth came to this city and obtain
ed both The Palmer journal says the civil
sanction was obtained from the City Clerk,
and the religious from the Rev. DR.. Ide At
all events, they were successful in their visit.
and started for Thorndike, there to spend the
honeymoon until Louisa's parents should for
Wednesday evening, and spent the night in
the depot certainly 4 very elegant bridal
chamber But on Thursday morning the
parental Stcbbinses bore down upon them ere
the Thorndike craft hove in sight, and cap
tured the outward bound adventurers. They
wanted to separate the bold babies, but though
Louisa, disheartened by the meager outset of
the voyage, was willing to haul off, Eli re-
marked defantly that they had been and gone
and done it, and what did they mean to do
about it? Impressed by his view of the case,
and by the advice of a Palmer justice to make
the best of it, the parents relented, and con
veyed the precious pair home, trumphantly
happy. But we shouldn't like to have the
responsibility of sanctioning this absurd trans
action [Springfeld Republican.