Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-21
Female Incendiarism.

"A new Ork Journal raises CRY OF alarm NJ
the perils of fire from the manufactures OF jn'e c
switches, waterfalls, braids and other strnctur s
in imitation Uf wuman's hair. Ii Itrepresents th"t
This material is exceedingly comOustible, and
that the IN lnufacture is carried on in the uppcr
stories of high buildings, where the fire is mac
cessbe when it breaks nut.
Ii these structures are of this combustble
character, the factories where they are made
are but a small part Of the exposure. They ate
leverywhere in the streets, sures, shops, church.
es, theaters; in our houses, from parlOr to ktch-
en- in our bedchambers, in our very bOShms.
And what is most fearful these cnmbustible
structures. which spark may ignite, are put
on dcsgnedy to attract sparks. In her state Dt
nature, the female has always been an incsndi-
airy character, but now she deliberately puts on
incendiary auxiliaries TO produce general con-
fsgratun.
What's to be done Before woman wore
clothes she broke up paradise; and ever since
Sic wore clothes there has been continual sue
cessisn of alarms, complaints, repr0Ois, lectures
and exhOrtatiUns about her garments. What
article of her apparel, from top to bottom, has
not been the subject OF public discussion! Some
times the Pretense Is her health, sometimes her
modesty, sometimes convenience, sometimes
taste and generally these all judged from
the mans standpoint, although she Is different
from nin And, not uufrequen,ly, we have a
cry Of public alarm. But no one ever saw the
fashions of the female mind changed by public
bility there is persistence in the female dispo-
sitiun, especially in the case of public interter-
ence with their concerns.
What succession of alarms have we had
over these capillary structures When they
| were made of real hair we were entertained with
| a pleasing association Ot ideas drawn from the
charne houses despUiled to swell the tresses Of
the living And as if the wearing of ths hair Of
the dead were not enough for the mind, VIC had
all sorts of wholesome fancies about their char
acter aud their infections disease; and with this
Il general assumption that i'll this hair uf the de-
funct the vermn had gone on increasing from
generation to generation; although the knoW-
edge of natural history which comes into every
family will show that the creatures pine and ex-
pire of broken hearts when their attachment TO
living humanity is severed.
II might be expected that the substitution Of
the jute fiber. which is the bark Of tree would
relieve the public mind; but il only brought in
a new Set OF alarms. There seems to be con
ssiracy to give the female mind no peace, Or to
detract from her attractiveness. Not long ago
the public senSibilities were lscerated by the ac-
count that species Of insects. with wonderful
boring powers, were indigenous to the jute fiber,
and that these bored through the p1sterOr part
O. y u 70 wOmOn'- skull ,wIile she remain, un-
conscious of any cerebral disturbance. Aud
straightway we had iancieS of all sorts of women
with insects boring their skulls and exploring
the chambers within, and coming in contact
Win uOluluE luat CDulu convey u llt scdt Ot
the femenne sensations intelligence of this in
vasion.
And now the CRY is raised that women, with
these dte contrivances ON the back Of their heads
are incendiary Sampson's foxes with fire.
brands tied to their tails. The more we concern
ourselves about women, the more the causes OF
alarm about her multiply. Is it not time to try
the policy Of letting her alone? Why should we
not have, in regard tu her. the faith that we have
as to all other created things, that what she is
size was ordained to be in the economy Of crea-
ti0n She lets mems garments alone. She is
not continually dragging before the public their
truwSers, their waistc0nts their coats, boots
bats, shirts, their padding, their dyed boards,
their wigs or bald beads, or their general shah
bness in apparel. Let her clothing be treated
with the same consideration. Aud really she
seems to do very well. She performs her func-
tioh. She is alive and kicking in spite Of the
prunuuncementS oC all ages that she was sh TT
ening her existence. Her dress seems to serve
her purpose, ana, while it does 50, why should
man assume to crlicse il from the standpoint OF
his purpose Her dress is, on tie whole accord
ing Ia the classic models, and was never more
elegant than now. And as Ia its cost, of which
the whole sex is constantly twilted, let any one
take census nl tie dry goods stores, aud then
of the bar rooms. beer shops, tnbaccn shops, ,Oys-
ter shops. and nther places for the indulgence oi
the masculine appettes, aud see how trlhing il
the cost OF her elegant tastes, by which the world
is made NOR. beautiful, in comparison with the
cost of the indulgences of those appetites of mcr
by which they and the world are defled.- Gin
cmndG G0zttte.