The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-14
From London Punch.
Is Tight Lacing Injurious 2...DiscussiOn at
Ladies' Meeting.

A meeting of fine ladies was held the other
evening at Phillis' rooms, in order to discuss
this interesting question. In virtue of possess
ing the most fashionable figure, her waist only
measuring fifteen inches and three quarters,
Miss Waspe by acclamation, was voted to the
chair
In opening the proceedings the chairwoman
remarked that as her breath was rather short;
she would beg to be excused from making a
long speech. Hear. Fashion, they all knew,
was omnipotent with ladies, and now that lash
ion had revived the custom OF tight laclng
ladies were obliged to cultivate fashionable
figure. They might not all arrive at the per-
fection she had herself attained. Cries of
question and we'll try, dear The advantage
of acquiring so slim a waist as hers was only
to be gained by hours and hours OF actual tor
ture Scnsaton Nhtis ii .taut soutiir pour
etrh beilc; and it they did not mind few
fainting fits at first, followed by continual de-
bility and headache many ladies might enjoy
the pleasure OF possessing waist not much e&,
ceeding the dimensions OF her own. Cheers.
Miss Pinch said her experience entirely
agreed with that of the lair charwoman,
though, unhappiiy, her suffering had not yet
been rewarded by the rapture OF obtaining
quite so fashionable figure. Still her waist
barely exceeded eighteen inches and hall,
shudders, and she hoped, by perseverance ard
a good strong lady's mind, to reduce 1t before
long to more genteel dimensions. Applause.
Miss Lovelace said she had also suffered much
from headache since she wore tight stays and
once or twice had tainted at the dinner-table.
Her Her doctor had told her she was running her
health but she didn't mind her doctor while
She obeyed her dressmaker. Bravo
Miss Casper would like to ask what could
doctors knew about it? They didn't wear stays,
did thev? How, then, could they tell What
ladies suffered from tight-lacing?
Mrs. NJ. Bonpoint observed that, although
she tried her utmost, she could not reduce her
waist to less than nineteen inches. Poor dear q
Even this. however, made her wretchedly un-
comfortable; and after eating good dinner
she was frequently obliged to have her laces
cut to save herself from limiting. Her doctor
tried to trighten her, by talking about fatty
something about the heart which often had
proved fatal But she would rather die mar,
tyr than dress out of the fashion: lApplause:I
Miss Whcyface said she feared that by acqui-
ring small waist she had injured her com,
plexion. Her nose was getting red now, and
her cheeks were pale and pimplly Some one
had told her this was owing TO lmPeoeu cifcu-
lation. But she was consoled by having
fashionable figure.
Miss tucker SS.iQ inc WpiSt VI NC1iIpS a.
tight dress was that it sadly took away ones
appetite Since she had reduced her waist, she
could not eat one-half of what she used to do.
[Sensation. Now, this was great misery, for
She was fond of eating Still she had rather
rive up her custards than her corset. Cheers.
Miss Costing thought it was not ladylike to
cat much. Rude health was most untemi-
nine possession. A person tn be fashionable
should be always ratne! .,.-icate; and nothing
insured this 50 well as tigns acing.
Miss Lazic remarked INA. another of its ben
efts was, that it prevented any muscular cxer-
ton. TO lie upon sofa and read novels all
dav long was her idea of almost perfect earthly
happiness and, as tight lacing untitled her for
anv useful work, she had borne like martyr
the torture it had caused her.
Miss Waddles said she could not walk well
in her stays, they made her feel so stiff and
wooden But her waist looked we'll ON horse
back, though she never dared to venture at
more than foot-pace, for her habit was SO
tight that che could hardly breathe when trot-
ting.
Miss Prancer observed that, much as she
loved dancing, che found it impossible to waltz
in her new bail dress. She felt so squeezed and
faint that the utmost she could do Was TO walk
through the square dances. Poor thing !"l
In consequence she had lost a number of nice
partners, and that odious Miss Whirlcr had
sadly cut her out, although her waist was near
" two feet in circumference. Shoulders.
Mrs. Wiseman said her husband would not
let her wear stays, Sensation, and cries of
"What wretch"l, and she would advise
young ladies to leave off lacing tightly if they
wished to get good partners. Men loved
healthy wives far better than small waists.
Gracious goodness :. and no one but fool
would link himself for life with a woman in
bad health, however she might pride herself on
having fine figure. "Question y She would
propose resolution:
"'rhat this meeting, being satisfied, from most
abounding evidence, that tisht,lacinig is inju-
rious to happiness and health will do its very ut
most to discourage and discountenancc SO barba-
rous fashion"
Here several ladies, intcrposng, began all to
speak at once, and hence enSued a scene of
violent excitement. Many Of the fair combat
ants tainted from exhaustion; and it was not
until number of corscts had been cut, that the
sufferers were able TO be taken to their car
riagcs.