The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-09-02

of the precious she, whose troubles are
to be wept over, and who is to be tri-
umphantly steered, at last, through all
the dangers that environ true love into
the heaven of matrimony. When a
woman writes novel-and q great ma
ny dove observe again a singular co.
incidence with masculine propensities,
from which we might infer that they
are as much in love with themselves as
we are. She also, like the male animal
who harrows up our souls exhausts
her descriptive powers in gloating over
the beauties of the heroine.
In nothing do men fall so completely
short of full understanding of women
as in the matter of dress and personal
adornment. While their gallantries
and department are largely founded on
the opinions of the opposite sex, they
observe with wonder that women dress
for each other. The entire masculine
division ofthe human race, with thepress
and the pulpit for its mouth pieces, may
| be arrayed against one particular fash
ion, and the contest is hopeless, so long
as the beau sea are themselves satisfied
with it. Outraged good taste and hygi-
enic laws may cry aloud to no avail
Ridicule and earnest entreaty are alike
useless. Fashion is arbitrary, and while
women can defy ridicule in men, they
are keenly alive to the ridiculc of their
own sex, mercilessly directed against
all who rebel against the DEGREES of the
tyrant.
But while women dress for each 9TH
er, there are cetrain abstruse mysteries
of the toilet designed with express re-
gard to their effect upon male admi-
rers. A few of these we propose to
consider in our article. The dry-goods,
the ribbons, the jewels and the head
gear are worn with view to exciting
the envy or admiration of their sisters.
1t is only in the matter of complexion
that they attack the other sex.
HAIR.
There is nothing in art or nature
more beautiful than woman's hair, if
left in its natural state. But restless
and meddlesome fashion cannot let it
alone, Can anything be more absurd,
hideous and uncomfortable than the
present style of headdress In this
roasting, suf1ocating weather, when per-
spring humanity seems in imminent
danger of evaporation, we find our lady
friends going about with huge noun
tains of hemp or hair tied on the backs
of their heads and necks. There are
Japanese switches" with short curls,
rolled around hot slate pencil, on the
neck, in front of the ears, and top hair,
burned just enough to roughen it,;
"Chantelaine braids;" frizzed or scram-
bled hair hanging in loose masses over
the shoulders, and hair in every possi-
pie shape except that of nature. A wo-
man wearing her own natural hair is a
novelty. No matter how soft and silky
it is she must roughen it, and cause it
to look ridiculous by crimping. No
matter how much there is of it she must
have more, and build up fantastic
shapes. A lady with whom we discussed
the hair question, and one to whom ma
ture has been more than ordinarily gen.
erous, excused herself for wearing pur-
chased hair on the ground that her own
"wouldn't make any show" But why
do they want to makea "show?" Could
we be made to believe that these hot,
uncomfortable and cumbrous structures
were composed entirely of natural hair,
growing on the head of the wearer, the
size of the heap-"the show" made
would indicate growth which, if left
loose flowing over the shoulders, would
drag the street sixteen feet in the
rear.
| SHAPE.
Women are seldom satisfied With the
form nature has given them, and are
continually experimenting with view
to improving it. If too fat, she resorts
to free use Of acids. If too lean she
) pads. A certain fullness of bust is
deemed indispensable, and to accom-
plish this, various contrivances are re-
tage of keeping its place, but is open to
the objection of being too hot for mid
summer use. Pads of curled hair are
popular, the cases being made various
ly, but always with the outer side full
Ter than the inner. Sometimes the ca.
+ ses are handsomely trimmed, but it is
, generally brides that indulge in this
, freak Some wire inventions look like
a bent and twisted flour sitter, minus
the franc, but they are not popular on
account of their liability to be pushed
: out of place by an inadvertent move
ment, sticking out in curve which is
} anything but the line of beauty. An
, ingenious invention is pad made with
spring in the centre, designed to yield
on slight pressure. These contrivances
are designed for the bewilderment OF
, the lady's partner in waltz, but,
. though artfully contrived, it is not ap,
pretended that they are content to de-
f ceive the very elect. The required
shape in the hustle region is given by
} skeleton wires in muslin cases, though
, very common practice is to use news
; papers. "What's the news in your ca
. zette ?" is frequently asked when young
l girls are assembled.
BELLADONNA.
This deadly poison is extensively
used to impart brilliancy to the eyes
!, , 1t is sometimes taken internally, but 4
: less dangerous and more common mode
is TO apply with a camel's-hair brush
to the skin in the outside corners of the
eyes. The effect is soon observable in 8
peculiarly brilliant and clear appear,
ance of the eye, entirely changing the
|, expression. The initiated can tell q
belladonna eye on sight. The habitua
. uSn of thiS 1aa6I,, opant nroJuoa, so,i