Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-02-16
pALprTATIsG PADS.
A Lady,s PIca for Them.

A handsome architect once wrote
series of articles, in one Of which he
savagely reviewed the school girls Of
fifteen, Initiating with bran and sawdust
the mature woman of twenty. qnN
Was he just2 Was he true to his artY
If you men may be architects Of your
fortunes, may not we women be the ar
chitects Of our fgures2 e"
/ say we may; and what's more, we
will; and so unhesitatingly parade my
pluck by pleading for my pads. s
Forgive me if l seem bold. Let my
maiden inexperience plead my pardon,
If appear TO ignore the accustomed tone
Of dainty womanliness which should CON
troll and direct a woman's pen. ~
! am shy little thing, naturally; but
about this pad business, / am resolved to
relieve my mind, even if do chance to
tread on delicate ground.
Because-well, I've got cousin.
You ought TO see her. ~
She has bright, pretty face but,
physically--there her charms end.
Solomon would never have sung her
praises, nor would the poet have wor-
shipped mature unadorned, had my
cousin Clara acted the part of nature.
Clara is slight---very slight--and she
dresses in horrible ignorance of those
grace-giving adornments, palpitating
pads. I"
Now, | am almost slight as Clara; but
Just look at mel
When my dear, delightful, unsuspect-
ing Algernon clasps me to his manly
bosom-well, he has his arms full, He
gets something to hug.
II And something is better than nothing,
any day. - .
lie knows Just where l am. AT least
he thinks he does, and that will do for
the preseAt. In fact, | once overheard
him enthusiastically assure his friend
Adolphus that his Sylvia was as plump
as partridge"
But aside from the rapture thus i'm
parted to my susceptible Algernon, |
plead for pads on the ground of phllan-
thropy. a.9
Woman was meant to be " a thing of
beauty" and, through that, " a joy for
ever" Her sweetest mission is to charm
the eye; to feed that subtle fire in mems
hearts which means love and chiyalry
combined; to cultivate grace as the fair
companion of mans strength. She is
the bright and flashing flame; he the
fuel, without which the fire would soon
burn out.
Now, to be thing of beauty, to charm
the eye, to kindle that subtitle fire in
men s hearts, there is one thing ueedful-
or, rather, two things.
Palpitating pads are alone infallible.
Nature may do much. i have known
her to be too liberal. But where she has
withheld the rounded architecture that
enchains the fancy and enchants the
eve, don't hesitate. Purchase a substi-
tnte. The p P.'s will fairly rival ma
lures yielding lovliness, and you will
bloom into the creature of grace and
beauty Heaven meant you should be.
/ tell you, my hesitating sister, that
you must take my advice without after
ward thanking me. The mustaches will
flock about you with intense zeal. The
particular one you long to set your face
against, but who has been, till now, re-
PEELED by your expressionless figure, is
at last attracted.
He now sees that the qualities of mind
and heart that always pleased him in
you are linked with a form worthy a
sweet and charming woman, and he IS
at your feet impetuouslyl
Therefore, girls, don't let anybody or
anything vile you from wearing the
P. P.'s. If they will make you graceful
instead of gawky, even philanthropie
interest in your fellow-men should lead
you to let them see you at your best
only, that this love of taste and beauty
may be deepened and gratifed.
If / have said too much-well don t
care if 1 havel
Men speak slightingly of lady's ap-
pearance by asserting that she is made
up" whatever that means; but suppose
she wasn't made-up," corseted, pad
ded, trimmed and shapely, would you,
Mr.. Man, let her hang so trustingly upon
your protecting arm2 Would you look
down into her sparkling eyes SO admir-
ingly2 Would you impress her arm so
suggestinglyH
You know you would feel anything
but proud and satisfied if she who looks
up at you were any less complete in her
makeup"
What other plea remains unspoken
other lips than mine must urge.
He that hath eyes to see, let him see:
That win settle the question: for he will
be sure to think the palpitations all on
his account. He will gaze with awe, adj
miration-longing, on the 1.-THE figure, the
ripely-rounded form, and wonder how it
is possible for even Heaven to provide
earth with such miracle of enchant-
ment, grace and beauty.
And yet, he would shrink from the
thought of " Palpitating Pads.
Enough. Nv plea is ended.