The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-10-25
From Beecher's Illustrated Magazine.
A Word to Our Girls About
Themselves.

OuI SlIlS VI Au0'hS 1eo'e 'ASA
| them; for if they have sense and
spirit they would Of course resent
; it, as we would advice given in
such a manner. But we would
like to have our girls listen to a
few suggestions which, we be.
lieve, if considered, they will
thank US for and approve Of
suggestions and facts that are in,
separately connected with their
own welfare and enjoyments, and
! that of many others also. Our
girls, as a general thing, are ra.
ther sensible, and will accept and
approve truth but the difficulty
is to practice what they know to
be for their good, against the
force of fashion and amid their
desire for gaiety and pleasure
1t is a fact that cannot be success
fully disputed, that our girls do
not enjoy good health. This is
true to such an extent that one il
surprised to meet with q young
! lady who has passed ertwentieth
birthday and can say that she is
perfectly we'll. Now, who will
say that this is not an alarming
state of affairs? 1t seems almost
incredible that the assertion
should stand uncontradicted.-
But, reader, make careful emu.
meration Of your female friends,
in your own family and out Of it,
and tell us who there is Of whom
it can be said, she is perfectly ecell
Rarely you may find a case; but
it will be so rare that if you think
of the children Of the next gene,
ration, it will be with an inward
groan of despair.
Why is this? Our mothers
were not SO generally young wo'
men of the same bodily conditions
as those Of to-day. There is no
thing in climatic Influences to in.
ducc this degeneracy of health
among our girls hence, the cause
must be looked for elsewhere
| And that there are specific causes
is unquestionab!y true.
The grandmothers of these
yonng ladies were strong, healthy
women, mothers Of a dozen chill
dren, good housewives and ex'
amp!cs Of industry and cheerful
ness.
The young woman Of to-day:
who has been reared amidst the
labors and cares Of large family
in a Western home, is a strong
healthy woman; and so are the
laboring momen Of our cities, even
strong, and in good health.
These grandmothers of ours did
not dress as the children Of their
daughters do. This is one reason
Why they are stronger and hap
pier.
They did not avoid all exercise
Of bodily strength; and this is
another reason why they haC
health. "To him that hath shall
be given, and to him that hath
not shall be taken away even thai
he seemeth to have" need not be
limited to spiritual things; on the
contrary, it is literally true Of wo
mans physical powers.
To these two causes, VIZ: mode
of dress, and lack Of physical ex
ercise, we attribute, in common
with most others, the deplorablt
condition Of the health Of oul
girls. There is no reason tt
mourn hopclessly over this state
of things, for the causes are easily
remedied, and that not by outlay
Of means, but by the use of goot
common sense and some frmness
In dress, first let the remedy b
applied. Instead of the tight an:
ever tightening corsets, put on a
an age when the bones are sof
and flexible, let Us have the com
Portable and far more beautiful
dress that leaves the ribs ant
chest TO grow and develop natu
rally and healthtully. Instead o
the Cat 6rst) gentle pressure, grad
ually drawing the ribs neare
and nearer together, diminishing
more end more the size of th
chest, giving less and less room
to the lungs, let her have the tul
use and power of the lungs, tina
will send the healthful bloot
bounding through q healthy, Wig
orous body, strengthened b,
cheerful exercise in usetul-ant
to her as we'll as others-helpfu
labor.
Let us see our girls out in tn
open air several hours day, am
in the kitchen, and up stairs, at
tending to household duties seve
raj other hours, instead Of bend
ing over fine sewing, or doins
crochet work all day in dresse
that cannot permit a woman t.
breathe freely, and in which goo
health is unattainable.
We might set forth the lon!
train of diseases, miseries an
deaths that daily follow, as q nat
ural consequence, the terrible an
shameful abuse Of the bodle
which our girls bear about, tor
turing and suffering torture in re
turn, that early make desolat