Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-08-24
For the Chronicle

~ F.,
inst, l listened with great pleasure to a
sermon delivered in the Presbyterian
church BY Rev. DR.. Shearer, on the
subject Of pride, and / only regret
that every man and woman in the
country did not hear it. The subjec,
was ycryably handled but not exhaust
ed; and whilst the Doctor showed clear
" and forcibly, the evils resulting to
the soul, | propose to show how the
natural man is affected, by the indul-
gence in this unholy and ruinous pas
sion, for it is passion with its vota-
ries.
l propose to show that the people
of Montgomery have only to discard
this Hydra headed monsfer, and thrift
and prosperity will at once take the
place of poverty and dependency.
There are in Montgomery county
about 25 900 inhabitants, ofthese 10000
are negroes--leaving 1900 whites of
whom one half are females. 1t is es-
timated by good judges thatit requires
5000 per head, to dress these 1900
females, making the sum of 100000
dollars. Now all that is required to
to be done is for these ladies to curtail
their. expenses one half, thereby saving
annually S750,000, three fourths Of
million of dollars. The first annual
saving would relieve the county of
debt, the second would build the
Clarksville and Princeton Railroad,
and would any harm result from this
retrenchment? Surely not. Would
any man of sense esteem the ladies
less because they appeared in calico
instead of silk ? on the contrary would
they not admire them more? Beauty
unadorned is adorned the most" This
abominable "penchant' for dress is
the source from which spring untold
evils; in order to maintain it, hus-
bands and fathers are plunged into
debt and driven almost to despera-
ton, and young men are forced to fore
go "the sweets that welded love be-
slows"
Our city is overlooking with ladies
and gentleman who would make adj
mirable wives and husbands, and yet
it is rare thing to hear of wedding,
and why? Surely not because Of any
disinclination to marry. God has i'm
planted in every human heart, that de-
sire" male and female created he
them. To marry is one of natures
laws and one that cannot be violated
with impunity. The reason is simply
that with the present extravagant style
of living and dressing, that young man
is fortunate indeed who is able to in
cur the expense ola family-not one in
fifty can do it. The consequence is,
they are forced to remain in state of
single unblessedness, and run the fear
full risk of contracting habits ruinous
both to soul and body. 1t has always
been to me source of deep mortifica-
ton to see our southern ladies, who
arc possessed Of so much good sense
and so many charms, go crazy after
every foolish and frivolous fashion
that is started by the miliners and fast
women of Paris and New York fash
ions started every season, for the ex-
press purpose of forcing every lady, to
an annual renewal Of her wardrobe.
And it is rarely the case that these
fashions are either comfortable or be-
coming. Look at the bonnet of to-
day, is it of any uscP Why a lady
might as well go into the broiling sun
bare headed. And then zee the CHG
non, mass Of moss, or wool, or hair
stuck on the cinoiput, to heat the
brain, ruin the growth of natural hair,
and deform the head. No ladies
head can be level with such prepond.
crance behind, where all the lower
passions are located, according to Phre-
biologists. l might mention the
hustle, the high heeled shoe, &c, &c,
but | forbear. What | have said
about the fashions may seem severe,
but lets lady appear on our streets
year hence, dressed in the style of to-
day, and the ridicule which | have cx-
pressed would be mild compared with
what would be said by the fair ones
themselves.
And this shows the folly of fashions;
what is cultivated and admired to-
day, is ridiculcd and dcspised to NOR
row.
In England, amongst the true nobil-
ity, very little attention is paid to dress
and fashion. The plainest men, are
the great men. The Aunkies alone
cultivate the fashions. 1t Is there a
mark of weakness to see n man proud
of his dress-it is sure sign that he
has nothing else to be proud of,
During the late war my lot was cast
in the South, and never before did |
admire the ladies so much. | have
seen them dressed from head to foot
in articles of their own manufacture.
They would go into the harvest fields
and gather straw, with which to make
their own hats and bonnets. They
would spin and weave their own dress