National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-03-14
Women as they We're.

Young ladies OF the time of Edward
Nv. were brought up with greater strict
ness than at the present day. Mammas
in those days kept their daughters the
greater part of the day at hard work,
exacted almost slayish Difference from
them, and even, as an able antiquarian
states, counted on their earnings. After
they had attained a certain age it was
the custom for the young of both sexes
to be sent TO the homes Of powerful
mobiles to finish their education by
learning manners, and thus noble lady
was often surrounded by bevy of fair
faces, from the owners Of which she
did not scruple to receive payment for
their living.
For their occupations they were some
thing of this wise She rises early, Mt
seven or half-past, listens to mathis and
then dresses. Breakfast follows, and
this is her costume-a silk gown, richly
embroidered with fur, open from the
neck to the waist in front, and having
turnover cellar of darker color /;
broad girdle, with rich gold clasp
skirts so long as to oblise the wearer to
carry them over her arm shoes long
and pointed; and, to crown all, the
steeple cap, with its pendant gossamer
veil. After regaling herself with boiled
beef and beer she will possibly, if re-
ligiously inclined, go to the chapel, if
not to the garden. This, enlivened by
gossip with her friends, takes her until
noon, when dinner is served, after which
an hour or so will be spent with the
distaff or the spinning wheel At six
o'clock supper is served, after which,
perhaps, follow games at cards or dice,
or possibly dance, of which last our
young lady is extremely fond. Later
on another meal is rerved called the eve
supper or banquet, alter which she may
drink glass of warmed ale or a cup of
another day in the proper season she
may go hawking, or ride on horseback,
or hunt the stag, or shoot rabbits with
bow and arrows, or some other such re-
fined amusement.
The next most striking period-in
female customs at least-is the reign of
Elizabeth, during which epoch e1trava-
gance may be said to have reached its
height. Before the Virgin Queen came
to the throne she was remarkably sim
pie in her attire, but in latter days she
changed, and historians remind us of
her eighty wigs of various colors, and
of her three thousand dresses. A gaily
attired queen makes an extravagant
Court. A Court lady of that date wore
low dress with a long stomacher, an
immense ruff around her neck, a small
hat, crinoline, large fan of ostrich
feathers with mirror attached, highly
scented gloves, and frequently a velvet
mask Her feet were shod with pumps
of scented Spanish leather, her hair
was died red in imitation of the royal
locks, and her face was painted and
rouged. To supply the great demand
for wigs women were sent round the
country to buy up country girls tresses,
and female thieves in London robbed
children of their hair or despoiled the
dead.
OF all curiosities in costume the ruff
is the most eccentric. These monstrosi-
ties were frequently made quarter of
yard deep, SO that the wearer was
obliged to eat with spoon couple of
feet long. When these rufls first came
into fashion the Dutch merchants only
sold the lawn and cambria byells, yards,
half ellis and half yards, for there was
not so much lawn and cambria to be had
in all London as now can be had in one
shop. Also, as yet umbrellas were
not, and, when a shower did come
down, ladies su ed terribly; while
yet another diff y was that no laun-
dress could be found who was able to
starch and stiffen cambria till Elizabeth
sent over to Holland for starcLers.
Mistress Dingen nlasse was the first
teacher of starching, and taught the
Court beauties for fee of four or five
pounds, with an extra charge of twenty
shillings for initiation into the mys-
teries of seething the compound.-Lon-
don Society.