The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-10-17
The Island of jersey.

But the jersey girls are so lovely
They pass you by ones and twos anG
threes, literally taking your breatl
away, for there is scarcely a plain fact
to be seen among the whole lot. Fail
and dark, little and big, charming az
Venus, stately as Juno, they make 6
goodly show as they pace the greens
ward listening to the strains of ''Blue
Danube" or hydropaten. The Jer-
seymen have decided admiration fol
small feet, and those damsels who,
either by nature or art, have acquired
small extremities, do not disguise the
fact, but wear their petticoats a good
two inches shorter than their less-fa.
vered sisters, who walk abroad discreet.
lyclad in ''tails." AS a rule, the bellies
of the island have little or no style
they do not dress well, or in particu.
larly good taste, while their figures are
in no way remarkable, but their faces
make up for everything. You may
see more beautiful girls ON one sum
mer's day in Jersey than you have
known during the whole of crowded
London season. Perhaps it is the won
derful air of the island that gives to
them that exquisite purity of complex
ion, that soft yet healthy bloom, which
distinguishes them so remarkably.
They also have, for the most part, mag
nificent hair and eyes and good feat
ures. Few of these girls are born in
Jersey; they have, for the most part,
settled in the island for some years, and
the prettiest of them come from Eng
land. These damsels are by no means
slow, but hardly as fast as their Guern-
icH0 who r,Aor1rT OtnO1
looking. It is always the plainest
women who firt the most recklessly.
The Jersey girls marry off very rapidly,
but not always we'll. 1t is rare to hear
of O really good wealthy marriage, but
it is quite certain that when one of the
wise virgins of the island gets chance
of matrimory she seldom refuses it.
The men who go there have usually
warm hearts and light pockets, so that
matrimony is often essayed on such
magnificent sums as two or three hun
dred a year. They will marry a civil
ian with smiling cOuntenance but if
you wish to see a proud and triumph
ant bearing. behold Jersey girl sail to
the alter with an officer? A few out of
every regiment are caught and made
benedicts, and there is great rejoicing
over the treasure. They all have per-
verse, infatuated, and thoroughly fem
mime love for scarlet coat, esteeming
the faithless little finger of an officer
more than the whole body of virtuous
citizens. so que ] Anne Le q11iLitajre"
Where have not Ewes daughters sung
it, and will they ever cease to do SO?
It is very amusing to see the way love-
affairs are managed over there. An Of
fcer, let US say, selects some pretty
girl whom he particularly adnlires,
dances with her, walks with her, takes
her to st. Simon's, and if he is of a
godly turn of mind, sits beside her, if
not, he awaits her at the door with other
choice spirits, and takes her home buys
flowers as long as his purse will hold
out, and to all appearance they are en-
gagged, when suddenly new actor ap-
pears upon the scene. Perhaps it is
new lover for the girl with a little
money (the officer has none) or young
lady looms within the red-coat's ken
with moderate fortune or lovlier face
anyway, the spell is broken. One, two,
three, and away ! the couple who till
to-day have been inseparable are di-
vorced, and one or the other in due time
is married or Tilted but they do not
break their hearts, and whether it is
Corydon who is left behind or Phillis,
that one does not sit by the riverside
humping a guitar, but is ready for
" business when an opportunity turns
up. It is curious set-out from first to
last, as seen by English eyes. Every
girl who is not very particular has her
regular "spoon," her male property
with whom she takes the air, parades
at tea-fghts and fower-shows, the thea
tire, promenades, and church, and uses
as an object with which to in
spire envy in the breasts of those unwise
virgins who have neglected to secure
such furniture to their own especial use.
These last are seen basely stalking with
younger sisters, or o ignominy actu-
ally hiding under the shadow of their
mothers wings. But that is q rare
sight, indeed, for it is a curious fact
that Jersey papas and mammas are con-
spicuous by their absence and, though
we are bound to believe they exist some
where, still one is tempted to think they
are covered up like the satin chairs in
pGrUe1W'S drawing-room, and only visi-
BILE on state occasions. Ihave seen them
at balls sitting in virtuous ranks against
the wall, patient martyrs, signing for
the supreme hour of supper, but never
with their daughters beside them, unless
the latter were hopeless wall-fowers.-
BeLgT0Ui0.