The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-03-05
Bill Arp on q Bust-le.

was YOU WOuldn take on so ABOUT
the fashuns. They don't bother
me. It's none of your business
what the women put on or put oft,
so they behave themselves and look
just as purity as they can. They
are a heap better than you or me,
whether they behave or not. l
wouldn't give one woman for sew
eral men no time-would you?
Now, see him smile and pat that off
foot. If women want to wear bus
sells, let 'em wear 'em. [ thought
that panears was the best because
they stuck out sideways and wasn't
in the way of Ieanin back when
they sat down, but they know which
is the best side to stick out on, and
its nobody's business but theirs.
They may wear anything they want
to, bustles, and hoops and hang
overs, and convexes and collapses,
and whimadiddles and stickouts,
comedowns and anything else, so
there is woman hid away some
where inside of it all. It's all
sham, that rubber bussel !; there
amt no substance nor backbone in
it. I've seen 'em flat and seen 'em
blowed up. There amt no harm
in them, but I never see one on a
woman that | don't want to hit it
Just hard enough to make it pop.
T golly! wouldn't she jump high
and holler? But I'm not going
to do it, no, sir; I've too much re-
spect for woman.
Their busscls don't hurt nobody,
and 1 do despise to see man al
ways picking at a woman's close.
If they dident wear something to
disguise 'em the men would quit
business when they come about.
Purity women always did wear
something to skeer the men away.
It's been so forever. During the
war 1 seed one who jest dressed as
natural rs life without any paddin
or stufin, and when she cum along
the boys jest laid down and rolled
over and hollered, They wernt fit
for business for a week. But |
couldent bear to see 'em 60 with
their faces all tied up like they Go
in Turkey. That would mighty
nigh kill me. If l can look into
their blessed countenances | can
put up with their fore riggin and
hind riggin and top rigsin and all.
And a good, sweet, purity face
speaks tor all the balance of the
craft. I wouldn't marry nary girl
on the earth till see her face, and
not then if she dident suit me. If
the eyes, nose and mouth are all
right, nature is an endorser for all
the balance. Paint amt nothing
shape is everything.
They cau't paint shape nor a
glance of the eye. You may paint
q house ever so white, but that
don't signify what's inside of it:
But when you see bright roses and
posies and blossoms in the front
yard and over the door, and clean,
clear winder glass a shining, you
may bet your life on the balance.
You needent worry about the bus
sci nor the back. Women have
been doing that way ever since old
Solomon wrote about 'em. If they
d. lean a little as they 60, it's all
right. They can straighten up
when it is necessary. No spinal
disease about that. Thems the very
sort what can lift two bushels of
meal without crackin a bone. Its
only a passing fashun-and will last
till something else comes along.
Nature made 'em that way, and
YOU can't change it. The more YOU
abuse their bussels, the more they'll
stick 'em at you-so let 'em alone,
I say. They are the same about
fashuns, al d the last one would put
'em on if they had their own way
and plenty of money. | wish !
was Jest rich enuf to give every
lady in the land a string of dia-
monds and a hat full Of pearls;
Good gracious how quick that
Methodist dissiplin would be bust.
ed on the jewelry business. Well
I do like to see 'em look purity, and
so far as I am concerned, if ribbons
and flowers and hounces and furs
will help to do it, its all right.
Some of the birds are dressed up
mighty fine, and I reckon their
pride amt much Of sin after all.
But understand me, Mark, l don't
banker after bussels, though they
do say it makes the incest little
shelf for the arm to rest on in the
world, when feller is dancing
around with his gal. That's all
right, provided the feller amt a
dancing with my gal. If he is,
why he may take her and keep her,
that's all.