Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-04-03

WOMEN As THEY WERE Young ladies
Of the time Of Edward ". were brought
up with greater stric.ness than at the pres
ent day. Mammas in those days kept
their daughters the greater part of the day
at hard work. exacted almost slavish def
ereuce from them. and even. as an able
antiquarian states. counted on their earn
ings. After they had attained a certain
age it vas the custom for the young of
both sexes to be sent to the homes of pow
erful mobiles to finish their education by
lea, ming manners. and thus noble lady
was often surrounded by q bevy of fair
faces, from the owners Of which she did
not ecrupie to receive payment for their
living.
For their occupations they were some
thing of this wise:--She rises early, at
seven or half-past. listens to mathis and
then dresses. breakfast follows. aud
this is her costume silk gown. richly
embroidered with fur, open from the neck
to the waist in front. aad having q turn
over collar Of darker color; broad cir.
die, with rich gold clasp; skirts so long
as to obligc 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 RECALLING herself
with boiled beef and beer she will possi-
bly,. if religiously inclined, go to the chap
el, if not to the garden. This, enlivcned
By gossip with her friends. takes her On.
I'll noon. when dinner is served. after
which an hour or so will be spent with
the dis,aff or the spinning wheel. At six
o'clock supper is served. after which. per-
haps. follow games at cards or dice. or pos
sibly dance. Of which last our young la
dy is extremely fond. Later on another
meal is served called the eve supper or
banquet, after which she may drink a
glass Of warmed ale or cup Of wine and
then retire for the night, while another
day in the proper season she may 60
hawking, or ride on horseback. or hunt
the stag. or shoot rabbits with bow aud
arrows, OF SOME other such refined amuse-
ment.
The next most striking pcriod-iG female
customs at least--is the reign 0: Eliza
beth. during which epoch extravaganza
may be said to have reached It's height.
Before the Virgin Queen came to tue
throne she was remarkably simple in her
attire, but in latter days she changed. and
historians remind US Of her eighty wigs
of various colors, and Of her three thou
sand dresses. A gaily a.tired queen
makes an extravasant Court. A Court
lady of that date wore low dress with a
! long stomacher. an immense ruff around
her neck, small hat, crinoline, . large
fan Of ostrich feathers with . mirror at
tached. highly scented gloves. and fire.
quently velvet mask. Her feet were
shod xith pumps Of scented Spanish leath-
er. her hair was died red in imitation ol
the royal locks. and her face was painted
roughed. To supply the great demand for
wigs women we're sent round the country
to buy up country girls trcsscs. and fe-
male thieves in London robbed children
Of their hair or dispoiled the dead.
Ofall curiosities In costume the ruff is the
most eccentric. These moassrusities were
frequently made a quarter Of yard deep.
so that the wearer was obliged to eat with
spoon q couple Of feet long. When
these ruffs 6rst came into fa.hion the
Dutch merchants only sold the lawn and
cambric by ellis. yards. half ellis and hall
yards. for there was not so much lawn
and eambric to be had in all London a:
nov can be had in one shop. Also. Q.
set, umbrellas we're not. and when 8
shower did come down. ladies suffered ter
ritly; while yet another difficulty vas thai
no laundress could be found who was abb
10 starch sn1 stifen caobric tilf Elisa.
beth sent otter 70 Holland for ssarehers
Mistress Dingcn Plasse vas the 6rss teach
er Of ssarching. and laugh, the Cour
beauties for fee Of four or Eve pounds
with an exirs charge Of tweaty shilling
for initiation into the mysteries Of ssc,h
ing the eompcund.-LOsdon Society.