Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-02-13
CULTIVATING a BODY.

ness, was beauty in young women; that
u small appetite was an evidor &c of sensi-
bilty and an avoidance of flesh meat es-
sential to refinement as well as Indicative
OF pure and gentle mind. This opinion
being propagated through stories, sketch
es, "health" publications of various sorts
numbers Of healthy young women strove
to subdue the natural craving for healthy
and substantial food and failing in that,
took refuge in surroptitious crackers, figs,
raisins, bon bons and cake, which laid in
Il stock Of dyspepsia lasting with many of
them to this day and will descend to the
third and fourth generations. Those who
cultivated vegetable diet with the oX-
pectation of growing thin upon 1t, were,
however, doomed to disappointment
They lost in strength, but gained in APP
table matter in bulk is required to satisfy
the appetite than of flesh meat, and its
presence produces distorted, torpid con-
dition of the stomach, which is depressing
and exhausting rather than stimulating
and Frightening. Tho physiology Of it,
however, was not understood. ltwas the
poetic, tho romantic, the sentimental side
which appealed irresistibly to the young
lady's scnsibilitios and made her deter
mine to be thin and palo or die in the at.
tempt.
Vinegar and even slate pencils were
brought in to aid in accomplishing the
desired purpose, and Mt times the result
seemed most satisfactory. The difficulty
was the same as that which occurred with
the Dutchman's horse under gradual
decrease Of rations-whcn he got down to
straw day he died. Just so, young
ladies, whom they got down to slate pen
ellis, usually died and if all of them hid
done so it would probably have been bet
ter for the forthcoming generation.
AT the same time that this theory in
regard to diet prevailed among the girls,
their m0mmNs were exercised in regard
to allowing them any chance for fresh air
out of doors. Color in the cheeks was
"vulgar," aud care in regard to manners
and clothing demanded an exemption
from ut.door sports, and pay-girls, thus
were kept shut up with their crackers and
vinegar, raisins and confectionery and il
says much for the original stock and pow
er of resistance inherent in humanity that
| any of them survived the ordeal.
But the thin, miserable, sickly, sallow
race of women to-day tell tho story
There arc exceptions among the wealthy,
for so many have lived abload that they
| have got rid Of their absurd notions ; and
| If you go into any of the city parks on n
fine morning, you will be surprised at the
number Of sturdy, rosy children loaping,
running, racing under the very eyes Of
their 6OnHeS; or into the Academy Of Mu-
sic on an opera night and sec the large,
round, well developed figures folded in
soft, thickly- -wadded opera cloaks, their
bright eyes, rosy cheeks, and dimplcd
chins pccring out from hcccy clouds Of
white wool or lace, rs they pass from tho
carriage door to the entrance Of the box.
But these arc the cultivated rs well as
the rich people Of the city. They belong
to the travelled and we'll carcd-lor class.
They have been to England and seen
beauty there and observed how much
longer it lasted than the beauty of our
beauties here. They have studied the
forms Of the old masters OF painting and
sculpture and have finally come to recog-
nize the fact the heroic soul finds no Gx-
prosson through the puny body, and that
air, light and action are necessary to its
proper growth and development.
Among the less favored masses, how
ever, it is now really difficult fad we'll
grown, bright, healthy, clear mplexion.
cd woman. All are shrunken, sallow,
and hollow-cyed, and generally loolI-as
Mr.. Charles Kingsley expresses it-stunt-
cd and il-fed.
Undoubtedly their food does lack vari-
ETY. and nutriment, the latter element be-
ing cooked out of il, and the former kept
out in order that there may be money TO
spend on dress to n greater extent. But
the imperative need is evidently air and
action.
! Fed upon the remainder of the same
food that her mistress eats, the maid will
be round and rosy while the lady is lean
and sallow, because the maid exercises
her muscles because she sweeps and airs
and dusts herself at the same time she
airs the room throws up her arms, cx-
pands her chest in making beds. The
principal drawback TO tho success Of the
women in this country in any career they
undertake is their lacll Of physique. No
body to start with, they soon break down.
When | made up my mind to lee
ture," said one Of the few American wo-
mon who have proved n success in that
line, was n thin, weak, bony girl with
no more chest than a sparrow. With
my elocution to which devoted two en-
tire seasons, that is to say two years prac,
tically, | took course Of Indian clubs,
broiled beefsteaks and outdoor exercise.
In six weeks my chest had gained four
inches and | had increased twenty-five
pounds in weight. Nature had intended
me for large woman and after / became
SO remained SO, and have been as per-
fectly healthy as it is possible for hu-
man being to bo. l travel from north to
south to west in all sorts of weather and
through all changes Of temperature, and
never know what cold or headache or
hoarseness is. My fine health gives me
an incxhaustible flow of spirits, and |
think that is the reason why people like
me"