The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-05
IMPROVEMENTS IN GIRLS.

degree addicted to sentiment will admit thai
the present pattern of girls could be i'm
proved. 1t is universally agreed that the
fairer sex shall be deemed and taken to be
perfect-at least during youngwomanhood.
The most earnest churchman, who repeats
| that we are all miserable sinners, has not the
| least intention of including the lady of his
alteration in that category, and the most
sombre CalvInist who holds with answering
tenacity to the doctrine of total depravity,
quietly exempts young girls from its opera
ton. So. too, we all agree to consider the
female sex as necessarily fair. In point of
fact, we know that there are individual girls
who are ugly to an aggravating extent, but
when We speak Of woman in general, or OF
the typical young girl, we invariably repre-
sent her as being morally and physically per-
feet.
1t is, therefore, bold undertaking TO at
tempt to introduce novel and impro we'd
styles of girls. The attempt, however, has
repeatedly been made. There was the cele-
brated double girl, usually known as
"Chrissy and Milly," who was exhibited in
this country some years ago. and attracted
a great deal of attention. She had one pair
of legs and two heads, both of which latter
were what the theatrical people would call
practicable heads" being able to sing, talk,
and wear bonnets. Their were, however,
obvious disadvantages in this model which
prevented it from becoming popular. 1t is
TIRE that combined soprano and contralto,
who could sing duets at half the expense
to d concert manager of separate soprano
and a separate contralto, powerfully appealed
to the artistic and economic impulses of the
average Snowman; but on the other hand,
most men in private life did not fail to no.
tice that double girl would require two
bonnets, two necklaces, two sets OF earrings,
and two complete stocks of imported back
hair This was a source of expense which
was not compensated for by any sufficient
advantages, and SO the ingenious plan of i'm
proving girls by putting them up in packages
containing two heads never met with any real
success.
Another improvement has more recently
been carried out IN that home of enterprise
and progress, Illinois. girl with four legs
is now on exhibition in an Illinosian town,
and it is reported that those who have seen
her do not hesitate to say that she is as
great an improvement upon the country girl
as the Keely motor is upon the steam engine.
With every desire to encourage American in
ventive genius, and to welcome every lnven-
ton that has for its object the improvement
of woman, it is impossible to share the ex-
ulting confidence of the four-legged young
ladys visitors. There are, of course, certain
paths in life in which girl would find an ex-
ira pair OF legs extremely useful.
A ballet dancer could do wonders with them,
and reap illimitable applause and fortune,
until they should come into general use and
thus lose their novelty. A young lady who
should undertake to become female Weston
or Bates would easily surpass the most extern
sive walks undertaken by either of those per-
sons, were she able to walk on alternate pairs
of legs. Four legs would also be found very
convenient'in the skating season, and would
afford field for the exercise of feminine fan
cy in the wearing of striped hose and orna-
mented boots, which would be priceless in the
estimation of the typical "girl of the pc
Rod"
But it must be noticed that these aavan-
tages are limited-with, perhaps, the excep-
ton of the last-to certain classes of girls,
and would be of no value whatever to the
average young woman. 1t is, therefore, very
clear that the device of adding an additional
pair of legs, however novel and ingenious it |
may be, will never be generally adopted-at
least outside of Illinois. There may possibly |
exist peculiarities in the habits of the Illi- |
noisans which will secure local popularity |
for the four-legged pattern, but elsewhere the
world will be pretty sure to decline to accept |
any improvement of that sort.
1t is more than doubtful if any extensive |
in girls will be soon adopted. |
We may concede that the present pattern is |
not absolutely perfect, but it has, neverthe-
less, borne the test of time and experience |
WELL Prudent people will prefer
10 keep the girls they have, rather than to
adopt new models of only theoretical excel |
lence. Indeed, should many more attempts |
At improving our girls be made, we expect to |
see conservative men band together and pledge |
their lives and fortunes to the task Of main
aining girls as they are. and to resist to the |
asst all efforts at improving natures best
md dearest work.-N 7. Times.