Richland beacon., 1878-02-09
About Women.

We do not agree entirely with those writ
ters or speakers who say that women dress
and adorn themselves simply to please tine
eyes Of men. Beyond a doubt, there is a
sentiment in the heart of women-a natural
and unconquerable passion for beauty and
loneliness Of all kinds, that impels her, al>
most unconsciousiy. to adorn herself and to
seize on every means of making the mos: of
whatever personal gifts she has received.
There are women land we are glad to say
they include the greater part Of our sex; for
we believe that God intended us all to he as
lovely rs we CAM who, If they were cast
away on desert island, 10 live there alone,
would crimp their front hair, and put frIl
on the bottom of their skirts, if they had the
crimping irons and the lace.
Nor could this, in reason and justice, he
condemned or stigmafized as weakness. We
assert that it is the outward cropping of an
inward distinction between ours and the
other scx-ihe true elementary mark Of sex
hood. For the iondness aud tenderness which
women have for the loveliness tina, pleases
the eye is but branch or modification of that
love which, as a class, they cherish for all
things pure and fair TO the soul and heart.
Who will contradict us when We assert that
in the mass women are good, generous, faith.
ful. pious, and the inv'ncible enemies of crime?
Where we see one woman marked out as
criminal, and the agent Of evil, we behold
myriads and myria Is Of gentle loving spirits.
who spend their pure lives in transformations
duty and develope to the little circles Of
which they are tie suns. Yet these same
mothers. wives and daughters thes. frail
and tender beings, WI o. il they were called
on 10 enact some deed OF heroisn,, to sacrifice
their lives for those they loved, would meet
the executioners AK with the frmness of
Marie Anioinnette, and the dignity Of Marv
Stuart-are mundane enough TO feel immeas.
urable concern as to whether the new style of
dressing the hair will be becoming to them.
or the fashionable color in ribbons suitable to
their compilations! Now, where the harm Of
this comes in, is what we cannot see No
one doubts that there is q merit in beauty for
where smoolhness, symmetry and grace
awaken pleasurabIe emotions, delight and
love, the opposite qualities Of LONELINESS
coarseness and irregularty call forth repuls sion
GOODNESS aud dislike. A bird is loved for its
pretty plnmage, a flower for It's delicate color.
ing, fine sunset for its exquisite iin,s n rain
bow for its briliancy, swan for its symine.
try, music for its l)velness TO the ear And
woman was Torn with the perception Of this
intnitively impressed npon her soul She is
a kin to all OF these things. She is the sister
of the rainbow, the twin Of the flower, and
the embodiment Of harmony. Sooner might
Hiierbrand have expected the fairy uuiine
TO live aloof from the watery element for
which she was created, than the censors of
woman expect her to exist and be natural
without penchant for personal adornment
and pretty things.
Of course there is possible extremity to
this sentiment as to everything else. The
love OF firery may be carried to excess, aid
END in shameful 'exiravagance. Bot let Us
examine the list OF the men and women Of
our acquaintance. and we shall find that the
former. who are constantly talking about the
vanity and cxtravagance OF women, are far
the more exiravagam Of the two. When a
woman is fixed up" &. e. dressed). very
frequently her taste and ingenuity as needle
woman have more 10 do with it than her
purse. And il she must have new bonnet
every season, and a couple Of new dresses,
ETC.. I'VE should take into consideration how
much she has saved 10 the matrimonial firm,
by not indulging in four cigars a day At fif
teen cents apiece, and three "treats' at ten
cents glass, and an oyster lunch at twenty
five cents, d1iIy. Men do that, and then
they say they are moderate, and We are so
extravagant
In tea cases to one where women are ex.
fravaganf, who is to blame for liz Why the
very men who condemn them. For though
we have said that we do not entirely agree
wfh those who assert that women dress