The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-01-11
The Bellies or Early Ages.

SHlouDlculN THERE Is Tlucn lutt talk
about the wonderful extravaganza Of
the ladies' of the present day. their pur-
suit of constantly changing STYLES. and
the Injuries demanded by those who
can. or think they can. afford the cx-
pcnse. One would he led to suppose.
in the absence OF knowledge to the con-
trarv. that these were things of modern
growth. But just look Mt the 'stvle"
they used to put on in the early ages,
and their enormous extravaganza.
We are told that the ladies Of Lesbos
slept on roses whose perfume had been
artiticially heightened. And in those
days court maidens powdered their
hair with gold
Mare Antony's daughter did not
change her dress half dozen times a
day, as do the Saratoga graces, but
she made the lampreys in her fish pond
wear earrings.
The dresses Of Lolita Paulina. the RI
val Of Agripina, were valued at 2.663,-
$50. This did not include her Jewels.
She wore ut one supper Sl.56o 500
worth of jewels, and it was plain citi-
zen's supper. The luxury of Poppna.
beloved by Nero, was equal to that of
Lolita.
The women of the Roman empire in
dulged in all sorts of luxnries and ex-
cesses, and these were revived under
Napoleon /. in France. Nine. Tallien
bathed herself in wash of strawber-
ries and raspberries. and had herself
rubbed down with sponges dipped in
milk and perfumes.
Ovid says that in his day girls were
taught to smile gracefully.
The beauties of ancient times were
just as vain as modern bellies, and
spent the greater part of the day at
their toilet. The use Of cosmetics was
universal among them. Aspasia and
Cleopatra models of female beauty, II
is sail) both used an abundance oi
paint, and each wrote a treatise on COS.
metics. Cleopatra used bears grease
to keep her hair from falling out. Ro.
man ladies were SO careful of their
compilations that to protect them they
wore masks. The Athenian women oil
antiquity were very studious Of their
attitudes and actions, and thought q
sudden and hurried step certain sign
of rusticity.
We have certain STYLES of beauty
nowadays; so had the Greeks. They
went wild over the ideal chin"-neith-
er sharp nor blunt, but generally un-
dulating i'll its outline. and losing itself
| gradually and almost insensibly in the
fullness of the neck. The union of the
two eyebrows was esteemed by the Ro.
mans beauty. 1t is said they ad.
mired the air of dignity it gives to the
face.
An Albanian belle OF to-day presents
rather striking appearance. She is
as rule, gailv coiiled with seed pearls
and coins and enyeloped in black
serge pelisse. She uses paint on hel
face profusely. and her taste runs t.
| cherry lips and cheek and jet blacl,
eyebrows strongly drawn. An Alban
ian bride discards paint for while, and
if wealthy wears suit something like
this: Rose colored under-robes, Will
an over-robc of dark green velvet, the
idea being taken from a rosebud hal
folded in its leaves. Thus arrayed, tn.
girl Of handsome features is said to lool
i really beNlttHlnp.
The Tartars despise prominent nasa
appendages, and the woman who Ia.
the smallest nose is esteemed the more
charming, but to outside barbarians sh.
is q perfect fright.
The woman Of Spit, in India, wears
TUNES and trousers of WOODEN stuff, Will
large boots, partly of leather, partly 0
blanket, which comes up to the kne,
and which they are fond Of taking of
ut any time. In order to get create
warmth they often put quantity o
flour into these boots beside their legs
Their taste in regard to ornament
runs much to all sorts Of rings, inclu
ding nose-rings.
A typical woman in the interior o
Afric. is thus described: Her NAKED
negro skin was leathcry, coarse AM
wrinkled; her figure tottering ant
knock-kneed; her thin hair hung n
greasy locks: on her wrists and ankle
she had almost an arsenal of meta
links of iron, brass and copper, strong
enough to bind prisoner in his cell
About her neck was hanging chains o
iron, strips Of leather, strings Of woodel
balls, and heaven knows what lumbel
more"