Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-08-30


Among the many conflicting opinions
of the qualities requisite to constitute
and adorn female beauty, no standard,
ancient or modern, is perhaps more lu-
dicrous or unaccountable than that of
the Siamese, and certainly none could
have been adopted less propitious to the
fair ones of that nation.
The Siamese are race to whom nature
has been more than usually sparing in
attractions, and whose coarse, broad fea-
lures, thick lips and prominent cheek
bones require 1.-The foreign aid of orna-
ment to soften down their native harsh
ness. But as if to render them disgust
ing, as well as plain, national usage has
required for females a dress and decora-
tons which not only heighten the as
perities of nature, but effectually conceal
the few attractions which they possess.
Instead of wearing the long, glossy
nair which constitutes one of their chief
natural adornments. the head is shaven
all over, except in q circle of three or four
inches in diameter. Just where phren-
ologists place the organs of benevolence
and veneration-here the hair is cut to
the length of about three inches, and
being stiffened by the application of a
mixture of.beeswax and oil. stands per-
fectly erect, and separates itself into very
small tufts, not unlike, in form and stiff
ness. to the ouills of the porcupine
The face, neck and arms are smeared
with strong decoction of turmeric root,
put on in blotches, and thus giving the
skin the hideous and disgusting appear
ance of being daubed with blood, or
mixture of red clay and water. The
teeth are painted jet black. the lips brick
color and the finger nails bright red. In
addition to all this, let the reader pic
ture to himself finger-nails worn six or
eight inches long, and this is no exag-
geration.
Whenever poverty does not compel an
individual to support himself by manual
labor, the nails are worn thus long as
mark OF gentility. So highly are these
long nails valued by the higher classes,
that little silver caps are worn in private
to protect them from accident, but
always taken off when tine LADY, appears
in full dress. The origin Of this revolt
ing custom is, no doubt, the national
idea that work is disgrace; and the
wearing of these long nails proves beyond
live in idleness. A lady friend of the
writer has known instances where lucra-
tive situations were given up by persons
who had no other means of support,
rather than to submit to the disagreeable
expedient of cutting the nails.
The lips of Siamese women are con-
stantly protruded by the mouth, because
the latter is filled to excess with betel-
nut, tobacco, chunam, etc., and two
thirds of the body are entirely bare; thus
the reader may have some faint concep-
ton of the appearance of a Siamese
beauty.
The dress consists generally of single
strip of calico or striped cotton, tied
tightly around the waist, and looped up,
reaching not quite to the knees, with the
occasional addition of a narrow strip of
silk or Grape thrown loosely over the
shoulders.
Much jewelry is worn by all classes, in
the form of necklaces, earrings, finger
rings, bracelets, anklets, etc. These are
considered so indispensable a part of
female attire, that where gold cannot be
procured. silver. or even brass, is used as
a substitute. So great is the Importance
00CaShCO W tuCSC OIHdH6uLS, Judb
woman viii beg her daily bread rather
than sell one of the many worn by hev-.
self or children to furnish the means of
subsistence; and our lady friend, referred
to above, has personally known several
instances of beggers on the very verge of
starvation refusing to part with these
superfiuities.
The social, moral, and intellectual con-
dition of Siamese women presents pic
ture even more deplorable