The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-02
=xcesses of Fashiona BILE Women

In every lar-e city the tendency i to
run to excess IN everything. Hobbies
are not only well hidden they are rid
den To death. In New York at present
there are two forms Of feminine excess
which are worthy of note and remgn-
STRANGE. One i the improper gratlfica-
ton of inordinate vanity and seli-love.
as shown in the rage for private the
atricals the other i, devotion to So
called religion. which is calculated to
bring old-tashioned, wholesome chris
tiauitv into dI>repute.
The race for private theatricals has
not died out since last year. although
much has been said against II 1t has.
however. changed its form this season.
\ winter or two ago burlcsque opera
continued the energies OF the amateurs.
Patience" was the favorte, and all
good society focked To Chickering Hall
to see fashionable and stylish, but mod
est and pune daughters and wives. lying
at full length on the stage in loose at
tire. casting amorous glances, or at
least glances which they tried to make
amorous. at BlHth0rHe. These women,
as has been remarked before in the
Ho,tr. are those who think they would
be ruined if they had to 20 on the stage
for n living. These are they who storn
actres ses-but not always actors AS
immodest creatures unworthy OF recog-
milton. This season the amateurs have
resorted greatly to tableauX. The most
noteworthy exhibition under their aus
pces was given at the Madison Square
Theatre recel tlv. and the pretext was
a r. L., DnrthAlH ,n1nS-
tai fund OF course, money was the
secondary object; the first aim was 10
crafty silly and immodest love of ad-
miration. Vanity was at the bottom OF
it. The women who took part In these
living pictures were certainly all beaut-
iul. and they have the reputation OF be-
ing modest and good. If stranger
should gaze at them too steadily for an
instant as they walk the street, because
he admired their beauty, they would
bitterly resent his impertinence, and if
their husbands or brothers were with
them there might be trouble. But these
same ladies do not hesitate at all to put
on queer garments, such as especially
display their personal charms, and pose
on a Stage before n house full OF people.
4 good many Of them strangers. They
were arranged in different attitudes, so
that the audience might see them from
different points of view. In one case
the lady first faced the crowd then
profile was shown; then the curtain
was raised. and her back was presented
sqGarcly to the spectators. Her dress
was cut low, and as nearly Is an im-
partial observer could tell. the attitude
Has assumed merely to show the beau
titul flesh tint and the curves OF the
graceful shoulders. Now this lady is
said. by those who know her. to be one
of the lOveliest of her sex, and yet If it
were not her vanity or love of admira-
ton which persuaded her to allow her
self to be set up to be gaZed at in 4 pub
at 50 or So a head-what was it: In
our opinion, the gaze of 43 apiece au-
dience i not a whit purer than the gaze
of twenty-five cent audience. These
remarks apply to the other participants
in this performance. If it was not a
full view OF their back. why it was some
other view. The principle was the
same to display their charms to the
best advantage. 50 aS To best entertain
the spectators. Ne e'ther We're the char
acters personated always such as one
would suppose GOOD women would care
to assume. Was there ever much
more immodest or shameless creature
| than Cleopatra. for instance: Helen of
| Troy was not much better.