Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-09-17
Weak Girls.

"Miss NJ, please excuse me from
Latin this morning? Ny head pains
me all the time, and my eyes are so
weak I can scarcely see the pages.
Mamma says if do not soon get better
I must quit my class altogether.
I looked at the speaker, slender
girl of II. Her eyes and cheeks
were s,nken; her entire person seemed
wanting real life. Noticed her breath
ing was quick and hurried, and any ex-
element produced intense nervousness.
That evening 1 called on the girl s
mother, determined to know, if pos
sible. the cause of the trouble.
"Miss NJ" she said, "what do you
think of Sarah? She complains all
the time The doctor tells us there is
no cause for alarm, but his medicines
do her no good; and she seems to grow
more languid every day."
"There must be some cause for this,
Mrs. Ladd. Are you sure her clothes
are properly made; may it not be pos
sible she is victim to tight lacing?"
"No, am sure she is not. I never
allow her to wear her corsets very tight.
She used to have very large waist, but
I put corsets on her when eleven years
old, and her appearance improved won
derfully."
"Does she take any exercise?"
"Well, no, her constitution is not
strong enough for walking and she does
not care for driving"
"Will you kindly allow NE to see her
sleeping room; it may, in some way, lie
connected with her illness?"
Certainly, but am sure there can
be no fault there. We have servants
to attend to it daily, to see that it is
warm, and no dampness allowed to
enter" I followed Mrs. Ladd tc
Sarah's chamber.
Alas, that in this age educated per.
sons should be so ignorant! 1 almos.
thought I was being led through Sc.
cret passage into the Catacombs. The
room was perfectly dark Digit hurt Sa.
rah's eyes,. Not one ray of sunlight
could possibly penetrate into it. The
only thing to be detected in the dark.
ness was the foul air. With much diff.
Guilty Mrs. Ladd succeeded in opening
a shutter. Everything was as beautiful
as wealth could make it, It
seemed bower of beauty. But, oh
that musty smell!
"Do you never air this room?" ]
ventured to inquire.
"Only on sweeping day. Sarah takes
cold so easily"
"And doesn't she even have ventila
ton during the night to allow the car.
bon exhaled by respiration to escape
and pure air to take its place
"Oh, that would kill Sarah at once
She never could endure draught. We
are very particular to exclude fresh air.
She eats so little, too; but usually before
retiring she has an appetite"
In vain [ demonstrated with Mrs.
Ladd against the course pursued. In
vain spoke of the dark, unventilated
chamber and the evil of eating late al
night. "Ephraim was joined to his
idols. " Therefore, I was obliged to let
her alone. And hundreds of such sick.
ness-breeding bed-chambers are around
us with occupants who will not under.
stand.
Lucy was another girl in the class,
Her parents were poor. Only through,
the kindness Of relative was she en-.
abled to attend school. Her trouble was
weak back. Poor girl She was getting
quite stoop-shouldered and sat with one
ha,sd pressed to her side, breathing with
difficulty. Her shoulders and arms were
fully developed, but she possessed 9
wasp-waist. She was evidently daily
martyr to false pride. Lucy needed
tender handling, but in time patience
and perseverance finally won. BY 8
gentle hint now and then she was in.
duced to lay her corsets aside, and he1
waist began to develop. In time Luc,
may be what every girl should strive tc
become strong woman.-MagV Bag
ter, IN Philadelphia Press