Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-12-22
Written for WoMAN's CHRONICLE.
Six Letters to Girls.--No. |.

ny " WISE OItdtOI, H0U 10 lflJIer away your lives
in an idle existence, spending your time in pur-
suit Of selfish happiness, but you have been put
here to make others better by your having been
here, to do we'll the work God has given you to do
for you all have some life work, and to exert for
good that most effectua and far reaching influence
in the word-a woman's influence.
Your mother is today living upon higher plane
of usefulness than that upon which your grand
mother lived, and youin turn will live and act upon
a still higher plane than that upon which your
mother lives. That you may more earnestly strive
to fit yourself to successfully fill this broader
sphere of usefulness, [ write you these letters
hoping that some few of you, atleast, will be bene
fitted by what they contain. TO be fitted to help
others lead pure and useful lives, and thus to live
useful and happy lives yourselves, you must be
mentally and morally strong, and to be mentally
and morally strong you need good health.
In this first letter will speak to you of the way
in which you should dress, SO that you will possess
the priceless treasure, health and the added charm
which all girls want but few have, of graceful
forms and manners.
Did you know, girls, that not more than half of
your number can breathe?
This seems strange but it is nevertheless true.
long, deep, healthy breath is actually painful to
some of you, and what is the reason?
1t is because your lungs are so squeezed and
cramped by tight corsets that they cannot expand.
And did you know, girls, that some Of you can
hardly walk, and that your walk is anything but
graceful? This is also true, and is due to tight
corsets, hgh-heeled shoes and heavy bustles; and
more than this, girls did you know that nine
tenths of your backaches are caused by the way
you dress when you follow the fashions of this
latter half of the nineteenth century?
These things are all true, and do you think you
can do any great good in the world when you are
dressing in way that ruins your health and puts
stumbling block in the way Of your good inhu-
ence, because some other people do the same?
do not think you can Because the foolish and
wicked custom of wearing hgh-heeled narrow
shoes and tight, stiff corses is the fashion, do not
be that fashions slave.
Be woman, and help along in the dress reform
which some of the noble and grand women of our
country have started. Wear a common sense
shoe, then your body will stand erect as God in
tended it should and your heels will not be tilted
two inches higher than your toes, thus throwing
your whole body in an awkward and uncomfort-
able position. Then dear girls, do let the corset
60 and let your waist expand into it's even graceful
lines, the way 1t was created Wear in its place
one of the many comfortable health waists now
made aud you will have in place of the stiff artf-
Gals airs of those who follow the barbarous fashion
of banding their delicate bodies with bone and STEEL
supple grace of your own, with which the former
cannot compare. While away from home last sum-
mer, attended an evening party, where number
of young ladies and gentlemen were present.
Among the number there was one young lady who
wore no corset.
Some days after the party heard several ladies
discussing the different oilettes, manners etc., of
the young ladies', and every one of these ladies
pronounced the young lady who wore no corset the
most graceful girl at the party There were others
there who had smaller waists and nicer dresses but
she was most noticed aud admired because of the
elegant and easy grace which she alone possessed.
Bustles and tight sleeves are already going out