Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-09-25
CHINESE LADIES. FEET.
4 Pedal Extremity Two Inches In LenRtl
the Idol of q Chinaman.

Pedal Extremity Two Inches In Length
the Idol OF q Chinaman.
AT five years of age the rich Chinaman's
daughter has her foot so firmly bound that
IN the native phrase, the whole is killed.
The foot below the instep, explains q writer
In the New York Ledger, Is pressed into q
line with the leg, to add to the height of tho
little sufferer, while two of the toes are
bent under the sole, that its breadth may
be only Of the least dimensions The agony
OF such process it would be hard to esti-
mate; but it is said to last about six weeks,
when, suppose, the wasting of all the
parts, and the cessation of many of their
functions, have rendered the whole insensi-
BILE to pain.
ms insensibility to pain is, perhaps, con-
fined to the outer parts, for the chief per.
son belonging TO the temple on the Island OF
honam stated that his sister suffered much
anguish in the sole OF the foot, or rather, In
Its lower and more central parts.
To some inquiries as to whether this prac-
tice Of destroying the foot was not attended
with similar evils in after-life, he said no:
and as he was man of intelligence, his YER
dict may be relied upon. Among the multi
tudes who come for health and cure to the
hospitals, no one has yet been met with
WHOSE ailments could be imputed 10 this
source. This is curious fact and suoh a.
might well lead us to desire a moreintimste
acquaintance with the anatomy of this NOR
DID organ, that we might see how nature.
under the pressure of so great calamity
mas contrived to maintain the intercourse
OF the arterial and nervous system. and
keep the limb from being materially injured
by it.
The development of the muscles which
form the calf of the leg being checked. the
limb consequently tapers from its socket
down to the foot, without any risings or in.
nectlons. This IS regarded as the perfection
OF beauty by the Chinese, who say that the
knee OF the female Is not protuberant, like
the knee Of the male, and is so well covered
that she can remain kneeling a long time
without Inconvenience. 1t is perhaps less
throughout its length than when the foot ia
allowed to retain its natural size; but
whether this Is from want of exercise
which ever acts as a stimulus to muscular
de1ornlty, or from the lack of nu:riment
through functional disturbance. I can not
take upon me to say; but sus pect the for.
mer is the real cause; otherwise the mat
ter would grow from bad to worse, till the
whole was destroyed by strophy.
A foot two inches in length is the idol of h
Chinaman, on which he lavishes the most
precious epithets which nature and Ian
SuaSe can supply but Its beauties are AL
together ideal; for when stripped of its oav
investments, it is a piteous mass of Hfeiess
integument, which resembles the skin of a
washerwoman's hand after it has under
gone long maceration in soap and water.
The sight OF II is well fitted to excite our
compassion, not our commeSdation-a bean
tiful limb crushed into heap of deformitv
The thought of seeing Chinawornan,s
foot might awaken smileI but think
might de1y the most merry hearted to
fausn when the loosened bandages dis
closed the sad reality to his eyes. But fancy
has played her part so well that this piece
OF ruined nature. which is seldom seen nv
men, Is treated as the prime essential of Ali
feminine beauty.
THE foot of a Chinese woman" said Ito
q chinese acquaintance, sis very hand
some, so that it is grea: pity to spoil Il. ),
He smiled with much satisfaction at the
compliment, but would only allow that II in
terfered with the gait. ''They can NOT
walk so WELL" was the amount Of his con-
cession In my favor. He was so blessed as
not to know the real state Of this organ, and
therefore his admiration had no ALLOW
Custom rendered my eye so familiar In
the small foot that a Chinese lady yvould
scarcely seem to be complete wlthoutit: but
1t was my misfortune to see it uumasked
and therefore could not sympathize with
him. To show that there Is great privaov
about this small foot, need only mention
that the servant, when her mistress pro-
ceeded to unwind the bandages, blushei
and turned her face IN tho .yaII