The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-03-28
FEMININE FALSE PRETENsE.

Some "dusty, musty, crusty, fus-
ty" old bachelor of New Jersey has
unearthed a law of that State which
dates back to provincial times, but
| which, as it has, never been fol NAL
ly repealed, and has fallen into what
Mr.. Cleveland would call ''inno-
cuous desuetude," might be revived
and put into force if the deluded
and indignant husband should APP
peal to the court to punish the fair
deceiver. The law, which we find
in the Newark Advertiser, reads that
call women, Of whatever age,
rank, profession or degree, wheth-
| er virgins, maids or widows, who
| shall after this act impose upon, Sc
duce or betray into matrimony any
of his Majesty's subjects by virtue of
scents, cosmetics, washes, paints, ar
tifcial teeth, false hair or high-heel
ed shoes, shall incur the penalty now
in force against witchcraft and like
misdemeanors.''i Everybody knows
how witches were dealt with in those
days, how the nineteen persons were
hanged at Salem Massachusetts,, in
1859, but the New Jersey statute
enlarges the scope of the witchcraft
law and makes tia penal offense for
"eirgins, maids and widows" to de-
Jude impressionable men into falling
in love with them. What was de-
manded of them then, and is still
required of, them by the statute in
question, is that they shall be plain
in dress, staid in department and re-
served in speech and action. But
it appears in those days-or the
statute would never been erected
as in these days of g, eater freedom
| from sumtuary restraints, feminine
heart could not resist the passion for
conquest, and actually .resorted 20
those appliances that would height
ell their beauty, or render more IT.
resistible their attractions. They
sought then as they do now, to in
crease their stature by wearing
high-heeled shoes-the heels were
rel in those days -by wearing arti~
fetal teeth-and decking out their
scanty tresses with false hair; and
thus powdered, and scented and
painted, and patched, these willy
feminine deluders went forth armed
and equipped in muslin or brocade
to "seduce or betray into matrimony
his Majesty's Subjects" One would
like to know what effect this law
against feminine false pretenses,
looked upon and punishable as
"witchcraft'' by the ancient fathers
of New Jersey, had upon the de-
| lightful deceptive articles it was in
tended to suppress, There is no re-
cord in the courts of New Jersey to
show that any of these fair deIuders
were either hanged or burned at the
| stake. One would like to know,
also, in describing the offending par
ties as virgins, maids and widows" "
what distinction the old u legislators
made between virgins and maids.
It is used to be considered that vir-
gin and maid were convertible terms,
but it would seem as if in those
days men thought differently. Ifa suit
were brought underline statute in
New jersey court now, What a COM
ic turn would be given to it when
the husband betrayed, as he
would swear, into matrimony,
what brought into court
the French call the "pieces of
conviction" and solemnly laid on
the trial table the appurtenances of
hH wife's toilet table--her patchouli.
and eologne,g her powder-box and
puff; cher cosmetics, washes, paints,
false hair, artificial teeth and highs
heeled shoes.R If any daughter of.
New Jersey still sets out to ensnare
a.man into matrimonyswith any of
these useful appliances, j" would be
well for her. to remember that there
IS this law on the statute book, and
that IthsFsecrets of her witchcraft
may De exposed and the witch her.
self punishedosd ssd noito5lI -.Yna
-oGs s..s-....1..-..a...... -. ..i..lnIuIoo 90
The character Of a. if1ation, like,
that Of an Individual, is d broadened
R4ha liberalizedby acfive;eompetition
with It's fellows, andsft mig Tft beweIl