The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-27
Are women Growing Prettier.

The question in the headline is pro-
pounded and discussed by the Philadelphia
Times, whose editor has lived long enough
in city full of pretty women to acquire
a head of silvered locks. The paper
therefore, is probably well qualified to
express an opinion based on observation
as well as on the testimony Of history. It
concludes, however, that women are not
growing prettier. The young girls of the
period may be better looking, but their
improved looks are not lasting. The rea-
son is that they are forced to too early
development. At the age of sixteen or
Whereabouts they are rowing, driving,
riding wheels, boxing, fencing and TAX
ing other exercise well calculated, when
INDUCED in moderately, TO make them
physically finer than were the sex in other
days. And at the same time they are
studying very hard. But, unfortunately,
the development is carried on too rapidly,
and before the young women have passed
out of their twenties they begin to de-
teriorate and lose their charm. Those
who go in for intellectual development
especially, acquire wrinkles and spectacles
earlier than do their athletic sisters. The
happy medium in physical and mental
development seems for the time to have
been lost sight of.
All Of the foregoing may be correct as
to the young womanhood of the northern
cities, where life is pretty much always
at high pressure. But we do not believe
it viii hoid good at the south In this
section of the country we are not in so
much of hurry to live and get through
with it. The young women here retain
good deal of the old-fashioned notions
about the proper sphere of their sex
They are not trying to usurp mans place,
hence while they indulge moderately in
athletics, they do not attempt to develop
biceps like Corbett's, or to train up to
the speed of Zimmerman on the wheel.
Neither do they. like the maids Of Bos-
ton, endeavor to master all there is of
human knowledge before they reach the
age at which the Boston sister votes in
the school elections. The southern young
woman dances, but she does not burn
out her brain and strength trying to re-
form the politics of the world. She
spends a good deal of her time in the
kitchen. where she gains much practical
knowledge that is never acquired by the
majority of young women of the northern
cities, and which makes her lovely to the
dearest man on earth long after the
flowers have faded from her cheeks. Those
flowers do not fade so rapidly, either, as
witness the southern matrons to be seen
every day at the Atlanta exposition. Some
of those in charge of the woman's build
ing would probably be taken for their
own daughters.
In this city of Savannah no one could
walk upon the principal promenades Of
a pleasant afternoon, and after viewing
the throngs. truthfully say that the women
of the present are not as pretty as those
of any previous period, even taking into
consideration the extravagant praise Of
some of the old-tme chroniclers of beauty,
for which allowances must be made
If the women of Philadelphia are losing
their good looks, it is not so in this sec
ton of the country. Southern women con-
tinue to be most lOvable, and beautiful
to look upon.