61. Pretty Girls in New England
BY A GERMAN OFFICER (1777)
FRIENDS: I am at last in Kinderhook, whence I promised to write
you a chapter about pretty girls Before, however, reading my narrative
to a lady, examine
it carefully so as to see if there is any danger of its causing future
trouble between me and my dear
countrywomen. Should you decide against it, have mercy on me, and
upset the ink-stand on the entire chapter!
The ladies in this vicinity, and as far as Boston and New York, are
slender, of erect carriage, and, without being strong, are plump. They
have small and pretty feet, good hands and arms, a very white skin, and
a healthy color in the face which requires
no further embellishment. I have seen few disfigured by pock-marks,
for inoculation against smallpox has been in vogue here for many
years.
[169]
They have, also, exceedingly white teeth, pretty lips, and
sparkling, laughing eyes. In connection with these charms they have a
natural bearing, essentially unrestrained, with open, frank
countenances, and much native assurance. They are great admirers of
cleanliness, and keep themselves well shod. They frizz their hair every
day, and gather it up on the back of the head into a knot, at the same
time puffing it up in front.
They generally walk about with their heads uncovered; and
sometimes, but not often, wear some light fabric on their hair. Now and
then some country nymph has her hair flowing down behind her,
braiding it with a piece of ribbon. Should they go out (even though
they be living in a hut), they throw a silk wrap about themselves and
put on gloves. They have a charming way of wearing this wrap by
means of which they manage to show a portion of a small white elbow.
They also put on some well-made and stylish little sun-bonnets, from beneath which their roguish eyes have a most fascinating
way of meeting yours. In the English colonies the beauties have fallen
in love with red silk or woollen wraps. Dressed in this manner, a girl
will walk, run, or dance about you, and bid you a friendly good-morning or give you a saucy answer according to what you have said to
her. At all places through which we passed dozens of girls were met
with on the road, who either laughed at us mockingly, or now and then
roguishly offered us an apple, accompanied by a little courtesy.
At first we thought they were girls from the city, or at least
from the middle classes; but lo and behold I they were the daughters of
poor farmers. Notwithstanding the many pretty things I have said about
the gentler sex in this country, I must still give my loved
countrywomen[170] the credit of
possessing certain gentle, lovable, and tender qualities which lend
additional attractions to their charms, but which are entirely lacking in
the beauties to be found here.
Most perfectly formed and beautiful maids are to be seen on
all sides; but to find one endowed with all the attractions of one of the
graces is a very difficult thing. Enough of this, however. I think it high
time to bring this disquisition to a close; and I shall now do so after
stating that the fair sex were the cause of our losing some of our
comrades on the 23d of October.
One of the things which particularly strikes me in this country
is the evident mastery that the women possess over the men. In Canada
this power is used by the women to further the interests of the men; but
here it is used nearly to ruin them. The wives and daughters of these
people spend more than their incomes upon finery. The man must fish
up the last penny he has in his pocket.
The funniest part of it is, that the women do not seem to steal
it from them; neither do they obtain it by cajolery, fighting, or falling
into a faint. How they obtain it—as obtain it they do—Heaven only
knows; but that the men are heavily taxed for their extravagance is
certain.
The daughters keep up their stylish dressing because the
mothers desire it. Should the mother die, her last words are to the effect
that the daughter must
retain control of the father's money-bags. Nearly all articles necessary
for the adornment of the female sex are at present either very scarce or
dear, and for this reason they are now wearing their Sunday finery.
Should this begin to show signs of wear I am afraid that the husband
and father will be compelled to make their peace with the Crown if
they would keep their women-folks supplied with gewgaws!
[[169]]
Smallpox was very common, and many ladies
bore the terrible scars in their faces. Inoculation was a process of
deliberately taking smallpox in a light form. It was given up when
vaccination came in.
