Ashtabula Weekly Telegraph

Aunt Hetty's Toilet in 1860.
BY FRANCES D. GAGE.

Come listen, girls, and I will tell
About Aunt Hetty's toilet,
Twas one that graced her passing well.
Don't laugh, and make me spoil it :
Aunt Hetty stood just five feet ten,
Without her shoes and hose,
Well-formed and graceful, too, withal,
Blue eyes and Grecian nose.
Her hair above her reverence bump
Was always neatly tied,
And o'er a nine inch cushion drawn,
And fastened on one side ;
While fearful frizzles stood upright
Upon her temple smooth,
For glossy ringlets then were held
Both ugly and uncouth.
Long strings of pearls of milky blue
Hung careless from her neck,
O'er her vandyke cut square before,
Of muslin without speck;
Her dress of damask silk was made,
Full five ells wide or more,
Was stiffened with a whalebone hoop,
And swept the sandy floor.
The ample sleeve the elbow reached,
And fastened by a band :
And gloves with frills six inches deep,
Adorned each pretty hand.
The waist, three-quarters of a yard,
Was trimmed with ribbon o'er,
With point and bow, with tassel hung,
And buttoned up before
: High-heeled shoes, with peaked toes,
Adorned her little foot ,
With heels full out three inches high
; And made of cork to boot ;
Herkerchief, made of cambric fine,
Was always large and ample,
Without embroidery or lace…
Girls, follow her example.
Her bonnet—but weary muse
Let feeble wing must drop :
If you would see its like again,
Go view an old gig-top ;
And when Aunt Hetty went to church
In cork, crinoline, and all,
; She walked in seven league dignity--
Oh, dear, but wasn't she tall!