I cannot, at this
distance of time, pretend to explain. How well I remember my first ball!

"At least an ell was added to my stature by a monstrous tower of hair
which was built up on a wire and horsehair frame, and which was crowned
with flowers, feathers, and ribbons. The high heels of my white ball
slippers, which were adorned with golden ties, contributed to
counterbalance the disproportion in my little person at the other
extremity. Though my shoes fell far short of the preposterous height of
my hair, they raised my heels so far from the ground as to pitch me on
the tips of my toes. A pair of stays with whalebones close together, of
a thickness sufficient to turn a musket ball, forced back the arms and
shoulders and threw the chest forward. Down toward the hips the corset
was laced so tightly as to make one's figure resemble that of a wasp.
These stays restricted all freedom of motion. They had only one sensible
thing about them, and that was a rather stout iron which kept them from
pressing on the breast.

"And now, the hooped petticoat over which was worn a silk skirt with
flounces and all kinds of indescribable trimmings up to the knees. Over
this was worn a robe of the same material, with a long train. In front
this robe was open, sloping on each side from the waist. The sides of
the robe were ornamented with the same kind of trimming as adorned the
skirt. The neck and bosom were considerably exposed. The whole was
completed with an immense bouquet of artificial flowers. The sleeves
reached only to the elbows, and were richly trimmed with blond lace and
ribbons to the shoulders.

"This, however, was the dress of young ladies only. Our mothers were
splendid in stiff brocades and ruffles of blond or point lace. Long
sleeves were not worn at all, even for everyday dresses, summer or
winter. Hardened by habit, we did not suffer more than we do now. Our
mothers dressed much more richly than we did. They were heavily loaded
with jewels.

"The fashions were obtained from Paris, but only when they had become
rather obsolete there. Though disfigured by exaggeration, they were
eagerly sought after. One exception only was made, in our part of the
country at least: the French habit of using rouge was not adopted. The
few ladies who dared be so heterodox as to paint themselves did it with
fear and trembling and with the greatest secrecy, for they ran the risk
of being publicly reprimanded from the pulpit. Our Lutheran s