"Oh, my! I can't, I am so delicate!"
I am always sorry to meet a young lady with weak, delicate morals; but rejoice to meet one with steady, fixed, determined morals. I am always sorry to meet a young lady with weak, delicate mind; but rejoice to meet one with clear, sharp, sturdy mind. And so I am sorry to meet a young lady with weak, delicate body; but rejoice to meet one with plump, elastic, sturdy body.
If your skin be so sensitive that you can't wear flannels, use a pair of hair gloves morning and evening; put on strong flannels, be patient, and in two weeks you will have conquered your delicacy, and be able to enjoy what, in this climate, is an immense advantage in many ways.
AMUSEMENTS FOR GIRLS.
Croquet is fashionable and useful, certainly better than nothing; but any game which can be played in a tight corset and long skirt cannot serve the muscles much; but it keeps the players out-doors, and so far is useful.
Skating is fashionable, and better than nothing; but the finest skating may be performed with arms folded; showing that the upper half of the body, which needs exercise ten-fold more than the lower half, receives little or nothing in this amusement. In addition to this, the sudden change from the furnace heat of our close houses to the piercing winds of the frozen pond, is often very damaging.
Dancing is beautiful and profitable. But the profit depends upon certain conditions, not always observed, viz., seasonable hours, healthy dress, and a pure atmosphere. Without these conditions dancing may be seriously mischievous.
Besides, it may be observed that dancing only brings into play the muscles of the legs and hips; while the arms and chest, which are dying for motion, are not even invited to join in the fun.
Walking might be spoken of as an amusement among those who walk with real gusto; but this snail pace, with the two hands crossed in front, can hardly be regarded as an amusement except to those who are amused with a funeral procession.
While walking is the best possible single exercise for reasons mentioned in another place, it is defective in the same particular mentioned in skating and dancing; viz., it brings into play principally the lower extremities, which already are well developed, and neglects the arms, shoulders and chest, which are starving for work. But I must not forget to speak very earnestly of the great value of walking when it is of a vigorous sort, and the arms are freely swung. In this way even the shoulders and chest perform a good deal of work.