the Scarcity of Women
by Maura's player
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I've been doing some reading on the Old West in the Time-Life Series on the subject. I recommend these books as a nice overview. I came across a tidbit about dances. Since we've one coming up on Sunday I thought you might enjoy it:
"At these affairs, any female from eight to eighty could count on a full dance program. Women were in short supply in practically every frontier town, and in certain areas the disparity between the sexes was positively desperate. According to the 1860 federal census, the white population of Colorado was made up of 32,654 males and 1,577 females. To hold a dance under such circumstances, men had to assume the role of female partners, signaling the switch by tying a handkerchief around one of their arms. This somehow had the effect of making the real women look overwhelmingly lovely; and their feminine allure was further enhanced by the practice of wearing wedding dresses when they had nothing else that was suitable for a festive occasion."I watched "Sarah, Plain and Tall" today. I noticed when she got off the train the men in the train station followed her. They stared at her when she got on the wagon and hovered around her at the church picnic. She looked positively amazed. I guess being "plain and tall" had little affect on a woman's appeal in the Old West. I couldn't help but think of Vivian's hunt for a husband (perhaps Viv needs to emit some NPC's panting after her instead of leaving town on the stage coach at her lack of success!) after reading the following:
"The march to the altar sometimes resembled a stampede when marriageable females arrived. ...One woman said men proposed to "tearful widows of a fortnight and to little girls busy with mudpies".
I liked this bit on bad actresses "In a region saturated with men who were sick to death of the sound, sight and smell of themselves, women of small talent and great courage could make a living on the stage."
However, it sounds like there was tons of money to be made in doing laundry!!!!! 15 to 20 dollars a week could be earned. Some miners didn't like paying the high prices the laundresses charged and sent their shirts on packets to China for cleaning. It took several months but was cheaper!