Abroad in society, I've instituted

    A course of inquiry, extensive and thorough,

    On this vital subject, and find, to my horror,

    That the fair Flora's case is by no means surprising,

    But that there exists the greatest distress

    In our female community, solely arising

    From this unsupplied destitution of dress,

    Whose unfortunate victims are filling the air

    With the pitiful wail of "Nothing to wear."

    Researches in some of the "Upper Ten" districts

    Reveal the most painful and startling statistics,

    Of which let me mention only a few:

    In one single house on the Fifth Avenue,

    Three young ladies were found, all below twenty-two,

    Who have been three whole weeks without anything new

    In the way of flounced silks, and thus left in the lurch,

    Are unable to go to ball, concert or church.

    In another large mansion near the same place

    Was found a deplorable, heartrending case

    Of entire destitution of Brussels point-lace.

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