louse-ladders

By-the-by, you'll often have to wear black smalls and stockings; I'll put you up to something; save your buying silks, darning, stitch-dropping, louse-ladders, and all that; grease your legs and burnt-cork 'em; it looks d---- d well 'from the front.' '

The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, February 1844 Volume 23, Number 2 Various