Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-03-08
The Young Ladies of Paris.

Newly arrived Americans always express
an unmngled surprise at contrasting ball
room here with the ball rooms they left be-
hind. The distinguishing feature of difference
arc the form and manners of the young un-
married ladies at home, and their retiring de-
meanor here. This difference is worth making
note Of Married ladies upon the Continent
sway and give tone to society, while in
America, it is those ladies whose youth and
extent of experience render their conversation
and manners anything but instructive and
interesting, that the task of sustaining social
intercourse is committed. True, you all
know what young lady in ballroom is at
home Let me say in few words what she
is in ballroom here.
In the first place a young unmarried lady
is expected to dress modestly and simply.
She cannot wear velvet nor lace; she cannot
dress in yellow; she cannot wear jewelry, ex-
cept perhaps, earrings, containing each dia-
mond with as little setting as possible. 1t is
only of late that she has been allowed to
have fiounces to her gowns, and to arrange
her hair with artificial flowers. She may
wear false pearls, but not real ones-she may
wear necklaces and bracelets of coral, ivory,
Venice, small agates, &C., but not of precious
stones She cannot go to ball without her
mother or an elderly lady to chaperone her !;
she cannot go alone with her father. She
stays with her mother or chaperon through
out the evening, except when she dances !;
and then does not leave her place till the
mnsc gives the signal, and returns to it the
moment the dance is over. She cannot prom
enade with her partner-a tete-a -tete is hope
less ; private interview in a corner, or be-
hind curtain, would compromise her for
ever.
This restraint is necessary for many rea-
sons A gentleman, invited by the lady of
house, is considered authorized to ask any
lady present for dance, without introduc-
ton. 1t is evident, however, that he cannot
expect to become an acquaintance, or to claim
anything farther than the honor of the dance.
Again, if the same facilities were allowed in
France for the intimacy of young women and
young men that are permitted in America, the
most disorganislng consequences would ensue.
At home, l believe that the freedom Of inter
course between the sexes leads to but little
disorder and laxity of morals. | have heard
that our young ladies go alone to the thea
tres with young men, go to walk with them,
to ride with them, Sleigh riding even and
come home no wiser than they went, or per-
haps only kiss or two the worse This
would lie utterly out of the question here.
A young lady seen walking. or riding with
gentleman in Paris, would be- at once suppo-
sed to have lost all that she had worth keep
ing, and probably the supposition would be
If insurmountable Obstacles are
thrown in the way of greater familiarity
between masters and misses, it il because they
have been found indispensable.
American families that live here as resi-
dents are of course obliged to bring up their
daughters in the French fashion. They never
leave their mothers side, and walking, driv-
ing and theatre going with them is as much |
out of the question as keeping company with |
the stars.
But families not familiar with Paris, some |
times make very strange appearance with
out knowing it. / remember to have seen
some time since, a very beautiful young lady |
walking arm-in-arm with dashing- looking
New Yorker, on the Champs Elysees! They
had been accustomed TO do So | believe, on
Fifth Avenue. l thought it my duty to go
straight to the fair offenders mother and re-
monstrate against proceeding 30 inadmissi-
Die. The young lady hates me to this day,
though she now knows enough Of French
manners to blush scarlet whenever she thinks
If the appearance she must have made, on
her first and last promenade. In an American
parlor, too, one night saw Boston girl. who
supposed herself still in Summer street, get
behind door and talk through the crack with
Baltimore boy! Two French ladies who
we're i'm the room, seriously contemplated
ushing out of the house, as they We're hard
y suIe that the place was respectable. Not
Wishing to earn the girls hatred, too, got
somebody else TO immediate himself, and to
estore the two French ladies' eomposure