The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-08-24
LADIES' READING.
A French opinion Of American Ladies
Abroad.

Translated from the La Vie a Paris, Sec
ond Volume of Paris Guide. by Andre
Leo.l .a.oH
! The theory which makes of woman
a queen in chains, governing by the
graces of her charms and beauty, is in
/ full bloom on the other side of the
ocean. The first day aud first pride OF
an American husband consists in Sc
curing pleasant idleness to, his wife
and providing for the expense oil, her
toilet. There are many female Office
holders in the United States, in the
schools. in the public service, in the
/ post Offices, in the telegraph bureaus.
!. and even in the Government depart
/ ments.7 They are mostly unmarried
a state very freaueutin New England,
which, rivals Old England so far as the
surplus of her female population is
concerned: they resign their positions
when they marry.SoTI shall not allow
nv wife to work. is the proud word, of
/ the husband, which atthe same time
involves the. dependence of thewi
/ But Save an emancipation party
formed under the auspices of, Mrs.
| Stanton, the American women submit
wonderfully well tosvtheir role of
spoiled children. land are quite as
worldly as our European women.
They strive to eclipse them only by
the extravaganza of their toilettes, Of
which they are passionately fond
Hence, IN notwithstanding the beautiful
freedom of seeing and becoming acla
quainted withieach, other i which the
young folks enjoy in America, we are
much afraid that pure love, disregard
mo fhn avnonca- Of "a ind Ion nj
family establishment and bridal pres
anycountry in the world. .ArSo
American customs, it is well known
grant to young ladies the most unlin2i
tied freedom Of action. Charged with
watching over their own virtues and
interests. they protect and preserve
them only the better. Aware of the
dangers of life, they are able to brave
them but we must say that this task
is easy for them, thanks to the respect
with which the lords of creation treat
them. A young lady can travel from
one end of the Union to the. other
without being insulted by shameful
propositions. A young American girl
already presents quite a different as
pect from her French sisters. Her
very costume looks somewhat more
Independent Theyoung ladies of the
United States were the first to adopt
the little masculine hats--they can
hardly be called bonnets-which are
put on the forehead, land leave visible
the ungainly waterfall They like 10
wear short skirts richly adorned with
jet ornaments, and to incase their feet
in high gaiters;l the soieeznaoii's of all
sorts flow down their shoulders. IF
they are destitute of the timid grace
fitness, the necessary uniform of our
young girls in, France, they possess, on
their part, the gracefulness of liberty.
They have firm faith in themselves.
They walk as daughters of conquer
ing race, which clears for herself
place in the sunshine And if this
disposition, as, grumblers say some
times assumes the character of AFRO
gance, we know that it is weakness
of all countries to carry their good
qualities to tooAgreat lengths.
But, in truth, those folks must look
upon Paris as the world turned upside
down. Entirely so. The American
mothers complain earnestly of the
little security and true respect which |
lantry of the French, and the in1i fer |
ence with which public opinion looks
upon such things They are right
The surest proof of dignity of a people
is the respect which it manifests for |
its own nature, and the conditions of
its life
+ While American ladies'. especially |
young ladies, do not like Paris so ex-
ceedingly well, young American gen.
tlemen do. Why this diference2 1t |
arises from motives of nationality, and |
human. nature IN general. You must
remember that In the United States. if /
male and female character and nature /
are understood there in the same man
ner As here, the conclusion drawn I
from this way of understanding them
are absolutely opposite Here, feeble
ness Is delivered to strength; there, /
the reverse. or nearly so, is the case.
In America, seduction lis disgraoeful,
and a. penal offence; In France, it is
an amiable and gloriied vice Now. i
whatever may be the relations between
the nations and their institutions, one
can not deny the force of bad examples
and occasions, nor the ferments which +
seem to- exist In human nature in the 4
state of aRfaso7-fu, always ready under
favorable conditions. to furnish, their
dismal generations, In fine art, the
opera, the balls-Paris offers these
Foung men so many pleasures and so
many beauties.
II .s8aTf IT, : AZ Il j
i Women and Marriage. I
/ have specialized a good deal on
| have, seen. young and /