Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-11-23
A Girl Of the Peri0d-As She Appears
in the E9rSe.Isr.

history
A Girl Of the Period-As She Appears
in the Horse-Gar.
She stands upon the curb, with q little
springy, up-and-down motion, as if she
had spiral springs in the soles Of her gai-
ters As the car approaches she sticks the
point OF her closed parasol N the direction
of the driver with small jerk. The car
stops. She gives one or two moro little
sprinGy movements before she leaves the
pavement, and thon dances to The ,lr. AS
she ascends the step the conductor seems
to consider it absolutely necessary to place
one of his hands on the small Of her back,
while he rings the bell with the other. She
enters the car with the spirals still bobbing
her up and down; and as
all the seats are full, she stands,
holding her hands in front Of her, and
gazing off into illimitable space as if the
one idea which never entered her mind,
and never could enter it, under any posi-
bic circumstances, is, that some man will
rise and offer her his seat. But young
man in the corner does rise, and immedi-
ately the fellow next to him moves quickly
into the conner, as if the performance of
that maneuver had formed the subject of
anxious thought daring many years Of his
| life. To get q corner seat, indeed, would
seem to be the chief end eff man, if we re.
mark the avidity with which human be-
| ings in street cars seek that object. When
the young man rises, the young lady
suddenly becomes conscious that there
| is something nearer to her than
| the horizon, and she gives two or three
pore little bounces, and says: "Keep
yoxr seatw The young man is ombarrass-
ed, and says he is going to get out soon;
whereupon the fair being dances toward
the seat, sinks into it, and pretends that
the fact OF the existence of any young
man who once occupied that seat, and who
is going to get out, has entirely faded out
of her consciousness. She smooths down
her dress and its supplementary frippery ,
hounces and pennants, and again looks
far beyond the confines OF the car into
Emptiness. She knows she is expected
by the other women Of the car to remain
unconscious Of their presence while
they study her clothes. They imme-
diately begin. They stare at her dress,
her sacque, her hat, her black hair, her
gloves, her bows and ribbons and her
miscellaneous millinery, until the entire
costume is photographed in their memo
ries, and the price estimated, and a critic
al opinion formed, with a resolution to
have bonnet of the sane kind, or q
s'body" cut upon the same pattern. When
; the young lady thinks this examination is
concluded. she becomes conscious again,
and begins to look around and see how all
the other women are dressed. She exam
ines each one in detail, and in few mo-
ments she is in possession of ali the usual
facts. Presently young man with whom
she is acgua inted, gets into the car, and he
stands clutching the strap and trying in
vain to keep himself il q graceful attitude
while he converses with her. All
the women begin to wonder whether
she cares particularly for him-and,
as she knows their thoughts, she is
so distant that the young man
becomes more embarrassed than ever. and
makes renewed struggles to maintain q
graceful position. When she wishes to
get out sho rises, smoothes down her fEip-
perry again, indulges in two or three
springs, and dances along to the plattorm-
The conductor again considers 1t lmpera-
lively necessary to press the small OF her
back. She dances down the steps, dances
to the pavement, and then dances along
the street, fully aware of the fact that the
women in the car have all turned around
to look at her, and serenely confident III
the assurance that she has on good cloth S,
which fit her splendidly. AS she disap
pears, the conductor turns to the man who
is smoking cigar on the platform, and
remarks that she is o s'crusher y
AMERICAN Books IN ENGLAND "A Lon.
don letter in the Boston Advertiser says
that American books are everywhere IN
England. Every book-stan at q railway
station; every circulating library at wa.
tering place; every Cne of those dear old
pook-tents at q country fair, has strong
detachment of volumes which are above
all things American. The popularity Of
American literature unquestlonably IN
creases and extends in fiction from 'The
Last Of the Mohicans" to ''Gates Ajar.
In English boarding schools, Cooper Is more
read than Scott, and LongfelloW, Throughout
the land, is nearly as much seen as thu
Bible. If provision could be made TO
keeping a constant supply at REASONABLE
price, the Atlantic Monthly and the NORTH
, American Review would meet with numer
, Gus customers. At large shop on Ludgatt
) Hill-a famous thoroughfare-the stool
consists of little else than cheap edition
, of American books in paper covers. YoI
, NAV there buy ssThe House with Sever
4 Gables" for ninepence, and ''The Spy" TO
: sixpence. The place is not kept by Ameri
cans, nor do the people appear to have an
4 special American connection. They seen
5 to rely upon the amazing fondness of tn
Q present generation for books that deal wit
3 American life, or possess the characters
4 tics Of American thought.
. THE tears of widows and orphans have n
influence over ruthless demands Of cred
tors, but the best protection for thel
| e l,--t