The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-06-08
AnER1cAH GIRLS As srREErsrLnrs.

The freedom enjoyed BY our young women
is perfect marvel to foreigners They are
entirely incapable of understanding how it ac-
cords with safety aud the preservation of good
morals The flirting which is carried on be-
tween strangers in omnibuses, horse-cars, and
on ferry-boats. is 50 open and patent they can.
not help seeing it. 1t may be. doubtless, in
many cases, innocent enough, only engaged in
for bit of fun, to while away the passing mo-
ment, but it presents a series of phenomena
incomprehensible to the transatlantic brain. An
English lady. in this dazed and bewildered con-
dition once said to US: ut would never do to
trust English girls with the Independence
American young women enjoy. They are
made differently, and the worst possible con-
sequences would ensue. am surprised that
your girls can behave as see them without
the loss of caste and character" The implied
compliment was not undeserved. American
girls possess an almost ine0ngruous mixture of
daring innocence and the ability to pratext
themselves; though they often commit breach
es of propriety and good taste. they know
where to draw the lime, and can, as q general
thing, be trusted. Many Of our girls here in
New York are idle and fond of excitement
in high health, with plenty of money to spend.
and utterly free from care. The lounger up
and down Fifth avenue of q sunny afternoon
may meet them in shoals and squads, decked
out in their fnery, full of chatter aud glee.
There are also specimens Of the young genus
homo who appear to have been born for the
sole purpose Of squeezing themselves into the
tghtest of tallors wares. and affording feeble
excuse for the display of coxcombry. These
creatures, many of them, promenade the ave-
nue. at. all hours of the day; u few have
achieved greatness. and are as familiar to the
dwellers of the street as the Worth monument
They have at command all the tricks and dew
ces by which a low grade of acquaintance can
be established with the demoiselles who futter
along the pavement. There is an acquaintance
of the eyes and handkerchief. Silly, feeble
minded impertinences are practised, which,
if witnessed by the paternsl relative of the
saucy rather fast young Miss. who, if she does
not invite at least permits them, would doubt
less be instrumental in drawing down the chas-
tsement OF kick on the young male idiot who
has been indulging in this silly sport This il
q very absurd and ridiculous boy and girl play.
1t belongs to the vealy period. We are not
considering now despicable class of sharks
who swarm in great cities and modest decor
Gus matrons, and are dangerous to unprotected
girls. We are dealing with the youthful i'm
proprietes which practised only. and without
any attempt at concealment, impart TO our
English cousins such shiver of the nerves. ~
1t is a pity to own 1t, but our city girls
are deplorably uncultured. The march of the
world has LETT them one side; it has got to take
them up and break them, as it were. With
the best material. the most promising, crude
qualities, they are, as yet, incapable of franz
ing or practising code of manners which
shall develop the inherent dignity, sweetness.
aud urbanity of our womanhood.- d.-RcrotatioR.