The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-10-09
Our @lio.


W moriying garments, nor are they TO
be condemned as forward If they speak
beyond monosylables or enter into ra-
tional conversation with even stranger ;
but the spirit of adventure in these bold
rowing, unblushing days, has certainly
been carried to dangerous point" On
these texts writer in the number ofthe last
Saturday Rerieo diseourses most wisely,
and utters sentiments which are worthy Of
careful perusal and serious consideration.
Thirty years ago, he says, it would have
been almost impossible to mistake mod
est woman for the reverse but nowadays
women appear to be no longer persuaded
that modesty Is at once their distinctive
charm and their best protection. On the
one hand, they talk of doubtful subjects ;
on the other, they paint and dye, aud
dress in the most exaggerated Aaunting
fashion. There is no intention among any
such Of being the desert rose, wasting its
sweetness, or hiding the light of personal
charms under bushels of concealing drap-
cry. The craze for notoriety, excitement,
attention, has touched them, almost all,
and the bloom is rubbed off long before
the fruit is ripe.
Women say their lives are dull, and
therefore they are driven into questiona-
Bile paths for excitement and diversion
hence we find certain tone in present
manners, Of which we see the expression
in the greater license Of talk allowed be-
tween the sexes, in the almost universal
prevalence Of slang, in the undeniable fast
ness Of young women and girls, and in the
lounging familiarity characteristics of the
modern youthful those of them who
have kept to their duties, and made their
happiness at home, do not find their lives I'M
interesting or their hours heavy. On the
contrary, they find their portion by no
means meagre one, and they are glad to
confess that, if they do all they have to do
they have no time left for repining and
none for the prosecution Of adventures. y
We say it advisedly, as a rule-no rule of
course being without occasional exceptions
that good girl, who is careful in her
manners and modest in her dress, need not
get into trouble anywhere That indefn-
able something, which men are very rarely
backward in recognizing, makes her as
safe with stranger as with the mythic
lion; a woman who is really on guard at
every point is very unfortunate, indeed, If
she cannot travel without annoyance. If,
besides being beautiful, she is free in her
manner and audacious in her attire, should
she wonder If she runs the risk Of being
mistaken? 1t is bad sign when men
cease to respect women of their own, or,
indeed, Of any class, but the women are
themselves to blame for the intolerably
fippant and impertinent tone pervading
young society.
We do not want to 90 back to the for.
malities of Sir Charles Grandson, and
there is winning charm in naturalness
not to be had from the most perfected ar
tifciality. Nevertheless, a slight return
to Old World forms Of courtesy, a little
dash Of that stately reverence of speech
and demeanor which our forefathers exag.
gerated into pedantry, would be gain in
times when the young men give, as their
greatest praise Of girl, "there is no nom
sense about her. meaning no bashfulness,
no reserve, no girlish, shrinking modesty !;
while the girls Justify the compliment by
calling the young men 'dear boys and
sometimes, when they have less nonsense
even than usual, and desire closer assim.
iation Of style, "old men,
This ia thu form which ia ,.ncb, and
held nm for admiration in tbe ladies, nov.
els Of Tho dov and !, !. ;m,o..;hls 10 A.
apuerate the devree in which these wr;,
ines NAV have tended to eorrunt and a..
grade the ser who chiefly write and ro.a
them An these ,b;nvs arc n.,en, p,,
ant too i tho ;,e.ranoo ,h., whon 10
man. from NO faul, &c bor own f.lls int
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sol,;o. os hor ol... .na a. ,;ma p.
alIv sbe NAV h. Wholly hl.molos. h., III
an these lines oe d.m.ro.,;on Mu...s
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!, i almo., ;,ev;,.bla ~, ho.. .ha,.,s !
mistakes Un,;l wo .omo : - ~.
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