Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-04-02
Our Girls.
From the Chicago Inter.Ocean.

OUf 01610s
From the Chicago Inter.Ocean.
Perhaps no class of persons come in for a
larger share of criticism in these days than
our American girls. While some of it may
be just and deserving, the bulk of it is un-
just and an impertinence on the part Of
scribblers who know little of what they
write. One writer charges them as class
with being frivOlous'-'' fond of show
g. 1t is dangerous for young man to think
at his disposal Another mourns
8 for the days of simplicity of our
grandmothers" Doubtless each of these
carpers has personal reasons for his
complaint, for it is in the knowledge of
every observer that there are foolish,
frivolous American girls, just as there are
a multitude of young men whose mothers
blush for them. But, taken as a class,
every fair observer will brand the above
charges as false. Without detracting a
single honor, and in full belief of the
nobility and wOmanly virtues of our
grandmothers, we asert that the American
/ girl of to-day is her worthy successor
the heir to every wOmanly virtue. Nay,
more, she has, in addition to that inherit
tance, and under the broader civilization
and culture obtained through the open
doors of seminary and college, added
year by year unnumbered graces to the old
model. For can these virtues be classed
simply as impracticable and suited only to
hours of recreation they are of that sub
stantial character which enters into a full
fillment of the promise, ''It is not good
that man should be alone; l will make
him help meet for him. 1t is a posi-
tive misfortune that SO many young men
misunderstood the nobility and the 10y
atty of love that belongs to the American
girl, and defer matrimony "until they are
rich," until they ''can furnish her such
home," as her father through long
struggle from poverty has made fol
her. Thousands have made just such mis-
takes. Instead of marrying for love and
working for their money, they seek the
money and somebody marries them be-
cause they have obtained it. Thus large
class are thrown, so to speak, upon tht
market, for me-servers and fOrtune-seek
ers, who appreciate more the glitter o
diamonds and jewels than the fragrance o
the orange blossoms that ushers in the new
life. 1t is safe to say this condition is no
woman's choosing. Left to her candid
free choice, not one woman in fifty
heart has been won, to a man whose no
bility of character and manhood has i'm
pressed itself upon her, regardless of an!
accumulated wealth. Doubtless there arr
myriads of old bachelors in comfortable
quarters who will go on dreaming of the
home of the future, but let them beware
lest when that hoped-for day comes, they
find they are by education untitled to en-
joy it. That the young women of Americ;
) are frivolous, and refuse to share, willingly
humble homes with honorable, honest men
is an unjust accusation. The American CIR
is the peer of any woman upon the globe, O
any that has lived in the history of th'
past. BY the time-honored rules and con
ventionalities of society she modestly
awaits to be called to preside over he
future home. Many thousand young mel
in our cities and over the land would hav'
been saved from vicious lives, now under
mining all their foundation of manhood
had they earlier made their choice, ant
) taken into their counsels some honest
cultivated, warm-hearted woman. LIE
them forsake their evil ways and reform
ere it be everlastingly too late.