New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-14
THE TRANSITIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN.
Irom 7be Ninetecnh Century.

u.
Men naturally care less Tor the home when the
wife does not first render service unto it for being
married. it has become her duty voluntarly as
suIncd but sanct oncd by the State ana sealed win
marriage vows Not long ago. q man and woman,
swinging each Others fingers were vending their
way To the altar, when dispute arose as to which
one should purchase the cooking stove. lou,"
ouoth the man. for you will do the cooking
" Not So said the woman. " | am not going to do
all the cooking" The dispute waXed hot and sepa-
Not only are pies in the home decreasing, but
affection for il Is also on the wane as the need of
indtyiduailty WITHIN il becomes more definite
Women do not care for their home as they did II
is no longer the focus of all Their endeavors nor is
the mother the involuntary UucleuS OF the adult
children DAUGHTERS must have art studios ont
side OF their home authOrcsses innst lave study
near by; and aspirants to culture must attend
classes or readings in some seml-pubic place. Pro
fcSsiOnal women have found that however dear
the home Is, they can exist without ii. Many still
remain at home but ask, III iher midnight mus
Ings Why il should be right for man TO accept
that position which the woman, on account OF Der
home mast refuse The query itself could not
have arisen halt n century since.
Tne day OF religious diaries ana confessions Is
past, hut moral and Intellectual sell conscious
ness remains, iostercd by our system OF education
and public examination, which IS much To be de-
plored. Very few are free from il, for II is an
digcnous product, and only by education can he
altered INTO the educated Consciousness of middle
life. stamped out by rare buo ancy OF health and
spirits. What woman made fort the
former question and the quick answer came: For
the glory of God and the solace Of man. Now the
uueSiiOn reads as put by the teacher ana society :
What Is she made OF he schoolgirl ri answers So
,uuch per cent the belle says: So much beauty of
heal and shoulders poised at such an angle. plus
certain inf rcOns of voice and grades OF manner 10
friends and the pVpulace; and the earnest COM
mitt+e woman" answers or executive force. III
SIGHT and sensible views Our .pnbc schools, our
s,ninal1ea or colleges. train the pupils TO meet an
audiencel No wonder that the managers OF the
Chldren's Pinafore found no tmidity IN It's IN
fnntile performers They were OF the public
schools.
With this growth OF modern internal interview
ing has loss Of grace. Stiffness AMI hard
ness CT manner was Puritan Characteristic. after
"A time softening into grace OF posture, sIowncss OF
gait But now Onc-quarter OF the feminine wO' Id
walks forth high heels. balancing ITS shoulders
like scales another quarter steps squarey on broad
solcs and 10 the world knoweth thereof and one
half rush as If making $40 time grace is wanting
in all Go from the streets to the drawing rooms :
how few move. look, or speak gracefully. The
slow dignity and the careless are alike man
nercd. Every one knows that every else is
looking Sei-consciousness, iriyoiity, and also
earncstness are banishing graceful badinage. easy
posturcs lingering tones. brilliant woman he
comes satircal, with rclspses INTO huinOT the
bnmOr cOapses into extrayagant statements.
T,midity Oh decision in woman speaker or pre-
slider recalls the fact that il is who is be-
fore one; her decision often appearing like heavy
Lorrowed article. The charm Of being, of simply
being ones self apart from having miss,on I" or
Gy,ewsr in lost IN the intensity with which women
are seizng upon the new fields OF usefulness thrown
open to them.
Every one must bs or want definite something.
Two instances may serve ~ illustrations 1he