The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-12-25
American Women.

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The men Of Nation inevitably make
the women what they will, and the
women in return impress upon their
children what they have received from
their own fathers. Hence it comes that
the existence of the American woman
has become almost as purely objective
as that of the man. Her ideal of life
from her cradle has been associated
with the maximum of cXertion. There
is 10 quietude among Americans, and
wonderfully little egotism in their So
cial life. 1t is a never-ending series of
sensations and mental shocks, which
keeps the whole being in a nervous
culver, and allows no time for any
quality save that Of energy to develop
itself symmetrically. The American
woman is rs unquiet in her thoughts
and enslaved by her duties, however
light, as the man. Even when she
visits she has no air of repose. Her
conversation is not thoughtful, but
actual. She tells you what she does
or suffers, not what she thinks or feels.
There is no revcrie about her, 10 sug-
gestion of that brooding spirit which
indicates capacity for imprisoned
affection, capacity which to bache-
lors is always ideally seductive, how
ever little the married man may APP
preciate or return it. Yet. generally
speaking, undemonstrative as the
American girl may be, she will wear
her life out in working for the man
she loves. She forgets all about beng
for him in that merciless energy
which always drives her into doing
for him.
There is, again, another reason why
the American girl seems cold to the
superficial observer. 1t is because she
is free. She is educated to repress
emotion, because her independent
movements expose her to contact with
men of all classes, among whom there
are many very "vile persons" Her
GOODNESS of dcmeanor, therefore, is her
armor against inpertinencc or even
worse things. She passes, Diana-like,
through crowds OF men every day, not
one OF whom for one instant suspects
her of being other than she is, because
her manner shows her at once to be
free born, spotless American woman!
They never dream tnat because no one
is watching her she means to so
astray.
The defects of the American girl
may be done away with by giving less
prominence to the purely intellectual
or purely practical side OF her educa-
ton. For while one class of men is
striving to solve the problem of lite
by educating women intellectually,
there is another class which is shouting
for education in domestic matters.
While the professors at Harvard are re-
joicing over some girl who can take in
their PHILOSOPHERS in their mathemat-
les, the newspaper editor sings the
praises of her who can roast turkey,
bake bread, or make her own dresses.
Neither gives the poor girla chance TO
exist, but only TO work, with either
hand or brain. No one says to her,
"You are not only yourself, but pos
sibly the future mother OF other be-
ings. DO not therefore allow your
self to be driven by either schools of
apostles beyond what you may do
easily, comfortably, or pleasurably.
The healthy balance OF your nervous
system is far more important to you
and your future family relations than
all the mathematics or dress making,
OF even roasting of turkeys. Occupy
yourself steadtastly, but without
strain, without hurry, and without
emulation. AS the apostle said (and
it must have been meant expressly for
Americans), avoid emulation Find
out first what you can do best, and
even ii it does not come up to some
body else's standard, learn to content
yourself with that"