Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-22
AMERICAN WOMEN.
From the Atlantic.

FROM the Atlantic.
The men Of Il nation inevitably
make the women what they will, and
the women in return impress upon
their children what they have recciy-
ed from their own fathers Hence the
existence of the American women ha>
become almost a. purely objective as
that of the man. Her ideal of life
from her cradle has been associated
with the maximum OF exertion. There
is no quietude among Americans, and
wonderfully little cgotism in their
social life. 1t l. a ncycr-cndlng scrie-
of sensations and mental shocks, which
keep the whole being in nervous
culver, and allow no time for any
quality save that Of energy 10 develop
itself symmctricaliy. The American
woman is as unquic; in her thoughts
and duties, however light, A. the man.
Even when she visits she ha. 40 air
of repose. Her conversation i not
thoughtful, but artiul. She tells YOU
what she sees or suffers, not what she
thinks or feels There Is no rcvcrie
about her, no suggestion of that brood
ing spirit which indicates a capacity
for impassioned afIection-a capacity
which TO bachelors is always ideally
seductive, however little the married
man may appreciate or return it. Yet,
generally speaking, undemonstratiye
"a the American girl may be, she will
wear her life out in working for the
man she loves. She forgets all about
being for him in that merclless 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 re.
press emotion, because her independ-
ent movements expose her TO contact
with men of all classes, among whom
there are very many vile persons"
Her coldness of dcmeanor, therefore,
is her armor against impertinence, 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 Mt
once to be free born, spotless Ameri-
can woman! They never dream that
because no one is watching her she
means to 90 astray.
The defects of the American girl
can 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 problems of life
by educating women intellectually.
there is another class which is shout
ing for education in domestic matters.
While professors at Harvard are
rejoicing over some girl who can take
in their PHILOSOPHERS or their mathe.
mates, the newspaper editor sings the
praises of her who can roast a turkey.
bake bread or make her own dresses.
Neither gives the poor girl any chance
W oNists pue VII w NOIh, Nlln cllner
hand or brain. No one says to her.
"You are not only yourself, but posi-
bly, the future mother of other beings.
Do not therefore allow yourself to be
driven by either school or apostles be-
yond what you may do easily, COM
iortably or pleasurably. The healthy
balance of your nervous system is far
more important TO you and your fu-
ture family relations than all the
mathematics or dress-making, or even
roasting of turkeys. Occupy yourself
steadfastly, but without strain, without
hurry, and without emulation. As
the apostle said, land it must have
been meant expressly for Americans) !:
avoid emulation Find out first what
you can do best, and even if it does
not come up to somebody else's stand
ard, learn to content yourself with
that"