Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-07-28
American Women.

The men of a 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 il comes that the existence
OF the American woman has become
almost as purely objective rs that
of the man. Her ideal of life from
her cradle has been associated with
the maximum of exeItiOn. There
is no quietude among Americans,
aud wonderfully little egotism in
their social life. If is a never. end
ing series of sensations and mental
shocks, which keeps the whole being
in nervous CULVER, and allows 10
time for any quality save that of
energy TO develop itself SYMMETRY.
cally. The American woman is as
nnquiet in her thoughts and enslav.
ell by her duties, however light, AZ
the man. Even when she visits she
has no air Of repose. Her CONVEX.
sation is not thoughtful. but actful.
She tells YOU what she does or suf.
fers, not what she thinks or feels.
There is no reverie about her, no
suggestion Of that brooding spirit
which indicates capacity for i'm.
FASHIONED affection-a capacity
which to bachelors is always ideally
seductive, however little the married
man may appreciate or return it.
Yet. generally speaking, undemon.
strative as the American girl may
be, she will wear her life out in work.
ing for the man she loves. She for.
gets all about being 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 educat.
ed to rrpress 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
demeanor, 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
AT once TO be q free. born, spotless
American woman! They never
dream that because no one is watch.
ing her she means to go astray.
The defects of the American girl
may be done away with by giving
less prominence to the purely intel
lectual or purely practical side Of
her education. For while one class
of men ia striving to solve the prob
lens of life by educating women
intellectually, there is another class
which is shouting for education in
domestic matters. While the pro.
fcssors at Harvard are rejoicing
over some girl who can take in their
philosophers or their mathematics,
the newspaper editor sings the
praises Of her who can roast a tur.
key, bake bread, or make her own
dresses. Neither gives the poor
girl any chance to exist, but only to
work. with either hand or brain
No one says To der, "lou are not
only yourself, but possibly the future
mother of other beings. DO not,
therefore allow yourself to be driv.
en- by either school of apostles be.
yond what YOU may do easily, com
fortably or pleasurably. The healthy
balance of yonr nervous SYSTEM is
far more important to yon and your
future 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 ex.
prrssly for Americans), avoid emu
lation.' Find out first what you
can do best. and, even if it does not
come up 10 somebody else's standard,
learn TO content yoursclf with that"
Atlantic Notify.