Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-11
The Age Of "Jolly GIrIs.- Fronn the Pail Mall Gazette. i


 do not set up for 8 moralist it is no business of mine to preach about frivolity and vice. My only philosophy is to think noth- ing human as alien to me When l was a young fellow, if youths and maidens met, sil- ly as might be the talk, there was lurking idea that we were still in the presence of vo- men. Girls in my time expected us to treat them on the assumption that they were wo- men, or that they soon would be. If we could not entertain them as women all the world over love to be entertained they turned to one another and amused themselves When we sat with a'sEeet young thing in the Veran- da as the band played the last notes of ''Ksth- Ieen Mavourneen" we had something, I VOW, to talk about beside cricket averages, the club cigars and the right cut of bull-dog's ears. And as we never saw cigarettes ln the lips of our partners, it never occurred to us to smoke between the dances
 I have no turn for satire; but l love to watch our social moods and to trace thsn to their causes and effects- And perhaps we may note two things at least which have led to the changes we see. suppose the work began with that wave of athleticism which of late has swept over the land, turning the heads of not few lads and importing some laughable customs; but, if its effect upon men was more or less manly and wholesome, it's effect indirectly on women was perhaps more doubtful gain When the gymDestic idol was set up and the muscular type of Vir- tue became the whole duty of man there were found English girls to suppose h the whole duty of woman Physically, it may be; it strengthened those whom it did not slsugh- ter outright But as the girl could after all only ioin in the new worship as 8 proselyte
 of the gate, she fell into the social position of | the slower school st cricket match The | jolly girl, in fact, became flag. When ath- | letics are the business of life, the tone of so- ciety is naturally set by men.
 1 Was not second cause at work In the | triumphs of the famous American beauty | This fascinating being, doubt not. on her
 own side of the Atlantic has painted the germs of new feminine epochs- There vas nothing of the play-g ground or hunt about her her important discovery was the free | dom of her sex It may be doubted if our ! ancient system on this side of the ocean IS | duly prepared for such dash, such originality, such angelic self possession The typs, how | ever brilliant, is 8 perilous one to adopt For | the American girl, who so startles us at home has her own traditions and habits- When she shook from her airy skirts the | traditions and conventions of the Old World she founded the conventions of the New. At | home she reigns still. and imposes her law on
 men, concerning herself but little about mess-rooms and gun-ciubs. Young ladies.
 you who think of adopting her adorable free | dom of manner, be sure that you also adopt her skrewd and original spirit.
 But, be the causes whatever they may, the | result is curious social inversion. The re- | lative place of men and women Is reversed in | this rapid and dazzling world. Of old, the | idea was that in things soclal the woman was
 mistress, queen and leader. Men in her pres
 ence were to study her taste and submit to
 her law. If they could not exist without
 tobacco they might go elsewhere; If they
 wanted to be killing something, to shooting party and the matches discussed in draw i ing room had nothing to do with Lords.
 One is curious to know how these young
 bloods' and subalterns regard the women who
 have got by heart this mess gossip, who have | betting books on the garrison sports, and will sit half the day to see pigeons mangled Is | such one girl we care to think of as wife,
 as the mother of the children to be, as all that woman should be and is in the worlds can imagine nothing more ruinous to woman ly nature than the ways and the talk of a
 rather precocious lad Is there not a bloom upon an English girl of the best old type that the camp and the cricket-ground will
 hardly improve? Purity, simplicity. health courage grace and goodness attended, like
 the good fairy, to bless her birth Do moth
 CTS or fathers suppose that the winners of
 cups and sweepstakes have better gifts to
 impart I can remember what a keen old
 lady said once to-a young mother who was
 mourning her lot in having no daughter
 s'Be thankful my dear. you have none. In
 these days-who knows ?-she might have
 turned out a jolly girl "