Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-08
TRE SOUTHERN WOMEN.
A Contrast Between the Ladies' OF the
South and Their Northern sisters.


1t is useless to bring Northern stand
ards to bear in such Judgment The
Southern girl of to-day owes her chief
characteristics to forces set in motion
200 years ago. The delicate hands owe
their dimples and baby-like softness to
generations of immunity from any per-
sonal labor. The tiny feet have small
knowledge of the uses OF feet, and falter
if urged to q walk of mile. The slender
figures are corseted and made still
more slender in fashion now happily
nearly unknown for the North, and FROM
babyhood up, delicacy, fragility, help
lessness, are taught as the proper ex-
preston Of womanhoo,i--the only ex-
sympathy Of manhood. The first duty
of every woman, from childhood on, is
to make the most of every personal at
traction. Paint and powder are brought
into requisition long before girlhood is
passed, and with the love of colors and
the passion for dress lis general, set of
girls from even the "first families of
of Virginia have slightly Bowery or
shopgirl expression, which they, how
ever, would be the last TO recognize.
The slender hands are loaded with rings
of varying values; gold chains, lockets
and every imaginable possibility of gilt
and tinsel for hair or general ornament
make the breakfast table in large
school moro suggestive OF an evening
party than quiet work, or the simplio-
ity of genuine girlhood. Each one
bears with her an immense "slat sun
hrpnnt ~ 10 ,rI,aoa Jn,Aka ~
sun can reach, and which helps to pre-
serve the waxy pallor dear to the FEM
mime Southern mind. Brilliant color
ing, or the least tendency toward en-
bonpoint, are deadly ofenses against
the unwritten but powerful code
under whose laws all women must come.
There are exceptions, o! cUurse, but my
generalization comes fr~f from the
knowledge of few here und there, bu.
from long watching of many represent
ing the best blood of the South, and
gathered into great schools, in which
the chief aim seems to be TO give as
many lOwy accomplishments as posi-
bic, and rush each one through the
Course of study quickly enough TO allow
graduation at 16 or II.
lucSb genius, cLlOtAoIM NOlueu HAVE
few or no interests beyond their own or
their neighbors' houses. What the
world is doing means to them nothing
and less than nothing. Their religion
is that of their fathers fathers. Their
mental food is in magazines like Frank
Lesiie's or Peterson's. They glory in
the encyclopedia winnowings which
make up Miss Evanss novels, and buy
them from admiration Of her learning,
and because she is daughter of the
Sunny South" And these daughters
are providing more and more furniture
for book-shelves, some 900 names being
found in adictionaryof Southern authors,
unknown save in few notable instan-
ces, beyond Mason and Dixon's line.
The life thus far given is that of the
country alone. The city holds much the
same type, modified by different condi-
tions. The Southern woman of society
is very charming, often finely accom-
plished, and always with q cordinal
grace and courtesy, even to her own sex
They pose little, it is true their love
of appreciation is a passion they
devour compliments with the undis-
guised relish of child for sugar plums,
as with their country sisters, the main
spring of al thought and life is mar
riage; marriage early, and marriage
often, if widowed at au early enough
date to still be fascinating.
in short the faults of Southern women
are precisely the faults of uncducated
and undo veloped women the world OYER
"To be coquette in every movement
and action is The study OF tbrec-quayt rs
Of the female population of the globe;;"
and if coGuette he too strong word ilr
the mass, their own adj ranks
neA, Us distinctive of al the S Southern
desires in man, woman or child. So
sweet is til, characterization one hears
of everything desirable, and the woman
who thinks of something else than her
foot or her hands, or the prettiest thing
to be said next, runs the risk of hearing:
" Yes but somehow she isn't sweet,
you know"