The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-11

13W1bW~ WASSe
IoaDoW. April sA-with the ceremony Of
" short soatins." The Easiish siri may b. said
70 entsr Into the nrst Of the thres dlstinos
staxes Of her sociai sxistenos. Secluded In the
upDsr regions Of her nurssry. che grows I'M
der the solemn supervision OF . pom pous upper
nursA. who 10 seconded In her lofty mission By
one. two. or thrss abjectiy ssrviIe maid ssr-
vanta. There she cresps and crawls In holland
pinafore. with damling Intervals 1T lace frocks.
pink shoes. and enormous sash for descent
Into the drawing room before dinner In ne
stately nurse'a arms. or IN equally magnificent
appearance 10 the park In 0aiusborough has
and plush pslisse. Save for such pAasina
take her placs. the child assoeiatss only with
ssrvants. Che Il spiendldly Eroomsd animal.
Her baths arc hygisnioaliy prepared. her head
shamp0oed. her hair wavod and cut With rlgor.
ous punctuality. her hours Of exercise strictly
timod. her meals served with unvaryins
n,onotony OF roast mutton and rice pudding.
Once year she 10 SAINT 70 paddle bare Legged
at the seaside and hnlid sand castles for %
many hours on tho beach. but always with her
nurses; 90 that from her cradle she hears no
talk save that OF servants and their even lcss
desirable acquAintanoes. II she bsl0nga 70
wealthy or aristocratio family. her childhood
- oV0uS ~ OuO VI ouOsu0S COuuuy O0oss WuOAW
she remains while hor parents 60 70 London
for the season or start ON . yachting or CONT
mental touv.
When she In nine years old. she has reached
her socond stago. and reputable governesses
rooeive her from the hands Of the majestic
head nurse. Tho llcanse Of the nursery II ex-
changed for the discipline of the school room.
and the curriculum OF education runs moro or
less amoothiy according TO the capabilities or
conscientiousnsss OF the teachers. but stln
without tho aotive personal supervision OF the
mother. Tho Rirl. now fast leaving her child
hood behind her. steps but once day over the
Jealous boundary Of the groom baixs door which
shuts out tho school room wing from any par
tioipation in the doinss Of tho house; this u
whom. under the eois Of her precsptress. she
goes into luncheon. which 10 her dinner. Alls-
goricaliy. she sits below the sait partakes only
Of such plain viands ~ arc considered nt for
he'll consumption. drinks no wine. neither talks
nor 10 talked to. does not laugh. smile. or seem
to listen. aud rstires unnoticed at sign from
the governesa before the meal loses it, tedious
Formally Breakfast and tea are consumed
In tho scholastic apartments. served BY
separate attendants. The Intercourse with the
grown.up portion Of the family IL oven less
than In the picturesque baby days. The pretty
embroidered frocks and broad ribbons arc re-
placed by dark. high serge gowns. woollen
stockings. thick boots. ungatniy waterproof
ulsters. and plain hats. The hair. no longer
loosely waving. is conflued In the ugly rigidlty
Of the pig TALL and the whole outfit tends to bring
out unpisasantly the angularlty Of the limbs.
the awkwardness Of the unconined waist. the
red hands. and loose. shambiing gait. The
shaggy Shetland pony. which the child rode
fearlessly at three. with Q long skirt fastened
over her natty walking costume. 10 hers no
longer; but shc takes the Same rides now on .
quiet cab under the escort OF goodman or
groom. unreservedly conversing with either.
and falling naturally into style Of intercourse
that has boon familiar to her from her nursery
days. Contrasting with this democratic IA
miliarity is the veneer OF q certain grim do
corum. born Of tho rigidity Of the school room
code OF good manners. short ungraoious tone
when addressed. a half-repelant standofIlsh-
ness and stolld nil ddn,irayi expression. con-
sidered as essential as regular attendance In
church: and . complete subservience to her
brothers supremacy during tho holidays.
At IA tho English girl. fed on underdone meat
and bread and butter. has the rawness Of the
one and the heavlness OF the other. She ia q
curious mixture Of shy frankness and awk-
ward independence. She Is purposeless hav-
ing few tastss and no intellectual distractions.
She II sufficiently we'll drilled to reprsss alike
hopes. desires. and impatlence: no ono knows
or cares to ascertain Of what metal she 10 made;
she accepts her lot with SEM. bovine placid.
ity. In calm expectation OF tho appointed hour
when she will finally cross the green baize door
to enter It again no more. Her mother 10 as little
acquainted with her daughter as II they lived
In separate hemispheres. and Is content with
the reports that como to her at stated intervals
from the areopagus OF the school room.
But ono day the chryaalis unfods and the
English girl comes out. This mysterious de-
velopment occurs suddenly. and with 1t is &C.
complished the third great Transformation Of
herlifc Tho motamorphOsis IL complete. She
throws of the thraldom OF obedience, break
fasts In bod. dimes late. casts away the dis
figuring garments. wears Fsnelon shoes and
mousduotairo gloves. tightens her waist In an
eiehteen-inch Norwegian belt adopts style,
makes her own friends and accepts her own
invitations. subject. however to the nominal
veto OF her parents. and provided always that
she moves In her "own set" She goes In"
for pnrsuit-lawn tennis generally. but some-
times Ritualism. cookery schools. high art, or
hero worship. She assimilates and enrlches
the vocabulary OF slang. her frankness be.
comes chafk her freedom an ASSUMPTION OF
almost masculine fastness. She rides In the
How with correct groom NO longer at the
bride rein. but dlscrcety far In the rear, and
atops at tho Park ratings to banter the "detrl-
msntals" sucking their canes In vacuous and
hopeless admiration. She recruits male
guests for her mothers At Homes and
hits Gin and out OF the company In quest
OF her own pleasure. mindless OF those
graceful Inequalities which become the daugh.
tor OF the house. She 10 not yet promoted TO
tho ceremonial dinner parties. but In virtue Of
her being out. she IL asked to all other gath.
erings. and hor name IL printed on the paren-
tai cards. Talk with her. and you will find few
traces OF that education so scrupulously carried
on In uninterrupted privacy. The foreign gov
ernesses have not given duenoy to the British
tongue; her reading is limited Or forgotten, for
she knows little OF her own literature, less OF
any other; Reybaud. sandsau. TheurIet arc
strangers to her; Alexandra Dumas and q,
nd hA hao hao -