The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-01-10
The Aging of Girls.

American society moves onward with
a great waste of energy, and in moth
ing is so spendthrift as with woman s
age. The charm of girls grace and
beauty is one of the few good things of
life, and civilization has right to de-
mand that she shall exercise that
charm as long as possible. In the West
and South, with a few exceptions, a
girls social life expires at the end of
the two seasons. This is unfair; and it
is worse than unfair-it is uneconomic.
The result is that if girl is not mar
ried under 20 she is not apt to be mar
ried at all. The American man does
not seem to take to a girl unless she is
young, and especially unless she is
new" There is feeling latent in
his mind that the longer she is in this
wicked world the worse it will be for
her and the worse for him. However,
as American society rests upon pure
ly emotional basis, it is not unnatural,
perhaps, that he should seek her out in
the spring time of her life. In New
York and in Philadelphia, though,
strange to say, not in Boston, quite a
different state of things exists. There
the debutante, instead of being from
her novelty the center of all attraction,
has rather hard time of it. She
must win her way to favor. She must
prove that she is interesting, for the
presumption is that she is crude. She
has this consolation, however, she
may be long while becoming belle,
but once popular she remains so. This
is a significant fact, and well worth at
tending to. Look into the social col
umns of a western paper and you will
find that girl drops out after two or
three years. Look through the columns
OF an eastern paper, say the New York
Home Journal for instance, and it will
be seen that for the last ten years GER
tain unmarried women have been
quoted as young girls and bellies.
The result of this is that the western
girl conceals her age, is fearful lest
she may be considered too old. The
eastern girl, on the other hand, is
quite prond of having had her two or
three seasons, and is apt to be offended
if you think her too young.
/ once travelled through California in
company with some New Workers, and
saw a good deal of the young lady of
the party. When the time came for us
to say goodbye, she asked me in the
purest spirit of hospitality to look her
up when | came to New York.
81 think we can make it pleasant for
you," she said quietly. I'm another
year, you know, shall be an old girl. y
'Nonsense, said l, with a rudeness
intended for gallantry.
.'Yes l will, too," she replied, not a
little put out. Il shall go everywhere
then"
Ombres de mes ancetres! Here was
girl who was actually looking for
ward to being old.
But how about those girls who you
say appear in the Home Journal for ten
years? some skeptic may object. By
all rights they ought to be by this time
fearfully old and ugly. Stop a moment,
my friend. Are you not little hastyP
Have you seen those regal and ethereal
creatures whom you so rashly pro-
nounce old and ugly simply because
they have arrived at the prime of wom-
anhood? You would not apply this
rule to the actress on the stage. would
you? Then why do you apply it to the
lady in the ball room?-S. F. Argonaut