Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-30
Are the Southern Girls FIirts?

This is startling question suggested
by an extract from letter of Saratoga
correspondent that we publish else whe re,
and II Is one that concerns the North as
well as the South. Ii this correspond
ent was the only one to suggest the idea,
1t might pass unnoticed, but we have read
remarks of similar tenor made by others,
and the significant point Is that they are
always made by NOrtherners. As the
South is seeking Northern emigration he
belief that Southern girls are tiirts might
trighten away many energetic young
Northerners who would otherwise settle
in our midst, aud at the same time keep
their mothers awake with that anx-
iety known only to mothers conscious
that their sons are In the midst of a race
of hirts.
Why Go these Northerners speak of
Southern girls as firts?
The inquiry can elicit but two answers
TO the diligent seekers after truth. First,
the Northern man may have been
charmed with some special girl, and too
rashiy presumed that he could capture
her, failing in which undertaking he may
in his chagrln have denounced herself
and all her Southern sisters as flirts. Sec
Ond, the light. always alert and
prattling Southern girls, whose talk is
punctuated with laughter, may, because
of their ease ia talking 70 one man or a
dozen men, have conveyed to the North
erner the impression that she was a
tlirt. But he js wrong, She is danger
Gus, butshe is no firt.
Charles Dudley Warner visited the
White Sulphur last year, apd, after n
months soJourn, went away charmed
with the social life among the Southerners
there. He gave his impression 10 the
country through Harpers Magazine, and
as result The number Of Northerners at
the While, for tne first time this year, is
larger than ever before. The contrast
between the life there and at Saratoga
seems TO have impressed them as 1t does
the Saratoga talker, who longs for "th4
rebel girls N muslin gowns" And this
social commingling OF Northern and
Southern society will do much good. The
impression left alter reading the North.
ern writer's kindly rhapsody is that he is
amazed because rebel girls, with only
"muslin gowns" can be joyous and 20
charming. THERE'S "A White Sulphur ira
dition that one Southern girl, who was a
belle, had only one white dress-whether
muslin Ornot is not stated; and that, al
though she went out of her
room but four DAYS in the
week, and for reasons that
will he obvious to the candid, discerning
mind, was not visible the remainder of the
week, yet she was always surrounded Ivy
admirers, and enjoyed herself as III
Southern girl knows how. Flirting is not
a characteristic OF the Southern girls.
Some OF them may flrt, but no one will
confess that she ever did such a thing.
The fact is there are some women In all
races and nations that will firt. Arctic
explorers have found them among the
EsuuimauX. Frank Gushing was wor-
rled by them when he lived with the Zunl
Indians. Some OF the African queens at.
tempted TO ensnarel Livingstone and Stun
ley, and certain American antiquartans
have gravely asserted that our own ct
timable Pocahontas coquetted with no
less prom nent and useful citizen
than Capt. john smith, now many years
dead. ~--.------..
Tais is painful subject to the average
man. The less he has do with it the
better. 10 - something that OF his own
knowledge be knows nothing. and what
comes tolbifn Is mere hearsay or what he
may have acquired by a brief experience
with some Northern, Southern, Eastern
or Western girl, for each section has its
representative Of this kind.
After this cursory review of the situa.
ton we are warranted in promising that
the Northern man NAV 20 among the
Southern girls at the White Sulphur and
the Southern men NAV 70 among the
Northern girls at the White sulphur and
learn the useful fact that the girls from
both sections know how 20 iirt, but do
not use their knowledge. But II the man be
experimentally Inclined and anybody is
hurt, IL will be the man VINO will return
70 Saratoga after brief parley with
bebol girl. or the man who Will return TO
Richmond alter a brief marley with tina