The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-24
A Model American Girl.

The American girl that is being inn
mortalIzed in serial and novelette, for
future generations to admire or censure
does not represent the model of the ma
Jority- Fifty years hence the Girl of the
present period viii live in the pages Of
literature as witty. vivacious. dressy.
self-possessed, exiravagant being. whom
the undercurrent of conversation will
then lower to the descriptive terms of
pert saucy. vain. rude and waSteful
children will look with distrust upon
their grandmothers and great aunts as
the girls who once snubbed vounuar
brothers and sisters. and condemned
their mothers as being behind the times.
while they took the lead in household
customs and society affairs. Our En-
glish cousins now look upon our good
girls as fair barbarians. bold. over
dressed, presumptuOus creatures, vet
marvelously sweet and attractive. Such
individual descriptions do injustice 10
the average, for throughout our rural dis
strlets and country towns hundreds OF
girls may be pointed out who are modest
and intelligent. industrious and econonl-
leal. Many OF them are self-supporting,
and put more energy In a weeks work
than some Of their critics use in whole
year.
Let me give you pen picture of one
of my acquaintanees. She is a we'll edu-
Gated. sweet-tempered girl of nineteen
years; is very domestic, and lifts quite
burden from her mothers shoulders bv
her assistance in housework and enter
taning company. She teaches eight
months of the year i'm the public school
of their little village, and. having
learned dressmaking. EMPLOYS the va
cation in doing the family sewing. She
is bright example of sisterly devotion
and filial affection In all matters of
society she shows daughterlv defer
ence to her mothers opinions. She
teaches IN the Sabbath school. and is
an enthusiastic member of society for
literary culture. She can not play. but
considers it no disgrace; and her course
of general reading and her natural con-
yersational powers quite overshadow the
lack of this accomplishment.
This brief sketch is not overdrawn in
any particular, and might give scores
OF similar examples of self-sacrificinc
girls, who, by teaching. clerking. book
keeping. dress-making, telegraphy and
like employments, are earning enough
to take them through college. pay of
mortgages on fathers farm, or support
widowed mother; and yet. if these
girls We're suddenly To acquire wealth.
their characters would still retain the
sweet pearl of humanity and the orna-
ment ot meek and quiet spirit
There is a great deal of unjust raillerv
in regard TO the idleneSs of the girls of
the present day. Their grandmathers
and great-grandmothers are pictured as
patterns Qt industry, and of course they
DID excel our young ladies in the execu-
ton of hard, physical labor. But in |
comparing this with the vast amount of !
social demands and mental discipline /,
which our bright, ambitious girls are ex- {
pected to meet, we find that their vim !
and spirit Is equal TO that of their an
eestorS, though manifested in a differ |
ent direction; and when we contemplate |
the overwhelming burden of advice |
that Is poured upon them through the |
channel OF books and magazines. il |
seems that they ought to be models OF |
strength aud heauty. perfectly |
familiar with rules Of society etiquette. |
and well acquainted with all moderu |
feminine accomplishments. We are
glad that they are willing to accept all |
the counsel they can protitably use. and |
that they are keeping step with the |
march OF progress and improvement. |
God bless our brave. self-reliant. Chris |
tan girls. Cor IN Rura{ NetC Yorker.