The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-09

there was everything which one could do
sire at q wedding, except happy, loving
glances-the air of fellowship and UNDER
standing, OF sweet trust and tender pro-
lection, one looks for from young bride
and gallant groom. They rather seemed
indifferent and slightly bored. lt is true
that in the religious ceremony that fol-
lows the civil, there Is M least, nm eflOrb
made 10 appear happy and at ease. rc-
member seeing fair daughter OF Oifcn-
bach married in church, when both bride
and ggom showed quite satisfactory
content, IL not claiion. For n French
bride 20 wear joyous micn at the altar
would be- considered in bad FORM" while
q look of open iondncss east on a stranger
knoeling at her side would be regarded rs
quite forward and premature
Not all young French women adyanta-
gcousy married make use of their free
dom In pursuits Of idle pleasure. Those
OF literary, scientific or artistic tastes at
tend courses OF university lectures, Join
musical clubs or charitable associations,
or paint or model, or victimize their
friends by amateur photography. Ono
loses herself In domestic life. another
joins heart and soul in her husbands pur-
suits, becoming his help and inspiration.
Not all Parisian women arr frivolous, us
not all Boston women are profound. Nor
DO We Anglo-SaNons and professionals enjoy
u monopoly of home virtues and practical.
piety. ] truly believe that the great
majority of French wives are loyal. French
mothers tender, French grundmothcrs and
elderly maiden ladies deyout Further
more, this dcponcnt saith not Let
somc one else testify for Monsieur
In Italy the young gir OF society can
hardly bo said 10 be- in society at all, so
hampcred and fcttercd Is she by the most
watchful, Jealous, suspicious care and sur
veillancc. To walk alone. however quietly
and circumspcctly, on city street, Weie
an act OF startling rashness and eccen-
triclty, laying her open TO the charge Of
having been contaminated 10y English or
American ideas and customs. For her 10
walk, drive, ride, or sail with a familiar
family friend, Of Whatever age or con
dilion, but OF the dang rous sex, without
n chaperone, would be TO fatally compro-
mise herself. IL is not even con-
sidered the proper thing for her to-
attend any place of amusement under
the escort solely OF a "hig brother" as
all the world might not know hinL
for brother. Her education has ! cen
very like that OF her French sisters-per-
functory as TO history and the sciences,
thorough as 20 religious tenets, legends
lishments. She has been nurtured in tho
fear and admonition of the priest and in
doubt and profound ignorance OF all other
men. From the hour OF her betrothal tG
that of her marriage, the guard over her
morals and manners is redOubled, and
such thing as an unwitnessed tete-a-teto
between her and her afiianced husband is
not TO be thought Of This is the harder,
as the Italian maiden, being more ingenu-
Gus, romantic and susceptible than the
French demOlselle, Is often really
in love with her fance, and less
absorbed IN her trousseau, broodS
restrictions. But the young wife has few
enough safeguards about her-pOOr thingI
The liberties of action aud association per-
mitted by the lax social customs OF her
country-the laxer the higher one rises in
the social scale-she is too apt TO take adj
vantage of, though usually with such tact
and management as toNvoid gross scandal,
especially when blessed with philosoph-
iC, easy-gOing and let-going husband. OF
course l speak of the average Italian lady
of society, imperfectly educated, possessed
of wealth, perilOus attraCtiveness and more
perilous leisure. There are noble excep-
tions, even among the patricians, though
more IN the middle class-Women intel
lectual and thoroughly educated, free from
the thraldOm Of prej1dices, pure and self
respecting.
As for the beauty of Italian women
well, it seems to me that, like the climate,
it must be taken a good deal on faith;
that either the poets and painters have al
WAYS exaggerated it, or the gods have
lately gone back On it. In the north.
more comcliness is found among the coun-
try women, especially in complexion and
symmetry of form, than among the aris-
tocracy Of cities. On a first night" an
the Scala, when the nobility Is out in force,
you can count the rarely handsome women
on the fingers of one hand. while YOU
would have to use all your digits and bOr-
row your neighbor's TO reckon UP the
rarely ugly. l remember one hide
Gus cOTOneted head and brown,
skinny face one bony decollete fig
ure, pittilessly lighted up by Old
family diamonds, which altogether re-
minded me of the bejeWeled mummy of
san Carlo BorromeO, In the crypt OF the
great cathedral. / have seen some beau
tiful young women in the south OF Italy,
especially in Naples and Sorrento, princi-
pally among peasants and professional
models. and in Rome, Florence, and
Genoa some magnificent patrlcian danes,
who recalled the creations or portraitureS
of the old masters; but for fresh, young
beauty commend me still to the girls of
my own country!
We can safely pit againstthe Old World.
our national tvpes-the brightness and
bloom OF the North, the grace and delicate.
loveliness of the South.
GRACE GREENWOOD.