The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-25
NO ESPIONAGE FOR AMERICAN GIRLS.
They Arc Not ImbeciIcs or Idiots and Can
Take Care of Thcmsclycs.

There seems nj present 10 be n great desire
among come people, writes Bessie Bramble i'm
the Pittsburgh DisDoich, TO ape this European
fashion. regarding young women as incapable
oil taking care OF themselyes-of seeming TO
think that the daughters OF wealth are so little
fitted by education aud training for knowing
how 20 behave in the society OF men that they
must be constantly watched-that girls In So
ciety could not be trusted 10 be modest and
proper unless under tow Of some dOwager or
maid or goyerness, or groom. But a fashion
which applies only in Europe TO the lew can
not be established in this country rs code OF
etiquette Tor the many. IL is something to be
thankful for and rejoice over, that American
mcn with all their faults, are not such brutes
that American women cannot be trusted 20 90
out alone in society, or on the streets, or in the
cars, or 10 church, or to business. it Is some
thing TO be glad over that our girls are 50
trained and educated 90 be independent-that
they are neither innocent lmbccileS, nor half
idiots, who could not be allowed 10 walk the
streets without guardian, or go 20 friends
house without a protector, or enter shop
without nttid.
The ATTEMPT to make American society con-
form TO and be measured by the standards of
Europe established by and for Il small caste is
a matter for ridieule and resistance rather
than for adoption. Society in this country has
no fixed limitations OF blood and family as in
Europe. Girls here, who grow up free as
mountain air, and never had or felt that they
needed guard, rise TO the highest positions,
and take rank with the best and noblest in the
world.
\ girl here who goes to her daily toll at the
bell or shrek OF whistle may become queen
as 10 wealth, and look down upon kings. \
girl here who goes alone TO the factory or TO
the shop, or To the school-house 90 do her work
without q thought or dread OF losing her social
position, is as pure, modest and divinely good
as any duchess or princess who is never al
lowed TO be out of sight OF g0verness, u chap
eron o maid or a groom. Moreover the Amer
lean Girl who knows what IL is t. take part in
the worlds battle for bread, when she by fate
or luck has reached position of wealth which
places her among the highest in the country,
loses nothing in prestige, nothing in character,
nothing i'm honor because she spent her youth
out in the world making her own way alone.
Mrs. Stowe who. when 4 girl, taught school
for living, and who was never attended by a
maid or groom, and when married did her own
work on an income of 5000 year. is fully 10 be
regarded and respected as the equal socially
of the highest-even Queen Victoria herself
who hardly drew q breath unmatched, and
who never bought thimble or a box of candy,
or jumped the rope upon the sidewalk without
q dragon of a nurse or goyerness on guard.
Louisa AlcOtt began her career by living
out" and worked as a teacher and a writer,
and will any one assign to her lower social
position than some of the dumb-headed duch-
esses of Europe, who were educated IN con-
vents and who would lose character if tifey APP
peared upon the streets without guard? Mrs.
Cleveland was brought up with the freedom of
an American girl. Will any one claim that her
social position is lower than that OF the empress
of Germany or Austria, or the queen of Italy or
Spain, who were under guard every hour Of
their lives?