Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-29

freedom in pursuits of idle pleasure.
Those of literary. scientific, or artistic
tastes attend courses OF university lee.
lures, join musical clubs or charitable
associations. or paint or model, or vic
timizc their friends by amateur photo
graphy. One loses herself in domestic
life, another joins heart and soul IN her
husbands pursuits, becoming his help
and inspiration. Not all Partisan w0-
men are frivolous, az not all Boston wo-
men are profound. Nor do We Anglo
SAXonS and Professionals enjoy monopoly
OF home virtues and practical picty. I
truly believe that the great majority of
French wives are loyal, French mothers
tender. French grandmothers and elderly
maiden ladies devout Furthermore,
this dcponent saith not. Let some one
else testify for Monsieur.
ITALIAN GIRLS.
In Italy the young CIR, Of society can
hardly toe said 10 bc in society at all, so
hamperod and fcttcred Is she by the
most waichiul, jealous, suspicious care
aud surveillance To walk alone, how
ever quietly and circumspectly, on
city street, were ON act Of startling rash
ness and cccenuIcity, laying her open to
the charge Of having been contaminated
Ivy English or American ideas and Gus
toms. For her 10 walk. drive. ride or
sali with a familiar family friend, OF
whatever age or condition, but Of tho
dangerous sex, without chaperon,
wou.d toe 10 fatally compromise her
SELF. II is not even considered
the proper thing for her TO attend any
place of amusement under the escort
solely Of q " ing brother, as al the world
might know him for a brother Her
education has been very like that Of her
French sisters -perfuDctory as 10 his
tory and sciences, thorough as 10 reli-
gous tenets, legends, and obseryances.
and as 10 polite accomplishments. She
has been nurtured IN the fear and admO-
milton OF the priest, and in doubt and
profound ignorance Of al other men.
From the hour OF her bctrothal 10 that
Of her marriage the guard over her morals
and manners j. rodoubled. and such a
thing Bs an unwitnessed fcte-0-fctc be-
tween her and her nilianced husband is
not 10 be Thought Of This is the harder,
as the Italian maiden, being more ingenu-
Ous. romantic, and susceptible than the
French dcWois.Nt, is often really IN
love with her F0hcc, and. being less alb
s0rbod m her frOUsEcuU, bTOOds and fTets
more over such unnatural restrictions.
But the young wife has few enough safe
guards ab0ut her-poOr thing The
liberties OF action and association per
mit'cd 10y the lax social customs of her
c0uutry-the laXer the higher one rises
i'm the social scale she is too apt 10 take
ADVANTAGE Of though usually with such
tact and management as 20 avoid gross
scandal. especially when blessed with
phio-ophic, easy-gOiDg, and lct-gOing
husband. OF course ! speak of the ave
rage Italian lady Of society. imperfectly
educated. possessed of wealth, pcnlous
attractveuoss, and more perllOus leisure.
There are noble exceptions even among
the p4trciaus. though more ~ the mid
die ches-vomeD intellectual ana tho
roughly educated, free from the thral-
dom Of prIudices pure, and sclfre-
speeding.
ITALIAN BEAUTY.
As for the beauty of Italian women
well. 1t seems 10 me that like the climate
it must be taken q good deal on faith +;
that either the poets and painters have
always exaggerated it or the gods have
lately "gouc back on IT. In the north
moro comeliness is found among the
country women, especially iu complexion
and symmetry OF form, than among the
arstocracy of cities. Ona first night %
1T the Scala when the nobility is ont in
force You can count the rarely hand
some women Oh the fingers of one hand,
whlleyou would have to use all your digits
and borrow your nelghbor, 10 reckon up
thcrarclv ugly. remember one hideous,
c0r0neted head and brown, skinny face,
one bony d.o0Hc1 figure, pitilossly light
edup 10y old family diamonds, which alto
Cether reminded me of the bejewellcd
mummy Of san Carlo Borromoo In the
crypt OF the great cathedral l have
seen some beautiful Young women in
the south of Italy. especially in Naples
and Sorrento, principally among pea
SAINTS aud professional models, and IN
Rome. Florence, and Genoa some mag
nihceut patucilu DANES. who recalled the
creations OF portrotnres of the old mas
tiers but for fresh, young beauty, com
mend me- still to the girls Of my own
country
We can safely pit against the Old
World our national types the bright
ness and bloom Of the North, tie grace
md delicate loneliness of the South.
GRACE GREENWOOD.