San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-26

to hold two persons, you VIII see the ATnerl-
can seek a place from one end of the train to
the other before he will go and seat himself
by the side of young girl He will only do
so when there is no help for it. have many
times noticed men standing up in the local
trains rather than run the risk of incom-
moding young girl by sharing seat with
her. And am not speaking now of gentle
men only, but of men belonging to the middle,
if not lower, claSs-if the word class may
be used speaking of Americans
With what pleasure remember the young
American girls whom occasionally met at
Partisan parties in my youthful days. Their
pretty, bright faces, their elegance. their
unconventional charm of manner and ami
mated, natural conversation-all these en-
chanted me. One never felt awkward with
them Whereas with French young girl
could generally find nothing but absurd COM
monplaces to say, in the presence Of Jon
athans merry maidens ! lost my timidity.
and could chat away with as little emharraSs
ment as would with young brother officer
OF my regiment,
The American girl is still without rivals in
Partisan drawing rooms, where she is more
and more sought after Men seek her for her
gayety, wit or beauty mothers look favor
ably upon her for her dollars; the younger
women tear her to understanding is want
ing to her success.
And what spirit there was in their dane
ingl What animationI What eyes Lit up
with pleasure! Not a moments tagging:
they danced with as much suppleness at in
the morning as at the beginning of the even
ing. And why not, indeedl Such pleasures
are harmless and it is not because woman
has danced much in her girlhood that she
should lead her husband a dance, when she
has one.
Good scholars are as easy to discover in the
recreation ground as in the class room. The
morality of youth is in direct proportion to
the delight he takes in play; that Of girl
may be measured by her gayety and high
spirits.
| shall never forget a young American girl
who sat at the same table as myself on board
the steamer. The dear child, who was about
II, performed prodigies could scarcely be-
lieve my eyes, and watched her with never
tagging interest What appetiteI What a
little table d'hote ogress | trembled for our
supplies and wondered whether the company
had foreseen the danger.
First of all, at in the morning, tea and
bread and butter was taken to the hungry
one in her cabin At half-past s she break
tasted. At this meal, she generally went
Stroirrbt thrO,1crb l,o hill ,off TO Ar eba
had beef tea aud biscuits brought to her on
deck. Lunch time found her ready for three
| courses of solid food besides pastry, fruit,
| etc. At O'Clock, she did valiantly again,
and at 10 she was regularly served with a
Welsh rarebit, or some other tasty trife.
Notwithstanding this, | rarely met her on
deck; or in the corridors, but she was MUNICH
ing sweets, gingerbread or chocolate.
After all, there are so few distractions on
board ship! Men smoke, play poker, or in
dulge in a little betting on the run of the
ship. Some people sleep, some try to think,
but unsuccessfully; others read; some ladies
knit. The American girl eats.
The American girl likes mems society for
several reasons. First, because she isSwell
educated and able to talk on almost all topics
She can talk knickllnacks and pretty non
sense, but if she knows how to describe the
''cunningest bonnet" lately invented in Paris
she can also tell you all about Octave Feuil-
let's latest novel, or even Herbert Spencer's
latest work She likes mems society, because
it .enlarges her circle of acquaintance, ard
also because it increases her chances of max
ing a good match. No matter how much
of a butterfly she may be, she never loses
sight of the future. She does not say, as she
sits musing OF marriage: "What kind of man
shall suitT' but what kind of man shall
chooseT
The constant aspiration of these young re-
publicans is to be one day countess, marchion-
ess or duchess
The number Of European coats of arms
which have been taken out of pawn, or re-
gilt, with American dollars, is enormous
Not long ago. writer on the staff of The
Paris Figaro counted, among the guests in
one of the most select drawing rooms Of the
Faubourg Saint-Germain, thirty-seven Amer
lean ladies bearing thirty seven names of the
most authentic French nobility. To name
only those which are present at the moment
in my memory, the Princesse Murat, mother
Of the Duchesse de Mouchy, is American; the
MarqUise de Chasseloup-I .aubat is American;
the ComtesSe de Saint Roman, Ia Generate de
Charette, the Comtesse de Chevigne and the
Comtesse de Ganay are Americans. The
daughters Of the great democracy have be-
come not only French in heart h,rt nc rOvaI-