Morning journal and courier., 1889-09-10

tell you why they don'ta Yesa All right, will. I'll try to, at all events."
 At this point, an English lady of title joined us, so had to be trife circumspect in my reasons.
 "Now, then, we'll start with this proposi- tion. There are no women in the world more attractive than American women. You'll admit that?"
 "You're very kind"
 ''Mind yeu, say more attractive, not 30 attractive" qualified, with my eye on the Englishwoman.
 ''Ohl" in rather a crestfallen voice; "but I wish you wouldn't talk so much of women. Why can't you say ladiesa Ihate wonen."
 "Yes, believe you all do hate each other at heart"
 "You know perfectly well what mean. only mean the word"
 "It's an English word, and a good one," said I; "for my own part, detest ladies'"
 "What an admission for a gsntleman!" with toss of her head: "thank you"
 "If believed you really misunderstood the term ladies' It means nothing"
 "Nothings It does in America"
 "I don't agree with you. I know some- thing of America myself, and there, as in England, the term Iady' is applied to females who have no claim whatever to it."
 "What do you mean by ladies of title, thens"
 "That's different. There, every one knows what you mean. speak of the use of the word in general way. We have Spiers & Ponds young ladies, and Marshall & Snellgrove's, and Howell & James's, and Stagg 6 Mantle's, and dozens of other ladies iu London sdry-goods stores.' They are all young ladies in these days. Thirty years ago they were young women. No one thought of calling them anything else. As for Amer ica, constantly see in American papers: 'saleslady wanted Indeed. once saw an advertisement that a lady wants situation as cook It hasn't got to that in England yet, but it will get to it. Therefore, I say that lady, as distinctive, designating term, has no meaning. For what is meant by lady, generally use, and let us now use the word 'gentlewoman.' I really prefer 'woman,' but as you don't like 1t, we'll take gentlewoman."
 ''Haven't we got rather far away from the subject we began talking about" she asked.
 "I'm afraid it's your own fault if we have. But to return. Now, while 1t is true that there are no more attractive wo- gentle- women on earth, than Americans, it is also true that there are loads of English girls--"
 "There! That's another word I can't abide. Girls. Girls mean servants in Amer iea," said she.
 ':Well, loads of English gentlewomen who are quite as charming and desirable as wives as any in the world. If left to the free ex- hibition of their natural impulses, American men-I beg your pardon. American gentle men-would find this out. Unfortunately there is no way for American gentlemen to find it out. English gentlewomen are for bidden by the strict laws of class to show any feeling of regard for or interest in any man, and of all men foreigners, and Americans are considered foreigners in England. They are ! labelled Hands off, Keep off the grass,' and Don't handle,' from top to toe. There "Who are. American gentlemena Not much they're not"
 "I'm talking of English gentlewomen. There Is a barrier of propriety surrounding them at arms length which it would take a brave man to storm. Then, again, there arc | so many strait-laced rules concerning court ! ship, if such vulgar proceeding as ceurt- | ship be tolerated in high life, which l | doubt. Suppose a man-a gentleman ' storms the redoubt and gets inside, what | does he finds More barriers. More notices \ of Please don't touch.' Instead of having a good time with the girl he is fighting for, ' auu buiukS uo aHS Wtu, WHICH, Ao Sot6 Wl1AlA | reach of her, he Is at once brought to booE | about settlements. He is in constant con. | sultation with her father or mother, ofter | both, varied at times by occasional confer
 ences with the family solicitor. If the gir ! have brothers at home-and what Englisl | gentlewoman has noti-he sees them all tht
 time. A sight of the girl alone he neve ! gets, chance of exclusive conversation witl ! her he is never allowed. If her father o | mother isn't present when he calls, one o | her brothers is. The worst of 1t is the gir
 doesn't mind this kind of interference. Sh
 has been taught to think anything else vul | gar and low. She doesn't seem to care t
 want:to be alone with her admirer. She pro
 fers the society of her family, and likes t.
 be with her brothers. Englishmen don ! mind this sort of thing-when the girl ha | money, of course, they wouldn't be in ct \ tendance if she hadnt--but can imagine tha | Americans would not stand it five minutes ! Accustomed to see only ladies at home whel
 they make even an ordinary call as a house
 they couldn't and wouldn't put ap with tn
 society of the men of family when the
 are paying attention, aye, are actually CT
 gagged If their pluck and perseverance
 and endurance have carried them So far @
 that to young lady gentlewoman, shoul
 say"
 ooh, you've made several slips befor this"
 "Have I, We'll, it doesn't matter a grea ! deal, after all. This is the reason-these ar
 the reasons-why American gentlemen don'
 marry English gentlewomen. It is too muc ! of a siege"
 "Didn't I say as much when I said it ws . because they didn't ask them" asked th American lady.
 "Yes. But you implied that they didn ! because they didn't want to, not because the are not allowed to. I believe myself that | these stand off inclosures of English gir | in high life were demolished and the gir ! themselves"
 } "Thers you go with your girls again" Well, gentlewomen, then. If they we 3 given the liberty and the latitude and iI t | dependent swing of American girls, you "A marry them, but there would be fewer En-
 lishmen going to America for heirosses
 ! wives"
 "Just let me say one word, ]" interposed u English lady; "pve heard all you said, and agree as to the existence of the barriers,
 you call them. They do exist, and it Is rig that they should. No ogentlewoman in En t land has 6 'lover.' She wouldn't know he It | to behave with one."
 h "You are speaking of young unmarried ge ! tlewomen, assume," said I. She gave me glare, but ignored the poi r. when she replied: ,t "Yes, am. You spoke of girls, didl if you. Married women are not girls. Wh nonsense you talk. As I was saying, l English lady-and mean lady-would wa n to have lover dangling at her heels IT day talking rubbishly sentiment and pa IT ing her silly compliments, looking into h " eyes and squeezing her hand. She simI "a couldn't oit. It's not English, that sort 7. thing"
 "Your grandmothers were English, I su . poseF' said I.
 i. "Of course they were," with dignity. ,,t "They didn't mind ita'' T. "I don't know whether they did or n' .. have no desire to go back to their da! m All know is that English young ladies ~ ~ day are too sensible to want sonnets co # posed about thsir eyebrows or to ha rs serenades played under their bedroe IL windows. They'd much prefer go nl game of tennis, ride across country, a 'd sound sleep at night. And, in my op ,n fen, they make better wives in con' " quence."
 "It's pity the intending husbands do F. have some one to tell them so," said io American lady, with danger signal in ,n eye; Git would save them @ mint of mon 'A for passages to New York. The Guns
 line would have to go into bankruptcy .+ what you say became generally known" '' "I don't at all know what you inean," m piled Lady de Grand, seeking refuge bshl 'N the wall of pretended ignoranes-a VI w common safety resort in English high lift