Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-09
Written for The EVENING STAR.
AMELIE RIVES' CHARACTERS.
A Reply to Miss Anna l.. Dawes Arti-
Gle entitled: Contrasting Motives in
Southern and Northern NOvels.''

Miss Dawes assertions are based upon the
mistaken assumption that Amelie Rives' char
acters are actual portraitures: from such false
premises she must necessarily deduce false
conclusions. 1t would seem scarcely worth
while to answer such priori reasoning. only
that such wholesale misconception ought not
to be allowed to stand unchallenged
To the southerner it seems manifestly abb
surd to call Amelie Rives' novels or her crea-
tons peculiarly southern; or to affirm that. be-
ing tropical in their nature. they, therefore.
correctly represent southern life. Neither
southern life nor southern character is tropi-
cal: far from that, a strong sense Of duty and
of law is the governing principle of the south
ern nature. That, in ordinary matters. south
erners may be more impulsiye and unthinking
than northerners, We are willing to admit: and,
perhaps. more touchy on the point of honor;
put. as people. they are much more conserva-
i've and moderate. If they do not keep pace
with the north in progress and development,
neither do they rush from one radical extreme
to the opposite. 1t was never the south that
fostered free-love or anarchy or socialism, or
In fact, any doctrine of nihilistic tendencies
And II the negro element were non-existent,
the statistics of crime would show that the
north has far the greater proportion of deeds
OF violence. Southerners may be impulsiye
even lmpetuous; they are rarely malignant or
vindictive; indeed are almost too forgiving.
Ii all this may be asserted of the men, how
much more of the women of the south.
Amelie Rives does not truly depict southern
girls; some of the traits of her heroines NAV
pertain to southern character-though 1 have
never met their prototypes-but that might be
said with equal truth of the people of the
north or of any country. The north has set a
stronger seal OF approval upon these works
than the south, for southern women almost
UNANIMOUSLY condemn and disavow the senti-
ments they express, how great soeyer may be
the talent displayed in them.
L shall utter word against the northern
girl. and readily concede her claim to greater
classical and scientific attainments. while the
southern girl is more apt to cultivate the
graces and lighter accomplishments. Still
praise OF the latter is in nowise intended as
disparagement of the former, for it is a mistake
70 think that they are essentially unlike in
character, the differences between them are
mainly those of temperament, of manners, of
style. II girl is nice in one locality she would
have been equally nice in any other.
But repudiate with scorn the allegation that
Amehe Hives heroines are typical southern
girls. or that the latter generally passionate
or lurid, or unbridled in their impulses. go
further, and say that they scarcely ever are SO.
The typical southern girl is gentle, thoughtful.
conslderate, modest, unassuming, dignified,
respectful to her elders. courteous to every
one, home-loving, housekeeping, well versed
IN domestic lore, of simple tastes and habits
deeply religious and warmly attached to her
church and church work, of great purity and
strength of moral character; in fine, o..
"ASpirit, yet Woman, too,
Her household notions light and free,
And steps Of virgin liberty;
countenance in which did meet
sweet records, promises as sweet;
Creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily food:
FOR transient sorrows. simple wiles
Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears and smiles.
The reason firm, the temperate will
endurance, foresight. strength and skill:
perfect woman, nobly planned
To warn, 10 comfort and command.
And yet Spirit still. and bright
With something Of an angel-lighto
LILLIAN PIXR