The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-07-05
THE YOUNG GIRLS AGE.
Christine Terhune Herrick Writes OF One
Phase of the Girl of the Period.
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Phase OF the Girl OF the Period.
Copyright, 1901
This has been called the children's age.
With almost equal force might 1t be
termed the young girls age, for during
the past two decades she has been steadi-
ly growing in Importance. What she
shall make of herself absoxs1he atten-
ton of intelligent thinkers far more than
does the question of how to dispose OF
her brother. For her education colleges
are founded, for her self support pro-
fessions are developed-one might al
most say, invented-for her protection
as worker, Christian associations, clubs
and protective unions are organized.
Books are written to teach, to encourage,
to direct her, and there are not lacking
those who declare that her influence u
molding at least one important branch
Of literature. The effect that the "young
person" has upon fiction Is favorite
lament with certain class Of writers OF
the day who deplore that they have TO
avoid high seasoning that might cause
smart to youthful palates, and to modify
their treatment Of what they are pleased
to style the real side Of life.
An editorial writer in popular maya
zine recently referred to late novel that
had excited comment by downright deal
ing with erotic phases, and defended
such plainness Of speech by the assertion
that the average young woman, on whose
behalf parents and guardians were in
dignant with this novelist, was not only
familiar with such English classics as
Fielding Smollett and Sterne, but that
she had usually perused also transla-
tions of the Decameron and the Heptam-
eron, and had more than casual &C
quaintance with other works Of SINH
lar character.
So far as the writer Of this knows, no
one has yet taken the pains to contradict
so unwarrantable statement. Their
author doubtless believed he was justi-
fled in making such an allegation; but
his association with young girls must
have been singularly unfortunate if those
he knows have been generally addicted
to the class of literature he includes in
this category.
There are two popular beliefs current
concerning the girl of the period. One
holds her to be almost an angel in her
innocence and ignorance Of evil, Great
ure whose absolute purity is only equal
ed by the total lack of perception that
enables her to live in world like ours,
and yet never suspect that it holds sins
and moral unsavoriness.
The other class of theorists concerning
girls go to the opposite extreme and i'm
pute to them "knowingness' which
verges upon shamelessness. The injustice
Of the latter view is paralleled by the alb
surdity of the former. Unless girl has
been brought up as was the Sleeping
Beauty, in a tower, or unless she is
rank fool, she cannot escape the knowl-
edge that there is sin in the world. Yet
the cognizance Of chow sad and how
bad and how mad it is does not detract
from her innate purity. The innocence
that can be sorrowfully aware of evil
without being contaminated by it out
values that ignorance which either can
not or will not own the existence of
wickedness.
Every one who has had an extended
acquaintance with girls knows that there
are as wide variances in their characters
as in those of men. Minds clean and
minds unclean are found among both.
There are women in whose presence the
most daring would hesitate to repeat a
salaciOus tale or allusion, and others
with whom one feels that ''shady"
story, if cleverly told, would be greeted
with applause. But be it said, to the
credit of womankind at large, that the
latter are the rare exceptions-never the
rule.
II have told just one naughty story
in my life," said middle aged matron.
"That was when could not have been
more than IS years old. A party of us
girls were spending jolly evening to-
gether, and there had been numerous
harmless merry jests' exchanged. Final
ly there occurred to my mind an anec
dote had recently heard, one with a
double meaning, which, to do me JUS
tice, had not really appreciated. Ex-
cited with the talk and laughter, an
nounced that l knew AN awful story
and, after due urging, I repeated my
double entendre narrative. The moment
the words had passed my lips their true
significance burst upon me, and l would
have given worlds to recall them.
shall never forget the shocked silence
that settled down over the group, who
had innocently construed my qualifica-
ton of awful to mean simply 'droll.
To this day the blood rushes tinglingly
to my cheeks as l recall that dreadful
moment. 1t taught me a lesson l have
never forgotten"
Really "nice" girls-to use this adjec
tive in lieu of one better, but less express
sive-do not read impure books if they
know it any more than they Willingly
make coarse remarks or tell stories that
are "off color" Without closing their
eyes to the fact that sin exists, they yet
strive to preserve their mental garments
unsullied, and to do this avoid contact
with pitch in any form, whether in clever
book or amusing anecdote.
Such avoidance of sin in its least repul- |
sive form does not imply Phariseeism.