The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-14
them properly in life is the chief use OF the

tnem properly IN life IS the cnleI use VI eAo
heads of the family.
One day last week was allowed to visit a
young Brooklyn girl who for two years mas
been an inmate of boarding school near
Paris. did not intentionally choose a
phrase suggesting bolts and bars. but the
establishment itself, though beautifully
situated, succeeded admirably in remind
Vatican in Lies Miserables'' wore bell on
his leg as he tended the vegetables, in
order that the sisters and their charges
might be warned of his approach and
fiee before the face of man. The
park which surrounded the school building
shut it off effectually from the world. Inc
tradesmen's entrance was shielded by thick
hedges, and women were moving the grass
on the lawns beneath the windows, lest the
sight of the blue blouse OF sturdy laborer
disturb the fair recluses' peace of mind
The demoiselles were chatting under an av
enue of lime trees. it being the recreation
hour, as only French demoiselles can, but
they did not move about with tire activity of
English or American school girls-tennls
and other athletic sports meeting little en-
couragement, as tending to too vigorous
development of the figure. For the same
reason the amount of meat in the dietary was
limited, though here the regulations were
SO inconsistent that was at a loss to under
stand them. The general object seemed to
be the attainment of trim waist. and
hence potatoes and mix were absolutely
forbidden to some-as to my Brooklyn
friend, whereat she grieved-as feeding q
tendency to avoirdupois; whereas cakes and
many sorts of pastry were supplied freely,
rs we'll as fruits stewed with sugar, and
wines.
The French girls-manv of them from the
Electromagnetic three times day; rolls
and butter with coffee-black if the waist
measure were unsatisfactory-on rising;
radishes or salad with little fish or Doul-
try and a compete of fruits or merlngue
aux comtitures at II; soup with light en-
trees and dessert at $50; wine, mixed, u
unmixed with water, being the drink ex-
cept at the morning meal.
The curriculum would not greatly tax the
capacity of Vassar or Wellesley girl;
geography to the minutest details, French
history in a popular form, French lltera-
ture, very little mathematics, the text
deep-rooted distrust of the feminine intel
lect; botany in a sentimental sort of way:
music and drawing, but the former only
with any thoroughness or degree of energy.
Two periods each of three-quarters of an
hour were given daily to the cultivation of
in line the pupils were required to bow, to
give the hand, to present and to be pre-
scented, to rise from chair. to sit. to
cross the room, to enter and
to leave an apartment, to go
through the fcrmale of greeting and
farewell, to manage the arms with grace
when the hands were empty, to carry bou-
Quets, prayer books, handkerchiefs and
fans. The various ceremonies struck me as
funny; useful enough, many of
them, but absorbing a wholly dispropor-
tionate amount of time and performed with
a degree of solemnity that indicated the
attached to them. My sym
Fop <no x,;r - I
had come to-, see, who, being q
shy and rather awkward though
warm-hearted little Great
ure, was constantly making her salu-
tations with the wrong gesture, jerking off
the gloves she should languidly withdr "
and getting herself into disgrace generally.
She said that once or twice week they had
practiced in mounting the wooden model
of horse, and occasionally in putting on
and throwing aside an opera wrap or a lace
mantilla. Two or three times term also
practice parties were given in the evening,
when sham hostesses and guests entertained
one another almost as stupidity as might be
the case at a real function.
The system of seclusion, of repression
until after gaining the protection of hus-
band the French themselves are beginning
to see does not work particularly we'll. One
hears the French girl, that carefully shielded
bud of innocence, characterized as treach-
erous, deceitful, hypocritical. Probably
she does not deserve the worst of
the ISLANDERS heaped upon her, but certainly
when she is purposely kept back physi-
cally and mentally, the result may some
times be also moral stunning. The French
distrust breeds plots and counter plots,
where the American freedom is rewarded
with broad development and honesty. The
happiest French households seem to be
those of the shopkeeping class, where the
women develop their talent for business
and the daughters grow up with few re-
strictions. ELIZA PUTNAM HEAToN.
COpyrlpht.