Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-16
THE GIRLS OF ENGLAND.
Why They Do Not Become American
Brides.

Why They Do Not Become American
Brides.
While we every day hear of Englishmen
Of rank and title marrying American Kom-
en-, it is curious that we never hear of
English women of rank and title, or of
mere birth and position (which may lacka
title), marrying American men. Why is
it? There must be some reason. 1t snOt
mere chance. 1t can not be that American
men are not attractive enough to English
women. American men are chivalric to a
high degree in their homage of woman,
simply on account of her weaker sex. There
ought to be no surer pathway to a woman
heart than this, be she English or of any
other nationality. American men are. for
.the most part, handsome, and they are
clever and bright takers; and they know
all the soft and tender little speeches which
women of all nations delight in having
made to them, and in the knowledge and
use of which Englishmen Of the present
day, and of the higher classes, are SO pro-
verbally deficient. They are generally
well educated, well informed and are neat
and painstaking In their personal appear
ance. They are graceful in movement,
polished in department and they ale
beautiful dancers. No people are admitted
in England to be such good dancers as the
American men. And yet English girls do
not marry them. Why?
| happened, the other day, to ask an
American lady why it was. Her answer
was laconic and Ito herr very decisive:
Because American men do not ask
them"
But" I told, that is no answer"
And why not?" she asked; Its the
best | can give, anyhow"
ITO begin with" said l, ''how do you
know they don't ask them"
"0h, if you come to that, | don't know
anything. | wasn't aware that | was
under REORGANIZATION. ! thought you
only asked my opinion. l know this, how
ever, if | was a man | wouldn't ask them.
So. there"
But why?"
There you go again-Y? Why can't
you say why, as we do?"
1.-The %corrupting influences of long as
ISOLATION, said /; daresay, now, if |
There you go again. dessay. Why
don't you say dare say? | often won
der why English people put W and h in
their whys-the letter y would be ample.
And then
But that's not answering my question.
| thought you were above a woman's be
cause
'.And then" she went on, not needing
my remonstrance. 1.-The letter a and I are
quite unnecessary In your dare. D-e-s
spells dare in England"
I'll allow all that and go on with what
we were talking about. l asked you why
A1,o-o,, ,,a-, lo,t a-1r EroolIch
women and you gave me no answer at
ALL"
mo answer at ALL"
"Well, equivalent to none. Now, shall
| tell you why they don't? Yes? All right,
| will. I'll try to at all events"
At this point an English lady of title
joined us, so | had to be a trife circum-
spect In my reasons.
Now, then, we'll start with this propo-
sition: There are no women in the world
more attractive than American women.
You'll admit that?"
'You'r re very kind"
"Mind you, | say more attractive, not
so attractive" | qualified, with my eye on
the English woman.
''Oh!' in rather a crestfallen voice;
'but | wish you wouldn't talk so much of
women. Why can't you say ladies? | hate
women"
''Yes, l believe you all do hate each
other at heart"
You know perfectly well what I mean.
| only mean the word"
Its an English word, and a good one, >
said |; for my OWL part l detest
| ladies'"
"What an admission for a gentleman"
with a toss of her head; thank you"
IF | believed you really misunder-
stood me | would explain. But | don't.
l demand the term ladies 1t means
nothing"
Nothing? 1t does in America"
Il don't agree with you. | know some
thing of America myself, and there, as in
England, the term lady is applied to
females who have no claim whatever to
it"
"What do you mean by ladies of title,
then?
That's different. There, every one
knows what you mean. | speak of the
use of the word in a general way. We
have Spiers & Ponds young ladies, and
Marshall & Snellgrove's and Howell &
James. and Stage & Nautle's and dozens
of other ladies In London 'dry-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 America, l
constantly see in American papers: Sales
lady wanted Indeed [ once saw an adj
vertisement that "a lady wants a situation
as cook. 1t hasn't got to that In Eng
land yet, but it will get TO it. Therefore, I
say that lady, as a distinctive, designat-
ing term. has no meaning. For what is
meant by lady, / generally use, and let US
now use the word 'gentlewoman. | really
prefer woman, but as you don't like it,
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 we return. Now while it is
true that there are no more attractive wo-
gentlewomen on earth than Americans.
it is also true that there are loads of Eng
lish girls
There. That's another word I cam
abide. Girls. Girls mean servants in
America" said she.
well, loads of English g~entlewomen
who are quite as charming and desirable as
wives as any In the world. If left to the
free exhibition of their natural impulses,
American men-Ib beg your pardon, Ameri-
can gentlemen-would find this out. I'm
fortunately, there is no way for American
gentlemen to find it out. English gentle
women are forbidden 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 labeled
Hands off, Keep off the grass, and
Don't handle, from top to toe. There"