The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-06-22


Women Too Giddy to Make Chaperones.
"Of course | believe in chaperones,n said the
experienced wife of a prominent Senator re-
Gently. 81 have had good deal of experience
with girls, and believe in marriage, and while
L am no matchmaker, always do all | can to
make the young women in my charge think it
the most natural and happy condition of life.
Marriage nips many career in the bud, but
for all that it is the best and wisest course. l
like young girls society, and presume L shall
cultivate them as long as | am able to enjoy So
ciety myself / think that when lady of as
sured position takes an interest in any young
woman whose accomplishments or beauty are
of a superior order she should defer to the
expressed wishes of her chaperone in every rea-
sonable particular.
"Any girl whom | take up must not offend my
sense of propriety by wearing very decollete
dress in my drawing-rooms; she must not paint
her cheeks or carry herself in any way that the
term fast can justly be applied to, nor will 1
have gentlemen callers lingering until after mid
night nor good-byes said at length in the halls
or on the stairways, nor tolerate any gentleman
outsitting me in my own parlors, unless he has
expressed sentiments of regard for my charge
that amount to declaration, and that are re-
ciprocated by my protegee. L have dropped
more than one beauty in my time for going
contrary to my will in such matters as these
And if any young man on entering my drawing
rooms so far forgot what is due to me or my dig
nifty as to speak to young lady beside me be-
fore saluting me as hostess it would be his last
appearance on my list of acquaintances.
81 really enjoy chaperoning bevy of hand
some young women to a dance or a theatre party,
but you perceive, am somewhat of strict dis
ciplinarian. A young woman, however attract
i've, charming, or beautiful, cannot do much for
me, but if she is amiable and tractable can do
a great deal for hcr-possbly open doors of op-
portunity that lead into vistas of unknown hap
pness for her. | am thoroughly convinced that
the young girl in society at this day who rebels
against chaperone is one of two things-very
superficial in thought or very much lacking in
breeding.
"On my return from a trip South recently this
matter was sharply illustrated by three young
people who boarded the train at Alexandria.
They were two young men and one young
woman. The young lady and one of the men
were brother and sister, but all three were known
to me by sight, being members of what is known
here as society but am happy to say they
are not of the official circle. They sat giS-a-ViS
on two seats in front of me, and could not help
hearing their somewhat animated conversation.
| soon was informed in this manner that they
had all been visiting at the residence of a very
refined and accomplished lady whom | also
knew residing near Alexandria on fine estate.
She has daughters of her own, whom she has
brought up with great care and is still their
confidential companion and guide. This is the
way the tippant young woman in the seat in
front of me spoke of one whose hospitality she
had been enjoying for week: 'Oh, Will, won't
it be nice to get away from the watchful eyes
of that old cat She never left young folks
alone for half an hour
"'Yaas,' drawled VIII, 1T was an awful
boah.'
'''We had a musicale one evening" horseback
rides one afternoon, dance another evening,
and card party the third, and it would have
been awful jolly if she hadn't been along and
in every one of them. 1t did seem as if we might
have had buggy riding by ourselves, but she said
she didn't believe in it; she never did so when
girl. We could all go in the phaeton and the
old carryall, and she would go along. We CON
cluded we would prefer game of tennis
What is funny about it is that Fan and Sue cher
girls never want to do anything without their
mamma is in it. They are completely foreign
lied in their notions
''To say that was disgusted at such shallow
Drained and heartless conversation, after the
lovely hospitality that | know these young peo-
pie had been receiving and were thus crticizng,
hardly expresses my feelings. ! must have
looked it, too, for the girl caught my eye and
detected | had overheard her, and she turned
aside blushing.
II Inlnh, Jne lauy continued, ''lnaJ III VIII
add very greatly to the dignity and value of
young American women to adopt the European
custom of always being chaperoned. The girl
in society is differently placed from the young
woman who has to follow business for a liveli-
hood They may be equally beautiful and good
and equally ladylike, but being differently stu
ated the same rules of conduct do not apply to
both. The conventional lines of society are the
result of long experience, and baYe use that
cannot be disregarded with impunity. The
conventional is the safe way, and the girl who
expects to cut any figure in society must have
the conventional code at her tongues end. l
believe in making a good time for young
women, and | always have half dozen favor
ties within call during the season. Youth and
beauty never cease to be charming or to add to
the attractions of reception, and am always
delighted to have a room full of chatty Young
women about me. There is one thing more
about the chaperone. A very young married
woman is not good chaperone. Sometimes
she needs looking after quite as much as her
sister, and she enjoys participating
in the dance or other social pleasures too keenly
herself to be good or safe guide for one near
her own age. a knowledge of the world and
travel develop the qualities that constitute the
model chaperone." E. l.. S.
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