The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-08-26
No Espionage For American Girls.

There seems at present to be q great
desire among some people, Wr1tes
Bessie Bramble in the Pittsburg MS
patch, to ape this European fashion. re-
garding Young women as incapable OF
taking care of themselves-Ot seeming
to think that the daughters OF wealt1
are so little fitted by education ana
training for knowing how TO Denase -
the society of men that they must 70 ;s
constantly watched-that glrls ~
society could not be trusted 70 20
modest and proper unless under TOW
of some dowager, or maid, or govern
ess. or groom. But q fashion wnlcn
applies only in Europe to the few cannot
be established in this country as code
of etiquette for the many. It is some
thing to be thankful for, and rejoice
over that American men with all their
faults, are not such brutes that un-
married women cannot be trusted to
90 out alone in society, or on the streets,
or in the cars, or to church, or to bust
ness. 1t is something to be glad over
that our girls are so trained and edu-
Gated to be independent-that they are
neither innocent imbeciles, nor hall
idiots, who could not be allowed to
walk the streets without a guardian, or
go to friends house without pro-
tector, or enter shop without maid.
The attempt to make the American
society conform to and be measured
by the standards of Europe established
by and for small caste, is matter
for ridicule and resistance rather than
for adoption. Society in this country
has no fixed limitations of blood and
family as in Europe. Girls here, who
grow up free as mountain air, and
never had or felt that they needed 9
guard, rise to the highest positions and
take rank with the best and noblest IN
the world.
A girl here who goes to her daily toll
at tap of bell or shrek of whistle may
become Queen as to wealth, and look
down upon Kings. A girl here who
goes alone to the factory or to the shop
or to the schoolhouse to do her work
without thought or dread OF losing
her social position, is as pure, modest,
and divinely good as any Duchess OF
Princess who is never allowed to be
out of sight of a governess, a chaperon'
a maid, or a groom. Moreover, az
American girl who knows what it il
to take part in the worlds battle fol
bread, when she by fate or luck has
reached a position of wealth which
places her among the highest in the
country, loses nothing in prestige
nothing in character, nothing in honor
because she spent her youth out in the
world making her own way alone.
Mrs. Stowe, who, when girl, taught
school for living, and who was never
attended by amaid or groom, and wher
married did her own work on an in
come of 5000 a year,is fully to be regard
ed and respected as the equal socially
of the highest-even Queen Victoris
herself, who hardly drew a breath un
watched, and never bought thimblt
or box of candy, or jumped the rope
upon the sidewalk, without dragon
of maid or governess on guard.
| Louisa Alcott began her career by
.living out" and worked as teacher
and a writer, and will any assign
to her a lower social position thar
some of the dumbheaded Duchesses o.
Europe, who were educated in convent!
and who would lose character if they
appeared upon the streets without {
guard? Mrs. Cleveland was brought
up with the freedom of an American
girl. Will any one claim that hel
social position is lower than that O.
the Empress of Germany or Austria
OF the Queen of Italy or Spain, wht
were under guard every hour of theil
| livpS2