The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-23
WOMAN-A0ME.-
AMER'caNwoMEN rs SEEN THROUGH
AN sNoLlsHMAN'S EYES.
Women's Work and Wages - Advanced
womanhood = strength of CharHcter
Mothers nni Daughters - Az 10 Enter.
tanning Inxlisl, Girls ana Matrimopy.

womanhood - strength of CharHcter
Mothers aud Daughters - A 10 Enter.
tanning EnxlisI Giris ana Matrimopy.
The most remarkable thing 10 my mind
about tho American woman Is that 1t IL
impossible 30 Le indifferent either to her
or about her, whct, ~ you consider her on
masso or individually. Sho has . poten-
cy, "A personality. that Is In itself chal-
ienge not to he ignored. This, In fact, IL
the real fundamental difference between
our transatlantic sisCors and the women
of our own land. Let us leave the indi-
vidual, who really counts for nothing on
our own Judgment of national characteris.
Tics, alono for n moment and see how tho
averages affect us. Tako the English wo-
man in the lump. not tho new womnn or
even the metropolitan woman exclusively,
but just the ordinary British type who Is
neither in the advance guard of modern
civilization nor absolutely pctrifled in tho
Old inertia. look her we'll In the face and
rec IL you have any thought about her,
any feeling sympathetic or antagonistio
toward her, or any sense of her at all.
You viii find, l think, that she does pot
stir you in any way; that 50 long as sho
remains outside the sphere of your person
AL interests sho counts for absolutely moth
Ing In your consciousness.
BuS go 10 America and try the Same
process on tho feminine material there.
AT the outset you arc confronted with an
actual stinualing force that either at
tracts or repels you The point Is that she
interests sou intensely. Yon must study
her and reckon with hor whether you like
her or not, AS TO your ultimate admira-
tion. or aversion for the American woman,
that w!itdepcrl rflinuFily on your own
tcmpcramcnt lf,yon take score of pref
udices and prepcsscssions across the At
lantiowith YOU, fcr swiftkintuitions win
not only discover but ddGde them, and
you may return with hatred in your heart,
vowing that she is neither fish, flesh, fowl
nor good red herring, and, least Of all,
woman os you would have her be.
Bot IL You a-o wise enough 10 adjust
your ideals 60 the spirit OF Our time, and
IL you have learned 90 look on woman as
human being rather than function, tho
American girl viii surely illuminate your
whole CONCEPTION of her sex and lift 1t up
TO tho plane that is perincated by her scin-
tillrnt nnd >incisivc individuality. And
when You meet her again In Europe she
Will come torouas blast Of the free up
III otA o'NNiiib ONNf 'Hc ctikudnb way
of old world life. Then you will wonder
as a man who takes deep draft Of cham
pagne after long abstinence how you ever
came TO rclinguish the wine Of life when
1t bad once touched your lips. And II you
continue in this mood tho chances are that
you will marry that American girl, which
Is oquiyalent 10 champagne every day for
dinner and perhaps a thought more trying
10 the constitution in the long run.
When all Is told, however, America Is
paradise for women, n great green throne
for her, set In q western sea. And that
nature Is fitting her hnnd for the sccptcr
and her brow for tho crown no one who
stands in n large assembly Of Americans
can doubt. Her physical superiority 10
the American man Is obvious 10 the most
casual observer. "A generation or tYo of
stoopipg over esojficc desk has whetted
his Intelligence at the expense OF his ply
siquc, while the woman has grown fair and
tall In the atmosphere of case vjll she rc.
scmbles nothing SO much as a race horse,
compact, OF fiery spirit, nervous strength
and delicate contours Her marvellous
adaptability, too, enables her to grace as
well as grnsp hcrqurondoin, and till tho
end her husband Is mover quitesure wheth-
er he admires or aduros her most, which
uncertainty brings him rs near happiness
as n man can hope 10 bc.--R. ID. In Lon
don Star.