Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03

M w laws Of conduct were
few Mice girls
could do things which would make
woman reared In a more conventional at
mosphere shudder to hear.
The conventional woman did not con-
slider that the liberty accorded to the west
ern girl was matched by the respect ex-
acted Of the western man. 1t certainly
appears an audacious breach not only OF
conventions. but of common propriety, for
a girl of nineteen to drive away with
boy of twenty-five, take supper in a pubic
restaurant and come home by moonlight.
Yet the boy would no more dream of think
ing lightly of the girl than the girl dreams
that she Is exposing herself to criticism.
We disapprove, most of us who have
lived much in the world, Of such actions,
but, nevertheless, there is kind of In
nocence about it that is touching. These
daring girls become the best Of wives,
the most devoted of mothers. and outside
of their homes carry their energy and
gayhearted courage into all manner of char
ity and good works. Perhaps the bold
young man who marries them should be
punished for not having married a more
demure and modest creature; as a matter
of fact, he isn't He goes about. blissfully
ignorant that his wife has brushed the
evanescent first bloom of modesty: that,
like the down of a peach-you will all re-
member the rest. He thinks that she Is as
sweet and innocent as girl can be. And
so, very often, she is although she has
not had a chaperone in her life, and has
read any novel that she cared to read, and
calls her masculine acquaintance by their
Christian names.
But in her heart she may not have half
the cynical wisdom of an eastern society
girl who has been most carefully trained.
In GirIish Simplicity.
She has . simple belief in the decency OF
men. She knows, 1t is true, that young
Eddy, who has such beautiful eyes and
sings so delightfully."-, sometimes drinks more
than is good for him; but she knows no
more. Why her father should look so black
when Ralph calls she cannot imagine. To
her Ralph seems q wit and a lovely fellow.
Nobody else sends her such flowers or can
Fay little attentions with such a bewitching,
half tender. all worshiping air. And Ralph
is good business man, too; so what has got
into papa to make him so horrid? One day,
perhaps tfor the child Is not the least bit in
love with Ralph, 1t is only her fancy and
her vanity that sre engaged), she will
frankly ask her father who is the biggest,
and. in many ways, the incest of her
ehums, why he doesn't like Ralph. And If
her father is wise, he will tell her as frank
ly as she has asked. But he will blush, the
honest, faithful husband that he is, while
he stammers through the story.
ana he VIII nave many ana many a
twinge, and many and many an anxious
question will he bring to his wife, recalling
that culver Of pain and shame on the inno-
cent face that turned away from his.
''She seems so dull" he will complain to
his wife; you don't think she can really
care anything for the fellow, do your
Being man and not woman, he cannot
realize that the shock that makes the girl
quieter for days Is only the horror of her
first glimpse beneath the surface. But the
child's mother, who has been a girl herself,
will understand. for she knows how cruel
Is that .lrst moment Of awakening and dis
illusion to pure young soul.
But she has to know things" she signs.
Better now than later. And she might
have grown to care for him."
That evening papa and she are talking 1t
over; he cannot quite follow her argument,
but he agrees cbeerfully that 1t would be
good thing to give his daughter a bright lit
tie change, and take her with him on his
next trip to Chicago: and he Is so kind and
amusements that the girls sore and be-
wildered heart is soothed insensibly. OF one
thing she Is sure, that there are good men
in the world. since her father is so good.
The western girl, as ! have said, Is SEN
s,ble. She has a practical way of looking
life in the face. She Is reared in the midst
of a free parliament OF opinions. The fam
lily discuss the nations politics, the fathers
business, the mothers charities, or church
or domestic conflicts with the servant ques-
ton, the brothers schools and the sisters
social triumphs.
She reads the daily paper, and has an
opinion about politics. Naturally, 1t is the
opinion Of her father and brothers; but she
has 1t not so much because 1t Is theirs as
because their presentment Of the case is all
that she has lad. She is a good partisan.
but not perfervid, she has too keen a sense
Of humor Perhaps to the family life and
the comradeship that her brothers have
granted her is due this same sense of hui
NOR. In any event, 1t is hers, and affects
her life. To it In some degree is due another
valuable quality, namely, her exceeding
adaptability. Whatever her lot, she at
tacks it with a gaiety and philosophy all
her own. Consider the surprising appear
ance OF the far western CongresSman'S wife
at her first social function in Washington,
and compare the portrait with her picture
radiant, gracious, quite at her ease during
the last year of her husbands term.
From Town to Metropolis.
A western woman was once transplanted
by her husbands success from a small
town on the prairies TO The most exclusive
society Of q great city on the seaboard.
She was a handsome creature with q warm
heart, quick wit, and courage quicker
than her wits. She studied the manners
and speech about her. And when didn't
know the right thing to say, kept still"
said she. Finally, the time came for her
first dinner party. She had looked forward
to 1t with a slight tremor of the nerves in
spite of the possession of a middle aged,
rather silent woman described to her as ian
actual genius in the Kitchen" When the
evening arrived and the guests were gather
ed. extraordinary signals of distress from
the butler drew her into the hall.
What Is the matter, Jones?' she asked
anxiously.
Nothing is the matter with re, ma am,"
he replied, with gloomy and reproachful
dignity. but I wish YOU would just step
down to the kitchen and look at cook"
Without word and her heart sinking
with every step, the lady followed him.
Cooks helpers stood in tears outside the
Kitchen door, two scandalized maids how
cred over her and told her 1t was a shame
But cook? Cook balanced herself on the
edge Of the table with a large spoon in one
hand, smiling foolish smile.
1t did not need the fumes Of brandy that
smote the newcomer to tell her what had
happened.
For a second she stood silent, seeing her
guests faces surrounding the startled and
mortified features Of her husband, like q
crowd Of some medieval painters bodIless
angels.
tits just a little faintness that comes
over me-" remarked cook. waving the spoon
amiably in the lady's direction: don't be
alarmed. ma'am. it only aficts me legs
niver me moind!'
She Faced the Situation.
The lady took few determined steps in
to the kitchen.
1.-THE dinner Is going on all roight, don't