The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-11


Western Incidents.
There may be things which the West
ern girl lacks; but one thing she surely
has: That is a good time! There still
is. and. much more, there was, pic
turesque social liberty in the average
Western town whereby the girls and
boys have prof1ted. The laws OF con-
duct were few. Mice" girls could do
things which would make a woman
reared in a more conventional atmo-
sphere shudder to hear.
The conventional woman did not con-
slider that the liberty accorded to the
Western girl was matched by the re-
spect eXacted by the Western man. 1t
certainly appears an audaciOus breach
not only to conventions, but of common
propriety for a girl of 10 to drive away
with a boy of %, take supper in a pub
lie restaurant and come home by moon
light. Yet the boy would no more
dream of thinking lightly Of the girl
than the girl dreams 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 out
side of their homes. carry their energy
and gay hearted courage into all man.
ner of charity and good works. Per
haps the bold young man who marries
them should be punished for not hav-
ing 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 remem-
her the rest. He thinks that she is as
sweet and innocent as a girl can be.
And so. very often she is, although she
has not had a. chaperon in her life, and
has read any novel that she cared to
read, and calls her masculine acquain-
tances 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 care
fully trained.
GIRLISH SIMPLICITY.
She has a simple belief in the decen-
cy of men. She knows, it is rue. that
young Eddy. who has sucn beautiful
eyes and sings 50 delightfully."-. 81 ne
times drinks more than is good for him;
RuI she hIONS more. " ny her I'd = her
should look so black when Ralph calls
she cannot imagine. To hor Ralph
seems a wit ana a lovely follow. so
body else sends her such flowers or can
pay little attentiocs with such q be-
witching, half !=r, alI-worshipping
air. And R )h Is d Gupi business man.
too, - what ,as got in-O papa 10 make
him so hoTril One Say, perhaps for
The child is not the east bir in love
With Ralph, 1t is only re- fancy AMI kor
vanriv lhat j. engaged. she NJ; frank
" ask her Tathr-. rho X :hc blCgAst
and in many ways the incest of her
chums, why he doesn't like Ralph. And
If her father is wise he will tell her as
frankly as she asked. But he will
blush. the honest, faithful husband that
he is. while he stammers through the
story.
And he will have many and many a
twinge, and many and many an anx-
ious question will he bring to his wife,
recalling that CULVER of pain and shame
on that innocent 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
you?''
Being a man and not a woman, he
can not 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 under
stand, for she knows how cruel is that
first moment of awakening and disil-
fusion TO a 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 she and papa are talk
ing il over: he cannot quite follow her
argument. but he agrees cheerfully
that it would be good thing to give
his daughter a bright little change. and
takes her with him on his next trip TO
Chicago; and he is so kind and jolly
and thinks of so many delightful amuse-
ments thai the girls sore and bewil-
dered heart is soothed insensibly Of
one thing she is sure, that there are
good men in the world, since her father
is so good.
CHAPERONAGE IN THE WEST.
Not all Western girls are unconven-
tional There is a class of Western
girls almost as carefully guarded as the
strictest chaperone could ask These
are usually educated in the East or in
Europe; and. persuaded that their re-
straints are really a protection as much
as a barrier. with the good sense of
Western girls they accept them amia-
biy. ! used to wonder whether the
pretty Mabel. whose mother did not per
nit her to go to parties OF pleasur
with young men. envied the other girls
1 called the mother a wise woman, and
ii gave feeling of. pleasant relief to
walk into the drawing-rOOm at MabelS
and find two beautifully arrayed young
men. wriggling under the gentle polite
ness of Mabel's mother, and the some
what cold scrutiny of Mabers father.
But ] wondered whether Mabel did not
contrast the scene, SO decorous, So
to speak thruthfully-dull. with the low
Gus freedom of her friends home. where
Susy. the friend. sits in state. admired
by one. two, three, or half dozen
young men. A continuous braided rat
tie of laughter echoes from that room.
for Susv is amusing, always; and the
young men applaud, and are funny in
turn. During the evening Susy's father
comes in, smiles, offers the young men
cigars and departs, and sometimes
Susy's mother enters (no further than
gardlng the mother or sister of some
lad, smiles, and disappears.
i used to question whether Mabel ever
longed To change her lot as an enter
tainer With Susy'S; l wondered until |
heard Mabel say: isn't Susy fascinat-
ing? And so FUNNY I never admire her
so much as when see her entertaining
a whole roomful; but I'm so thankful
to mamma for helping me: I think thai
should simply expire from the effort of
continually thinking of what to saw
next if l were left alone"
'TThen you don't feel cramped by your
mothers presenter" I said iestinelv-
but | was not in the jest.
81 think she is a dear to stay" said
Mabel. flushing charmingly, land it is
ever SO much nicer"
The young men, with one exception.
are embarrassed by the presence of the
family, they do not call SO often. The