The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-07
USCHAPERoNED GIRLS.
Mrs. LYNN Linton Dspiores the Di.eentinu-
nnce OF the Feminine a Watch Dog"

nnce OF the FEMININE Nntc b0E.
There was time when in the bright lexicon
OF the American girl. there was no such word
as chaperon. That time has long since gone
by. Lack OF chivary on the part Of the Amer
lean man was not the impelling influence in
the change American men. be It said to thoir
honor, are the flower OF manhood In this re-
spect Neither can any one accuse the Ameri-
can girl OF not deserving the continuance OF
her freedom. But two things. the fever OF An
glomania and the growth Of American towns
into great cities. introduced the chsperon. and
she has grown and 0ourished.
But the funny part OF 1t all Is that now We
hear q loud howl from conservative England
to the effect that tho chaperon lisa declining
Institution over there Mrs. Lynn Linton is
moved to express herself on the subject In
two-column article headed. with solemn brew
ity "Unchaperoned." She admits that the
new code Of unrestricted freedom pleases all
but the cool-headed bystander."
Mothers and chaperons." says Mrs. Linton.
who have left of dancing and flirting on their
own account. and who have nothing but the
spirit OF duty to keen them awake till the ball
is over. are glad to be rid OF their irksome re-
sponsibilities. Young ladies whose spirits
run high. and whose ideas OF the permitted are
as large a. their discretion Is small. are glad
to be decorated with the key OF the 1elds.' And
men, whose nature II 10 to profit by occasion
and spell opportunity without a hitch are In
their turn well satisfied with the new order
which makes chaperonage unnecessary and
social godmothers OF no more excellence than
SO many ninepins tumbled over on the grass"
Mrs. Linton says that hitherto II has been
the custom In all civilized countries for moth
srs to be responsible for the wise walking OF
their daughters. in health morals. manners
and social bearing. In England It was not
onsidered good style. to say nothing stronger
that girl should be seen in public alone with
young man unaccom panied by an elder or .
married woman as chsperon. Tho mother
who could have suffered this gross breach OF
good manners and proper conduct would have
boon severely handled by Eossips. and the fair
fame OF the girl herself would have received a
smirch which 1t would have been work OF
some little trouble to clear away.
But now" exclaims Mortified Mrs Linton.
I'VE see our young friends in all the freshness
OF their Ignorance and inexperience stream
ing about the world with young men. un-
chaperoned by friend or mother and thrown
into the hands OF those who certainly were
never consecrated by nature or society for so
delicate Q holding. Left to the guidance OF
their own sweet Wills these girls soon lose all
that bloom which was once the most beautiful
attribute Of maidenhood. and the peaches In
the basket are rubbed IL not speckled.
"Old-iashioned women look on aghast at the
the 1J youn Sn girls Of tie present day Even to
those kindly old souls whose laifh In human
goodness ioT6ids them t ,0 Imagine I ,has grave
toward seed, the whole thing seems calculated
to do irreyocable harm 70 the best trnditiops
OF womanhood. There Is u mental hoydenish-
ness worse than the romping freedoms OF the
Misses Marlborough. and tho absence OF check
one one The talk Of the Snchapsronsd is not
aiMays As refined as might DO wished"
Mrs Linton admits that the increased num-
her OF women who are engaged in various
branches OF work alters the matter somewhat.
s sR 's Ss whose 4s f:sf Fs q sfsis
no such excuse. The highest bred. she claims.
epjoy this gypsy.iike liberty. but MANY we'll
bred gentlewomen 1.-THE upper middle class do,
OF sn Is
Gy conventional restrictions; and one OF the
great aims OF sociel lie Is to tame this natural
those wandering fingers Of Master LADY make
for the sugar bowl. even 70 the last OF his NOR
the lesson practically. And how It has come
about that our girls, o. all the various mem
Without the curb 70 which others have to sub
nit Is problem"
for Mrs Linton remarks tnst they say the
new custom comes from America, and shs
why young Americans Of the feminine gender
dwell in the outer darkness OF an unchaper-
on!ed estate T. initeIestins x. 60. l., .uvor
countries. work has been tho master rule Of
life; There was no leisure class. no rich.
highly cultivated mirrors OF fashion and arbi-
tiers OF eiegancies. All had 20 work whereby
to live. and the women with the rest. Also
first settlers were men Of one mind and
Guelph and Ghibelline were unknown Con-
Were I safe from insult. The iaw-abidipG spirit
OF the community made pIoteetion IN;
o ost intS the Wilder districts. p where
dangers from Indians and wild beasts
had to learn the art OF Selt-usfenP0
when out in the open unattended. and to bide
Sns yh n gU and he more a@sssod
money. The children received better eduea.
ton Ihr ssT TO BE Sd
girls refined the young men held even step
with the girls and the ,symPathios q euItH f5
girls threw OF the chApsronaGe OF their
mothers. launched out into society for which
alone, and tho esretasiug OF the old system
toric origin Of the freedom Of American girls.
10 this she adds the ehvalry induced by tbs
English society has none Of these features. and
that TO adopt tho girlish freedom which has
f Il would be to ADOPT the Rsrem Of the East or
the lndolent nonchalanee OF the South.
Sa s nj S2esaSE
for their want OF courtesy. their want OF all
their mssenline apiomb and indifercnce to
forms. Everything once considered eSsenti;
Ally iemnRG 1 Is n n6GS6 10 me Tlnss ana
as 10 insure social ostraesm are now the cur
rent order Of the day
'"Once and not 40 very long ago either. the
outside Of the omnibus. stamped 'Arriet, for
what she was. Now the inside 10 reserved for
chAppies and old ladies. Soon We shall have
our female outsiders smok ing. lust as the few
men DO whom !hey suffer to sit there. Once.
no lady would have suffered her daughter to
90 to doctor dentist, hair dresser, law,
yer alone. Now the girls swarm In offices and
private rooms where the mother would Be sm-
phRtieally one too many. aud the idea Of
chAperonGGs be secuted as an insult 10 mature
understandings Doubtless there are many.
many girls among the unchapsroped Ebo are
quite capable OF taking care OF themselves;
girls whose essential purity 10 so bright and
shining as to be their own safeguard but there
are also many who are not OF this typo And
all men are not honorable gentlemen.
Bat. setting aside the gTayer aspects for
the more trivial there IL marked falling OIL
In manners among the unehaperoned. The
bold sWaggeT OF the girls Is matched BY the
longing nonchalanee Of the young men.
Cavalry aud courtesy are both at discount
and things which were as the very life blood
nfh M