The sun., 1896-09-13

Whlrl Asundor,' OF Hernia, an American
Woman of The Quick and the Dead who all
frankly WOO the men by outrngeously sensnops
advances, cannot claim freedom from the taint
of the 'decadcnt.'"
There is a tone also In these lines from the
came woman'a letter which suggests that she
knows the average Englishman better than the
writer OF his pnneRyric:
do not In tho least wish to deny that all
creation has been working through the rpons to
evolve John Bull as its finest fruit but | do
wish to humbly claim that John Bulls woman
Kind is quite we'll fitted to be his companion.
Tako her all In all, she ls rs good, pleasant to
look at, as capable and devoted as any Of the
daughters OF Eve. be they American or of any
other nationality. Iwould dearly love to say
that we are better but refrain; perhaps some
John Bull will say that for me-"
There is crushing sarcasm in somo of the re-
plies TO the assertion of the American woman's
superiority over her English sister. Some
bright eyes In New York will fash ominously
whom they read the following ugly paragrAphsi
There ia really no doubt about the American
women-those who come over here at least
being very bright, very handsome, and very
charming. When meet one, with her golden
hair. her fresh expressions, and perfect self
possession, / always look at her and say to my
self, You are an interesting creature But she
"
marry an Englishman at all remarkable-un.
less che has the irresistible gold dollar mount
ing. That Is droll. For she ia Immensely at
tractive. She will talk to any man who 10
decent looking. whether sho knows him or not.
That in itself makes n woman adorable-to talk
with. But she certainly does not own London
yet neither does she set the fashions. however
many admirers she may have and Mrs. Ather-
ton is pretty correct in saying she-I mean tho
American-has about Ave to English wo-
mans one. For the English woman does not go
so very many miles out Of her way to get a hus-
band; she does not hunt for admirers. nor fat
ter them. nor set herself to study their wonder
ful and complicated natures, tastes, and vani-
ties-and that Is the finish Of every American
woman's education.
Tho only attractions American woman
possesses are those derived from money: she
dresses better. and. having done Europe has
moro to say than the average English lady And
as for her intellect, has America ever produced
such women as Elizabeth Barrett Browning,
Mrs Somerville, the Bronts sisters, George
Eliot? 1t is not for the American woman's in
telect that the EnGlishman marries her. but for
her money.
Tho idea that EnRlishmen find In seeking
American wives some necessary adJ Junct to their
happiness. which English women may not pos
sess, is in q great measure an absolute verify.
but that adjunct Is certainly not n national
characteristic but that which is dear TO the
heart OF every man, English or American
money: and proof positive that money and
money only Is tho one attraction with which
American women fascinate our men is found
In the fact that heiresses only are sought
wives: It is not among the middle classes Of life
that Englishmen seek their American wives. but
among those who are possessed of capacious
fortunes.
I'VE will admit that the fair American 10
charming. but this need not blind us to her
shor rtcomngs and faults. Now these defects,
In the eyes of great number of unpreju JUDGED
persons, detract from her qualities. She may
have spoutaneousness. but her spontaneousness
is apt to run into artifciality: and herein seems
to lie her danger. for then will come the return
OF favor and hour of triumph for the at present
neglected English sister. Granted that the
English woman Is moro inclined to manner
isms and affectations. which spell her native
charm than tho American. Admitted that she
10 less flexible. less adaptable. more embued
with ingralned traditional prejudices, yet on
the other hand she has o strong fund of native
good sense and good feeling underlying the
crust of conventionalism. This, In the long
run, will probably be found TO wear better than
the snowy tricks and quaint conceits Of Miss
Columbia"
Even the American man finds o few valiant
defenders among the women who have taken
part in the controversy. Thus Miss Elizabeth
L. Banks explains all his Intellectual shortcom-
ings:
who placed the American woman on her
pedestal and made 1t possible that she should
come over to England, conquering aud TO con-
quer, but the American man himself? II the
American man Is money greedy. he is 90 mostly
for tho sake of his womenkind. He makes
money in order that his wife and daughters may
eat canvasback duck and terrapin. and wear
diamond earrings at the breakfast table. He
makes money that he may send his wife and
daughters to London and Paris, where they get
Into society and finish their education, remain
ing over here hve or six years, after which time
the wife goes back-and sues him for divorce
and alimony. Then we rend In the apers about
the American mans 'sensuality' and immoral
ity'"
Finally We have O partial recantation from
the woman who stirred up all this dreadful
sauabble. She writes to say with regard to
American men that "only in their relations
with women are they failures" This is almost
making q bad matter worse. especially wheu
she explains that every Englishman has n
tragedy In him." while every American. she in
sinuates 10 q comedian. This last fact. she
goes on, Is the reason tho average American
girl firts outrageously. She would never dare
to firt with an Engllshman. Perhaps the
American girl would like to know something
more about the cause Of her propensity for
flirting. 1t Is all explained by this remarkable
American Woman" in tho Ddap Chronicle.
An American girl, she says. will deliberately
engage herself with no intention OF serious
ultimates."
Now" she goes on, "As no other women on
the face Of the earth carry coquetry to this ex-
treme It is worth while to analyZe the cause.
II women as q race feel that they can handle
fire with impunity IL is obvious that they regard
the com bustiblo material In tho other sex with
something like disrespect. No woman flrts
with a man whom she thoroughly respects. To
put 1t In another way she does not trnc with q
man In whose nature she recognizes tragic
depths. American women love power, and glory
10 an array OF scalps but only when they know
that cuLicle and hair will grow again. They
draw back at once from a strong intense per-
sonality. and not from fear alone; they shrink
from wounding n really great nature. Men who