Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-03-13
WOMEN OF ARMENIA.
English Customs Are Slowly Reaching
 Them-Tho REothor's Ruo.


 Them-The Mothers RuIe.
 The Armenian girl is little troubled with education, beyond household du- ties, spinning and noedlework-an at this last accomplishment she is always an expert, especially at embroidery unless, indeed, she attends ono of the excellent Armenian mission schools car ried on in many towns, where sho will learn English, Erenoh and possibly her own language, for Armenians net infre- quently adopt the vernaoular of tho country wherein they live She will al- so acquire thirst for fiction, English and French. The Armenian girl is deep- ly sentimental and likes to road of love, and marriage is, of course, tho ultima Thule of her ideas. This httle matter is generally arranged by her mother, and nowhere arc women of more importance or hold more weight i'll the family ooun- oils. The mother is at the head of the patriarchal establishment, in which her sons, their wives and often her nephews and nieoes dwell She rules her sons and sons' wives, the latter. perhaps, with somewhat severe hand, especially dur ing the first year of their married lives, when, except to attend church, they may not go out though when the daughters-in.la in their turn become mothers greater liberty is permitted them.
 In more advanced portions of tho com munity n girl s choice is practically un- restricted, and it is well that it is so. for the Armenian church strenuously op- poses divorce, and the marriage bond is only soluble by death. Not infrequentIy the girl's s choice falls upon an English man or other European, and many merchants and telegraph officials in Persia and Turkey find them excellent wives.
 The Armenian national costume con- sists of voluminous skirt of heavy bro- oaded material, tight sleeved bodice of the same stuff, much embroidered about the front, with handsome filigree silver belts marking tho waist. The head coverings are fiohus of fringed embreid cred silk and q multitude of chains and coins hang round their neoks, l. winter the embroidered bodice is OK changed for Q wadded one, and huge felt shoes are worn over the ordinary boots to keep out the biting cold. Though tho Armenian women do not wear veils to conceal their features as point of re- ligion, they not infrequently do oover their faces with gauge or a corner of shawl
 Some Of the younger women, however, have discarded their native costume for that of London three years ago, and they are evidently not quite at ease in their newly acquired oorsets. They copy the fashion plates in English papers and produce wonderful combinations of pink blue and violet, which are further adorn. cd with quantities of brilliant jewelry. They are full of curiosity regarding the life of civilized nations, particularly in the matter of marriage, and never miss an opportunity of obtaining information on the subject. St Louis Post Dispatch.
 Evolution of Women.
 Mir. Glceson White discusses in Cas- sells Family Magazine the subject of the evolution of women. MT. White appi0aches the matter from an artistic standpoint. There are, he re- marks, several distinct aspects of beau ty-beauty of form, beauty of color, beauty of wit and beauty of pathos. But the ideals embodying them have not been evolved in the above, nor ip any order, nor has any one preserved it's en- tire supremacy for long The matchless head of Aphrodite still appears absolute ly satisfying to cultured taste today, but when you see it translated to color, as Albert Moore often re-e1nbodied it, then is something lost At the best MT. White considers tho Greek and Roman types arc unconditional and do not awaken more than aesthetic rapture, for in those days even portraiture aimed to elevate the individual to type.
 He would have US go back to Reyn- olds i'll order to find the highest type of the modern ideal. Sir Joshua's DOT trait of Lady William Gordon caught the pathos of the Madonna ideal with the intelligence that has become the woman's share h the Botticelli yir- gins, or the Raphael, a sweet forgive ness is absolute. In the types of Reyn- odds and Gainsborough, to this charm is added a sense of justice and distinct substratum of wit and vivaeity In short, the lady" has been evolved, not the saint or the chatelaine, the minis tering angel or the bluestoaking but the true woman who can be Ill these