The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-09

Woman receives general education along
with the man in the interior schools. She
does not, as a rule go any further, and for
gets what she learned at school, There 10
no lack of blue stockings here, but. as
rule the stories circulated In Europe about
the advanced education Of American women
are exaggerated. In fact. according to
my opinion. the average education OF
women In Europe Is superior. Every wo-
man here reads and writes-reads the
newspapers They all dress according to
the same fashion and intellectually as well
as ethically they are inferior to select
small class of our women, but superior to
the masses OF European women.
American newspapers print every Oay
thousands and thousands OF copes-1 can
not tell how many. There is nothing ike
them in Europe. The owners OF some OF
them have enormous incomes. and they
give employment to thousands OF people.
Their editors are authorities OF great I'M
portance with whom the government and
the president himself are obliged to keep In
touch.
THE DEsPOTIC AMERICAN WOMAN.
American women are the most over
dressed in the wolrd, and in proportion as
they are overdressed they are bad house
keepers and bad cooks. They are lacking
in refinement and their disposition makes
them insupportable This despotism Is felt
everywhere-in houses in railroad cars and
even IN the streets. There Is no country
where woman can enjoy much comfort
as she does here. heT law protects her,
custom give her freedom, the husband
spoils her, public opinion defends her, even
when she is guilty. Respect for women is
one Of the characteristics of the Anglo
| Saxon race, but in America this respect Is
pushed to an extreme. Perhaps 1t is on
this account that woman here is a spoiled
| child.
| The Roman definition, "domiseda lanifica
pia housekeeping, sewing, devoted) cam
Domestic relations generally of this
nature: The husband works, the wife
| rules and uses Gods gifts she pleases
American women are the most over
! dressed in the world. While standing for
| half an hour on Broadway l have seen
| more variety in dress than l could see on
| the boulcvards in Paris. They were Of
| every possible shade Of color and Of
| every imaginable material. In all that dis
| play thee was very little taste, but
| great deal of luxury. In the hotel the
women come to dinner decked out as for
| ball. They wore golden bracelets, dia-
mond earrings and strings of pearls. In
manner they were bold an coquettish to
| such degree that one would almost think
| the roles Of the man and the woman had
| been changed in this country.
American girls lead a very free life, and
| they practice extensively the art of firta-
ton, which, however, is not very dangerous
| for them, because of their strong character
! sentiment. knowledge of the French Ian
! guage is considered among American wo-
| men, as among ours, special mark of ele-
| gance and bon ton but it is not very gen.
eral. Every woman, when the French lam
guage is mentioned, makes the common
place remark: 1T is very sweet Ian
Suage.' Every woman, moreover, begins
| the study of the language but having met
the first difficulties, she loses courage and
gives it up. Her friends, however, who
!
! until some foreigner comes, and then it APP
| pears in conversation with him, that the
| lady knows very little of the French Ian
guage. Her friends are very pleased to find
| her out. ~ C.
About literature. poetry and art the
| American women knows very little. Music
| is more general accomplishment. But
| the acquaintance with it is superficial to
! the last degree. In conversation the wo-
| men exhibit an, extraordinary mixture or
| freedom and Puritanism.
| l made the acquaintance of two ladies'
one of hem an authOress of some reputa-
ton. nd her neice, beautiful girl, with
| milk white complexion, blue eyes and
| red hair. l spoke to them through an in
.erpreter as ] did not yet know English.
| I said, after being introduced II am very
| sorry that 1 cannot speak with you di-
| rectly." as.r
| teacher. if you wish"
Madam, my gratitude has no bounds, "
| I said.
But 1 will teach you under one condi-
! tion,' she said
II accept it in advance" replied What
| is it?''
THAT you permit me to press your hand
| from time to time during the lesson she
answered.
1 was astounded. If it had been said to
| me directly it would have been very flat
| tering to my natural vanity but it was
said through a third person and in the
presence of the whole company. 1t is the
| custom Of the country to say such things.
| HIS HOTEL OBSERVATIONS.
| American cooking is the worst in the
| world. There is no desire to eat WELL but
only as quickly possible, and then to get
| back to business. American hotels are
| luxurious. quantity of women come to
| the hotel dinner table without men. They
| dress more extravagently than any wo-
| men in Europe. They wear no hats and
| consequently the table looks like great
| private dinner party.
| The service in many Of the hotels is
| done by negroes. At every table there are
| two or three of them with heads like those
| of black sheep. They are very polite, serve
swiftly and dexterously and, in evening
dress and with white cravats, look, If not
| pretty, at least very original
According to American custom they put
before every guest a quantity or small
dishes with all sorts of food in them. At
! the same tlHle YOU nave po1oAC Sou 'iSH'
| meat, eggs, potatoes tomatoes, ice cream,
strawberries, ore lges, almonds and coffee.
Begin where you please, eat what you
| please The negro stands continually be-
! hind you like an executioner and pours
ice water continually in your glass. 10
| every question he ADVISERS with an I'M
| varying Yes, sah!' There are places
! where hundreds Of them sit around a cir
| cular counter, from behind which sturdy
| ruffians hurl food at them perpetually. The
| object Of this arrangement Is merely tS
| save the time spent by a waiter carrying
| food to the table. Nowhere are American
| bad manners exhibited SO conspicuously as
| in the restaurants and hotels.
| THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.
Speaking frankly, if any one should ask
! me. Does Europe America produce
| the better civilization" l should answer
| without any hesitation, "Amerca. In
| Europe civilization embraces only certain
| classes of society," which monopolze ev-
| erything. The world exists for them only.
| Learning and knowledge are their exclu-
| sive property. Poetry, art, intellectual
| movements, everything which makes life
really beautiful. noble and spiritual exist
| only in these classes and for them, and
! are produced by them Outside Of them
! nobody knows anything. This higher world
writes, judges, speaks, makes public opn-
ion, publishes newspapers, fills the art
galleries and the theaters. In word, it is
| the whole Of civilization. Below it there
| exists a muddy mass Of people, living a
| physical life. sThey are rough, ignorant,
without manners.