The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-17
ADVISERS Of GIRLS
Are Call ed to Order by Ella
Wheeler Wilcox.
WASTE OF GOOD COUNSEL
To BestOW It Upon the Ador-
able American Girl.

la Wheeler Wilcox writes:
There Is probably no other creature on
the face OF the earth woh asks and re-
ceives so much advice (and who follows
so little Of iD as the American girl.
The peculiar part OF II IS that, as a
rule, she neither asks nor receives such
counsel from parents or guardians. but
from absolute strangers.
1t has come to be almost a necessary
feature Of alomst every American period
zeal. whether daily. weekly or monthly.
to publish an advice" column for the
young person.
Persons OF more or less literary attain
ments preside over these columns and
solicit the confidence Of girls in need \ of
advice.
1t is possible that many of the queries
propounded by correspondents in these
departments are really writtenn by young
girls, but 1t Is more than probable that
the greater portion are the production OF
mlschievous masculine brains, bent on
making women ridiculous.
There Is a sort of fascination 60 q sim
pie uneducated girl to see herself. even
under an assumed name. in print.
She likes to promenade her little wor-
ries and heartaches through loaded lines
and to feel that her questions have OBJ
tained distinction Of reply in black and
white type.
dignity Of womanhood sufficiently TO
PROFOUND some Of the quiries which are
attributed 10 her In these advice col
umns.
And II Is certain that she does not need
the instructions which are frequently Civ
en- her.
A great many people are no doubt
benefited by the information obtainable
in print regardin gtable etiquette and the
code OF cards and matters OF formal be-
havior in which neither nature nor kin
dred has instructed them. But no girl
needs a magazine or newspaper chaperon
to tell her chow TO be fascinating" or
chow to be modest" or ''how to behave
In the presence of young men," or how
to entertain the man she loves"
It Is an insult TO the good sense OF our
American girls when this sort Of Instruc-
ton Is given them by the column. II
may amuse them. and It is quite possible
that they sometimes draw It forth merely
for the purpose of amusement. But II Is
absolutely certain that they do not at
tempt to follow the dictates of these I'M
known councillors. The American girl
Is a unique creature. Nowhere else under
the sun exists anything like unto her.
She Is at once modest and bold: chaste as
a nun and wise as a woman OF the world:
as tantalllzlnE as kitten and as astute
as a priestess. IL her delicacy IS shocked.
She does as sne pleases with men. but
no man does as ne pleases with her until
she chooses him for her master
She has heard and read all about wick
edness and knows It exists. and she Is alb
soluteIy good. because she wants 70 be.
She is paradox TO the foreign mind
and delight to the American man.
He admlres her for her independence.
her common sense and her powers OF
comradeship
She IS the most companlOnable AMI en-
tertaining creature on the face OF the
earth He is not afraid to talk on any
subject with her. and he usually gains
new ideas by doing 50. She can dance.
play golf. swim. drive. walk. read Brown
ing. laik pEuuoSpHg. OF Aa1L' As Als HlpDo
may be.
ahve known scores Of such girls, and
I am meeting new ones every day.
what Importance. then. IL seems for
any one to attempt 10 teach this s<t Of
young person how 70 be entertaining A.
well tell the butterfly how 70 be graceful
and attract the SUNBEAM.
The attitude OF the American parent 20
the daughter Is peculiarly Interesting
The average American father. respects.
admires and trusts his daughter more
than any other perosn IN the world.
He would as soon expect the sun 10 fan
from heaven as his daughter 70 stOop
from her heaven Of mortality.
Even when be has BEEN q Tiid youth
himself and known Wild girls. and IN The