Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-03-22
THE SOUTHERN GIRL.

fire aud dew, womanly from the crown
of her head to the sole of her foCt, dig
nfied yet not stiff nor stilted. cultured
but without pedantry, clever, witty, be-
wlchiug, the daughter cfthe South was
5oru to enthral and to fascinate. II er
rsopallty is subtly appealing, sl-
though she does not consciously invite
observation; rather does she accept
homage with a gracious air OF taking
,hat which is hers by divine right.
FyC IN the hour of her earlie.t child
hoo1, The southern maiden is accustom-
cd - gplantries from the men OF her
fsmily. The little child OF six or seven
com ma ds her father and her brothers,
and receives their tender attentions.
A she grows older, she is the pet aud
darling Of the household not OILY, but
also is queen, or at least its princess
royal. She is we'll taught. but in
y more d, sultory fashion than
her northern sisters, browses at
will in old libraries where there
are treasures OF the best literature; is
sent to school, and, at an earlier age
than in New York or New England,
flushed her course there, and enters
society. Many Southern girls 90 to
college, il is true but more are sent to
the higher schools for girls than TO the
se verer institutions which require a
strenuous four years course before they
give the student ler diploma, Much
stress is placed by Southern mothers
upon accomplishments, and Southern
cirl is socially we'll ira ned, so that she
NAV shine in drawing-room.
No women of ary section OF our wide
land surpasses the southern woman IN
Versatility and adaptability. Accus
iomed to homage, accustomed to being
cared for, to having pathways smoothed
before her, and life's hardships elimins- =
I'd from her actual experience, when the
hour comes which sees her face
to face, with poverty or with
sorrow, she meets 1t with an
urdaunted front. Expecting to
receive politeness everywhere, with
her soft sure womanly touch che knocks
a, whatever door she pleases, and 1t
6i g open before her. She is not afraid
of hard work, but she does 1t as a gen.
llewoman who may, not as drudge
who must. Her voice is full of sweet
music; her vowel sounds are elusive.
ner r's are wonderfully vague. But
ner vocs bulary is rich and varied, bor-
rowed from DIR. johnson and Oliver
Goldsmith, from Pope and Wordsworth
and Tennysop. If che attempt any
professional line of labor, she does 1t
with both hands and her whole heart,
ard from drawing and painting nd
m 1dellng in clay. TO writing novels and
poetry, from teaching, and playing harp
and piano, to lecturine on Queen Anne
aud Browning and Kipling, she makes
a success of whatever she undertake..
1t is the Southern girls mission 10
life to be pleasing, and to have men at
her feet. With perfect tsct and ad-
mirable poi.e, aid the ease which is
her legacy fromgenerations OF adorable
women who went before her,
she receives and amuses and
enter,sius the men who are fOrtu"
nate enough to be on heri mothers or
her aunt's visiting list. She has her TO-
nocent coquetries; they are part OF her
charm. If a half-dozen men are not de-
voted to her at one and the same time,
she feels defrauded of something which
belongs to her 10 virtue of her beauty
and her youth. After while. but
sooner than her New England cousin,
the Southern girl, of Virginia, Ker-
,ucky or Alabama, will choose her hus-
band from the group oflovers who have
lowered around her like moths about
flower or a lamp, and, having given
him her promise to love, honor and
| obey, she will straightway drop her
| ickieness and become transformed into
! the most domestic of women, the mos,
| tenderly loyal and patient OF wives.
| To girls she leaves tho Rayeties of soci'
ETY., moving through its mazes hence
| forward with the serene and somewhat
ieiached manner OF matron. who may
properly chsperon others, but for whom
the game itself is over, as she holds the
winning hand.