The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-11-22
GIRL WITH A PURPOSE.
After Year Abroad She UsuKDs
Control of All Her Parents
Everyday Affairs.


Eliot Gregory, writing of sour
Foolish Virgins" treats the readers
OF Century to an account of the way
a certain American girl developed, as
the result of a years polishing-off
in Europe.
While visiting recently in neigh
boring city 1 was placed at a dinner
next to a diminutive damsel, who en-
tertainedme, duringthe meal, with her
opinions of men and matters. The talk
had subj or of the strong-mind-
ed, oddly OFT of keeping with her
winsome face and doll-like figure;
but the face was so pretty and the
chatter so amusing that after time
one forgot this disagreeable impress
sion. Later in the evening, when the
other guests had left, I asked my
hostess who the energetic little
maiden was. With a half-smile she
answered: "Miss B is very mod
ern person. I thought you would
find her interesting. A couple of
years ago her parents, who, 1 sus-
pect, had begun to find their off
spring a handful, yielded to the
daughters request to go abroad and
finish her education, naively imagin-
ing that she would settle in some
quiet old town like Dresden or Han
over. A relative was chosen as a du-
emma, bank-account opened, and the
couple started with the understand
ing that their destination should be
decided by the girl herself. Well, you
will think I am romancing when 1
tell you that, after a month in Paris
and tentative week at Cannes, Miss
B established herself at Monte
Carlo for the winter. It is needless
to add that her education was fin
ished with vengeance, not quite on
the lines her parents had intended,
but with staggering completeness.
When she got back from this event.
full journey the traveller proceeded to
give her parents the benefit of her
experience. They were hustled nolens
volens out of suburban home and
established in town house, as their
daughter announced that she had
mo intention of wasting her life in
the country Having accomplished
this feat, and furnished the new resi-
dence with pictures and bric-a-brac
picked up during her trip abroad,
hired corps of servants, and made
out a visiting list for her mothers
use, the girl, who was not prepared
to marry just yet, next turned her at
tention to the parental investments,
upon which she brought the light of
her new ideas to bear. III faut etre
de son siecle,' is her favorite saying.
When the family money matters were
running to her satisfaction, Miss
B, nothing if not active, devoted
her time to organizing a kennel for
the breeding of bulldogs of some par
ticular form or color, forget which.
"A woman she says, must have
some serious object in 1ife, and she
tells me that the way this special
breed has been allowed to run down
over here is disgrace to the Amer
lean people. Fortunately for us, she
has leaped into the breach, and pro-
pOStS 10 IdlSc Ouc SUduudTu III uO
matter what personal inconvenience,
to the English level. 1t appears that
Minotaur, the famous $4,000 prize
winner, is on his way across the
ocean to join her kennel
This girl may or may not be fair
sample of her kind, but that there
are hundreds of households in our
land to-day where parents, from in
dolence or ignorance, are allowing
themselves to be run by their daugh-
tiers, is certain. It is also self-evident
that in all classes of society, except
certain conservative circles where
continental standards are observed,
the Yankee girl has seized the helm.
With father and mother comfortably
installed in the cabin and male men,
bers of the crew forbidden even to
approach the bridge, she is guiding
the family bark, summer and winter,
according to her pleasure.