The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-23
A FOREIGN woMAN's FREEDOM.
European Women Have Nothing
Like as Much Liberty as Is En-
loved nv Americans

european w omen nave Nothing
Like as Much Liberty as Is En-
jOyed by Americans.
New York, March 21.-"Nowhere in
the world do women claim and enjoy
more real liberty than here in Ameri-
ca" said a keen observant man. Just
home from Paris, but there is a free
dom from certain conventional re-
straints INDUCED in by the fair foreign
ers that our women have really not got
the courage to practice. This was inn
pressed upon me by what l saw this
spring on the Riviera, where all the
great ladies of Europe are just
now collected. Even to man, lie
costumes seen at Nice and Monaco are
matters for marvel, and he can pick
out the American born from the for
eign woman every time, at least
could and did. The Americans wore
rich and lovely gowns, but it took the
Russian Princesses to make our pref
ty women look like modest violets be-
side their bold and original gorgeous
ness.
lone Princess wore what the Aadies
of my party explained was Powered
muslin gown, trimmed with sable talls,
and though her head was crowned with
a straw hat and flowers, her hands
were thrust in a huge muff of the fin
est Russian fur. l can only tell you
that she looked perfect beauty, and
to my eyes wonderfully distinguished,
but my compatriotS shook their heaos
when l suggest ted their following the
fashion as set by the Russian lady.
mot for worlds they said; they had
been to see costumes made by the IA
nous Sara, and while her things were
marvels of artistic beauty they We're
never. so Sara confessed herself,
bought by Americans. Such won
drous toilets as hers would make
woman so conspicuous at the Metro
politan Opera House, so uncomforta-
bly, noticeable in a New York restau-
rant and so stared at by Newport tnat
in a week her name and picture would
be in the paper. Sara dresses Austrian
Archduchesses, French Ducnesses'
English Comtesses, and Russian Prln-
cesses, but the American women go
elsewhere, and my feminine frienus
candidly admitted that in matters Oh
dress the foreign woman enjoys d lai
greater measure of liberty, and lul-
thermore, can wear a striking frocA
with an easy grace and lack OF sen
consciousness that our country WolleH
have not yet at their command:
"Then / noticed other little liberties
French women especially take, tnd'
with all their freedom our women neV-
er dare assume. 1 can best illustrate
my point by telling you what 50"
in an exceedingly Fashionable ~
sian restaurant. Not far from tho
table at which my party dined sat q
handsome Parisienne with her husoa aint
and son. she was in full evening toileS
of no small degree of splendor' any
there was no mistaking the tacl tna'
she was a grande dame, holding SUI SUI
cessfully to her youthful beauty. Lne
dinner of this group was chosen W. W.
French taste, and 1 could near s Ast
they were going on TO the opera. -
er the liqueurs madame drew cnaili,
ing reticule before her, took from ~ ~ a
tiny mirror and surveyed ner p Pc
face; extracting a bit OF powSSor
puff from her reticule she toucheu , llo-
nose and chin daintily, and then cailil
ly lifting out a long, silky, brown 49, 49,
she pinned it to her back halr, dt III"
point where it's shining length w1u ita
fall gracefully over her pare w.' N
shoulders. When everything was "
her satisfaction she rose, her i ,nno
band put her into luxurious nv nv
coat, and away she went, leaVlns ns'
party the only astonished observes,
No other man and woman in the Loo ost
seemed to think her action in the -
outre or worthy even thought, .bs
you see, we were thinking adj IA
while of the sensation that simple a1i.
not only inoffensive but distinctly pitod
ty little side show would have cIeast
in one of our high class restau Eve I've
why, the other diners woulu ma ma
been paralyzed with amazement az %@
promptly set her down as no iaS S;ns
and the next time she came 10 u,.
tbe head waiter would have been car
full to discover that all the tables WEI a,,
engaged. So, even in effete Paris yU-
see," laughed the clever and 0l psgis
ant man, there are some pIlVitIi ees
enjoyed that our code Of liberty "
not allow" r. II. q ~