The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16
LIKES AMERICAN WOMEN
MR. WI TINGFANG WRITES TO AN
ENGLISH PAPER ABOUT THEM.
They Are Always Busy and Always In
teresting-Other Traits ns He
Has Observed Them.


1t has been my fortune to have occupied
for nearly five years the position of Chi
nese minister at the American capital.
have been TO many receptions and have had
the nonor and pleasure of meeting very
large number OF American women. But my
experiences have not been confined to So
ciaI functions in Washington. have trav-
eled a great deal through America. 1 have
delivered addresses before colleges and
commercial gatherings and have been in
many American homes. l have thus seen
the people under all conditions.
While enjoying these privileges 1 have
been greatly impressed, especially with the
self-reliance and the independence of the
women who have been my fellow-travelers
on long journeys. They always impress me
a. knowing how to take care of themselves.
They buy their own railroad tickets; they
find their own places in the railroad cars;
and then they settle themselves down in
their seats, with book or a newspaper,
just as comfortably as if they were at
home. They act as if they had travelled ali
their lives. L have watched them on these
journeys with intense interest, because
upon these occasions they manifest the
American characteristic of self-reliance. l
have no doubt whatever that an American
woman would start tomorrow, unattended,
upon tour around the world without the
least hesitation.
The most pronounced mental Characters
tic of the American woman which have
observed is her quickness of understand
ing To me her sense of perception is re-
markable. When you tell her anything,
however complicated, she grasps the idea
at once. L hardly know how to analyze
the origin of this sense. 1t is trait very
marked in all Americans and developed TO
a degree American L
have had occasion to observe it many times.
Perhaps 1t is due to the fact that the
United States was settled by pioneers.
LOVERS OF EXERCISE.
The larger physique of the American
woman as compared with her Chinese sister
has impressed me very much. She has
beauty. stature and health. 1t is not diff
cult to find the reason for this. The Amer
lean woman loves outdoor exercise. She
can walk without fatigue; she can play
golf or row or practice on the tennis court
for hours. In America no restriction is
placed upon her movements, and what in
foreign lands would be impossible for her
is in America a perfectly proper recrea-
ton. She does all that her English sister
can do and much more. In England the
women are great pedestrians and partici-
pate in many outdoor sports. For this rea-
son the English girl is fine example OF
bodily strength. L find the same charac
teristic in the American woman
l notice, too, that very few Of the Amer
lean women are victims of ennui They are
always busy. They must have something
TO occupy their minds. If they have not
preference for outdoor exercise they ma
outlet for their energy in charitable
work or in church affairs in active par
ticipation I'm social life. Their blood does
not have time to become sluggish This
makes them breathe well and gives them
an elastic, springy step that Is TO my mind
so eminently characteristic of the American
woman. An American woman walks as
does other woman on earth. Even IN
the South the women have not the languor
which Is observable in Oriental countries,
while upon the coolest days in the North
have seen American girls walking briskly
up and down Broadway the wind bringing
the roses TO their cheeks and their ears
tingling with the frost. They actually
seemed TO enjoy the cold weather 1t ex-
hilarated them. They breathed the lnvigo-
rating air as if they loved il, and L fancy
they do.
THE ARE VERY INTERESTING.
There IS one word in the English lam
guage which, 1t seems to me, apt!y de
scribes the American woman; she is Fin
teresting." 1 do not know whether to
characterize this predominant trait as clev-
erness or intelligence. But the fact remains
that the American woman is always inter-
esting. She reads the latest novels, the
current magazines and the daily papers;
she can talk about political conventions,
pean capitals, South Africa or the far East.
She takes a broad view of the worlds
events. think that this Is because she
mingles I'm conversation with the men, not
only in her own family, but also at din
nerS, parties and other social gatherings.
She has an ambition to appear fully
cOnversant with national and international
affairs as her escort to the dinner table or
as the man who chats with her at a recep-
ton. Above all things, she does not want
to appear stupid
L ro1a NJ
that the American woman excels in CONVEX
sation. have found it an intellectual treat
TO talk to bright American girl Her view
OF life is so wholesome and frank. her ORR
ginality is so marked, her flashes of wit
are so genuine and briG ut, that her talk is
like tonic She has her own opinions
about men and things and does not hest
tate to express them. She will agree with
you IL she can, but If she holds views that
are contrary TO your own she will state
them with cOnciseness and intelligence. so
that you must admire her position even if
you cannot always accept il as correct
will not go so far as to say that the Ameri
can women love to argue, but know that
when they are engaged in argument
they usually prove a match for clever
man. have listened TO many conversations
that were far more interesting and enter
tanning TO me than anything in the way of
Tepartee | have read IN books. l do not
wonder that so many American women
have made both reputation and fortune
with their pens They write as they talk,
with ease and grace and spontaneity
that are to me marvellous
SHE LOVES TO DRESS.
But with all her desire for culture the
American woman does not forget the value
of outward appearances. She loves to
dress well. Even when blessed with only
what Americans call comfortable circum-
stances the American woman knows how.
20 be stylish and neat and attractive in
her dress, from the Western point of view.
which Is. OF course, quite different from
the costume OF the East.
I Ike, too, the sincerity and straight
fOrwardness of the American woman.
These are among her many excellent
traits.
Yet when speak of the American wom-
an 1 cannot say that there is really
prevailing type. 1t is a cOmposite-a mix
ture OF all types. She has. as L have al
ready stated. the firm and upright carriage
OF the English girl: but she has in ad-
dition, the vivacity of the French woman,
the grace Of the Spanish woman. the must
cal voice Of the Italian, and whenever il
IS necessary, the more sober spirit of the
German. The American type, therefore, is
one peculiar TO itself. IL is not a duplicate
all that is good in the types OF the world.
All the American women are not blondes:
ell are not brunettes. In height the woman
OF small stature is the exception. AS have
observed her, the average American wom-
an has a well-propOrtiOned figure. In a
nation composed the United States
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