Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-13


known among Europe's peasantry.
"Of course, I am not saying that every
woman who arrives here has an American
idea in her head. Thousands haven't-but
the various ways in which the different
nationalties take their first lessons in
Americanism are interesting.
She is Used to Carrying.
'sThe women always land carrying the
baggage and with their children Juggling at
their skirts. The men are empty-handed.
1t is the reverse when they leave. We take
the baggage away from the women and
hand 1t to the men. with instructions for
them to carry it. The woman looks on In
dumb amazement for an instant: then. II
she Is Italian. she makes a dive for the
family bundles; she doesn't seem to want
to burden her husband. or else is afraid to
intrust the belongings to him. And when
we prevent her from securing the baggage
and tell her that men carry the burdens in
America. and start them toward the pier.
she follows her liege lord with an air which
seems to say: Well. that's your way, but
know my husband, and you don't. and i m
going to keep sharp eye on that bundle
."On the other hand. the woman from
northern Europe seems to grasp the idea
at once. At any rate I've seen many
German or Scandinavian mother smile
gratefully when she was relieved of her
bundles and beheld them placed in the
hands of her hulkfng and dazed husband.
And from the new light in her eyes verify
believe that her emancipation began at
that moment.
New Clothes All Ready.
"Still another new idea 10 furnished by
women relatives who have preceded the
newcomers here by several years They
appear at the island with bundles under their
arms and wait patiently until the new
| corners are passed Then they make dive
| for them. surround them. chatter like mag
| pies while they are opening the packages,
and the next moment the immigrants are
| stripping off their old garb and arrayinS
themselves in Yankee shirt waist suits and
street costumes. Yes indeed; and they
| don't take time to go into the room which
| we have provided for such exigencies. You
| can see them making their lightning toilets
| in the corridors, In front of the station and
| even on the pier while waiting for the boat.
| And it is remarkable how expeditiously
| they make the change and with what little
| display of their persons. Really. you'd
scarcely know they were undressing in pub
| lie IL you didn't catch the fash of an old
world style of skirt as 1t sailed over it's
| owners head to make way for the new
world one.
Our Ideas Prevail.
THE Italian woman is especially adept
| and also the one most likely to be met with
| relatives bringing a new wardrobe Some
times she Is quite loath to don it. and no
wonder. Perhaps only few hours before
she squatted unconcernedly down on a
steamship pier the moment she landed.
opened her baggage. and. partially screened
! by group of Sympathetic fellow-passen-
gers carefully and with much pride arrayed
herself for the ordeal at the island in the
finery that she displayed the day she was
married-even to her stockings, If she wore
any Naturally. she rebels at the dictum
of her Arnericanized relatives. especially
when she recalls the look that her To-
masso gave her when he beheld her issuing
| in all her wedding glory from the midst of
| the shielding circle But eventually the
! American idea prevails. and off comes the
| wedding gown and on goes the pique shirt
waist and the short walking skirt.
No. none of them seem to have any idea
about womans suffrage. But the average
| American woman doesn't, either. does she ?
| And you don't have to want to vote to be
| a new woman do yu? What?"