The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-03-23

S@ fiNGIRiNsA&N WCIAIlIS.
There is a complaint that the voices
of American women are becoming too
shrill and harsh, Some one has taken
the trouble to contrast feminine tones
in this country with those of other ma
tons, and the verdict is said to be
against us. Our attention is scaIsd to
the rich and musical voices Of the Wo-
men in England, to the soft and sibi-
liant utterances Of our sisters in
France, to the low and pleasing Whis-
pers Of the quaint little girls fn Japan.
Nowhere, except in the United States,
says the Indictment. is there such. a
strident tone Or voice SO coarse and
loud. &yffsFYt%,,4. 4ae5s 4; 'fa.t ~
From time iinrnemorial a. low and
musical voice has been accounted one
of the feminine charms. When
Shakespeare made King Lear say OF
Cordelia: ~ vtss. p
Her voice was ever soft, ses. Legs
Gentle and low, an excellent thing In
woman" .>5..s,1 VI +
he simply expressed the sentiment Of
all mankind evef since Eve conversed
with Adam IN athe Garden of Eden.
Now, the question Is, are the American
women outside the charmed circle?
Are they Of the parrot and peacock
class, rich in attire and altogether fair
to look upon until they open their dear
lips? No one, We may urge, will be
SO ungallant, not to say unpatriotic, as
to answer in the, affirmative. Every
one knows that absa sewing society or
an afternoon tea, where many women
are gathered together, there are nc
high and penetrating tones, but only a
soft and mellifiuous murmur. With
the exception OF a. slight nasal tWang in
New England ana more or less rau.
cous quality I'm the west, the American
wornan's voice is gentle, soft and low
falling upon the ear like music, well
come and grateful. This is particulars
ly true of southern women, whose rich
well-modulated voices are proverbially
delightful to hear. Perhaps this south
ern accent is due to Cavalier ancestry;
perhaps 1t is the fortunate outcome OF
favorable climatic conditions. What
ever the reason, the fact remains that
the voices of southern women do not
rasp our nerves or make our ears tingae
with discordant sounds. -@
In many of the best feminine schools
to-day the culture of the voice Is con.
sidered not the least essential factor III
the perfect education. The woman who
can converse so as to delight the ear
may lack other charms, and yet she
will not be compelled to occupy a cor
ner in loneliness. If she knows how to
use her voice effectively, she will moi
humble in indistinet whispers or fiji
the air with penetrating sound, neither
will she continue a tiresome monotone
upon an unchanging key. If she does
not know the value of a beautiful voice
she will make life a burden to al
around her. Her sharp and strident
tones, metallic in their lack of reso.
nancy, will strike the auditory nerve
with brutal force and stir the resentful
blood. There are American womer
who come within this category, but
they are only encountered in foreign
lands, where their high, shrilI pitch Ii
said by envious minds to be an instant
index to their nationality. There Ii
nothing of that kind in this country
May our right hand fail us If we know
any vocal chords that are not roun6
and full any tones that are not rich