Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-02
French Traits
Our Women Might Adopt.


1t is said that American women ara.
adaptable.
This is no doubt true of them So far
as their ability to make themselves at
home in all places and lands consists
Nor is there woman on earth who
remains more essentially herself when
away from her native land than the
American.
In Europe | have met many of my
compatriots who have lived for long pc
RODS of years abroad. Among them all
| saw but one who had acquired the
least Sembance of maunerisms which
were foreign.
And this CHANGED to he one who had
been but brief time, comparatively
speaking. away from her native Amcrf-
can home
One young woman, who had lived
| twelve years in Germany and two in
France. | would have recognized as an
American in any part Of the wcrd.
Voice. manner walk, all declared her
nativity
Still another, who has lived abroad
fourteen years. and another twelve. and
another ten, remain absolutely typical
Americans.
The French woman in America is
equally diStlnguiShable. | think.
1t is Il matter of temperament and in
| heritance, and can never he changed.
l have known German. Dutch and
Morse women to lose their identity after
many years in America and to become
absolute Americans,
| have yet to see the French or the
American woman who has been so alb
s0rbed by her environment in strange
lands
Especially impossible. it seems. for any
one with Latin blood to be anything but
Latin to the end
Admirable as | lind my own country
women always can see where they
would be benefited 10y u blending of
some of the qualities of the French
women.
Many cultured Frenchmen are a&2res-
sive and brusque, but | have never seen
Il French woman of the better classes to
whom these adjjectives could be applied.
There is a certain indefinite Softncss
and repose about her which is charming.
However YlYaclous she may he. vet one
feels this peculiar quality of mental re-
pose.
She is, too, surrounded by an aminble
aura.
With most all American women one
feels Il certain alerness in their atmos-
phere, as if they were waiting for TIA,
moment when they were to 20 forth and
do things.
You are conscious that they are busy
women, even in their leisure hours.
The French woman, on the contrary,
impresses you that she is simply expect
ing things to happen. She is not seek
ing events; they will seek her.
You do not feel that she is pressed for
time or that she is wearing herself ont
in the search for knowledge or pleasure
The law applies to the French lady
who calls upon you and to the little mil
liner. who brings your hat. She has time
to aid You in adjusting it. and 10 say
many polite things about its becoming
ness.
She may not be always sincere. One
does not feel sincerity in the air of
France. But one does feel the rcstfuiness
of the French mind. its polite tolerance
Of what it does not like and its absence
of obtrusive curiosity.
All these qualities the American Wom-
an might emulate while she maintained
her native sincerity.
Our young country has much 70 learn
from older worlds 1t ought to select
whatever is admirable. and adopt it as
its own. while noticing the faults. to
avoid them
Just as an American when abroad So
lccts the art treasures or tue costumes
which viii embeliSh her home and per
son. and leave the things which would
be uusuited for her purposes so she
should select the qualities and habit,
which might add to her attractions.
\ little more rcpoSe, little more ap-
probation of what is not American.
little more modesty about vaunting ones
own in public little less criticism Of
other countries. little more attention to
the manner Of expression and the timber
Of v0ce-tbese are some of the things
which would improve the American
woman traveller. and yet leave her. as
she should be, distinctly American.
For to lose her native individuality
would he the greatest 0f all calamitieS,
Ella Wheeler Wilcox I'D Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin