The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1907-12-21

Idiu VIC OfCt IDC " 800
known as an author. Among her first lit
erary work may be mentioned her trans
lation of Pierre LOFTS Iceland Fisher
man." which was praised by, the critics
In 1884 appeared her first novel, THE Saw
dust DOLL" dealing with society in New
port and New York. 1t went through ten
editions and was republished in England
n India. Her novel, by the Waters of
Babylon was also a distinct success
The liberty of American women has
become SO universally accepted a fact
comparison to the older nations.
The puritan idea has become at
last transmitted, through the light and
luxury of wealth and the diffused in
1uence of widely scattered location,
into a basis of fine responsibility and
a finer courage. From Virginia and
the more southern states we have a
fluent charm, a soft womanliness and
grace both lOvable and admirable, but
regrettably lessening with the disap-
pearance of the characteristic life of
the south.
1t is too early to attempt an analysis
Of the western idea of American wom-
anhood, for the west, from Cleveland
and Chicago outward, Is but a system
Of eastern colonies with only n gen.
oral and determining condition, and
that is liberty, under which individual
traits, traditions and tendencies find
their full opportunity of development.
These various ideas, historical as
well as local, in their origin have pro-
duced the types of women thus largely
indicated in our country. Profoundly
felt and almost universally operative,
beneath these varying influences, re-
mains the Old-wOrld Orientalism that
women should be first charming, again
charming and always charming. Char
acter,. logic, reason and other stern
requirements of life are for the most
part left to develop in some mysteri-
Gus way, INTENDED.
The d%esirability of a thorough col
legiate education is as a rule not ac-
cepted voluntarily by the solvent por-
ton of our national community. The
female universities are demanded by
the future breadwinners among wom-
en- and supported by them. This is an
almost universal fact end it has a
double significance. 1t is at once a
promise and a reproach. In plain
words, the American girl is superb
cially educated except when she is
compelled to earn her own living.
There is a shallowness of foresight so
universal, a deficiency of logic so Sc
rious and so ominous in this certainly
universal inclination on the part or
American parents that one may well
stop and inquire it's reason.
In a certain celebrated essay by
SchOpenhauer, an essay as acrlmonl'
Gus as it is profound, he remarks upon
the universal jealousy between all
women as m Jealousy among
men, he insists, is largely professional,
when it is not intensely personal from
particular emotional impulse. The
male will fight for his chosen mate as
long as the race continues; but watch
a pretty woman, says this philosopher,
as she walks the street and see the
chances cast upon her by the women
she crosses in her path. They are the
glances of the Guelph and the Ghlbel-
line. The jealousy is as universal as
the sex, likewise professional, in the
sense that women'S only profession is
to please the men, their masters. He
goes further and with a Savage bitter
ness declares that the libery of women
is a monstrous idea, German-Chr1stlan
in it's origin, which is the curse OF
Europe. He advises the restoration OF
the feminine seclusion of the middle
ages and lauds the institution OF the
| harem. which he insists would ehml-
nate vice and all the dangers whicn
beset homogeneous civilizations. n
is indeed a vivid expression OF the
idea of woman and her proper func-
| ton and limitation. But his d is
| only too prevalent at the present
| time. even in America, the last outpost
| of European civilization. The I1nger'
ing proof of this deep-lying preJuolce
| is shown in it's application to the edu'
| cation of American women. me con
clusion derived from the prejudice is
| ineyitable-it is dangerous to be cieV'
er. Such a reputation may be a Tor
| midable handicap in the race for nap
| piness. if a woman's. happiness is IN
| the hands of man. 1t is idle to deny
| that this is so. And here we have the
| reason why the daughters OF the ricn
| are guarded from any such peril, why
| beauty and charm. gentleness, good
ness and submissiyeness are the quar-
| tiles which clothe a young mans fancy
and dictate the choice OF a wife.
The question now is pertinent. Does
a cultivated mind, with its INFINITELY
various resources, detract IRON
charm? Does a trained logic, with Its
innumerabIe applications to the prob
lens of life destroy it? 1t is aston
fishing that the reasoning masculine
mind for these centuries should nave
persisted in the conclusion that the
do. The slightest hint of rivalry U
the male intelligence is destructive t
\ budding predictions and a-giimps'
Of blue above a slipper perliou
than a whisper of a b~ifurcation.