The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22


ment from the subject OF Paris
IL fashions. feel very strongly
about the criticisms recently
printed Oh the subject Of American girls
who study music and painting abroad.
because I have many warm friends
among American students in Paris. But
II Is not because of any personal feeling
that I am taking the liberty OF giving
m opinion on such a serious subject; II
In because / have personal knowledge
OF the conditions which very often lead
90 grave Observation-Disclosures and give
cause for unpleasant misrepresenta-
tons.
Again and again In my own student
career I found myself faced with the
fact that American girls rs a body failed
TO realize the immense difference which
exists between their own traditions.
education and training and the tradi-
tons Of French. Spanish. even German.
male students. Over and over again
have met charming American girls who
have openly scoffed at the ridiculous
IDEAS of Frenchnen Of all ages with
regard to the "jeuno file" And admit
that these ideas from the viewpoint of
enlightened America are ridiculous.
Nevertheless they exist: they have al
ways existed: they will long continue to
exist.
II would be well for any of my readers
who are interested in this matter to
read short story by Paul Bourget
called "Autre Anglalse." Rourget knows
the English and the American jeune
lille as well as any foreigner can ever
hope to know them. lie is, as you
know. close friend of your own Henry
James; he has all his life been accus-
TONED 10 associating with English and
american girls and women. And yet In
this clever little story Rourget expresses
what all Frenchmen really feel-tle i'm
possibility Of understanding the English
and American standpoint with regard
tn unmarried girls.
Tie practically says that his intelli-
Eence realizes that boys and girls can
he on intimate terms. that they can in
Tact be real comrades. but that he him
SELF. as "a frenchnian. finds II impossible
10 accept such an idea. And this is true
OF all Frenchnen. Of all Spaniards and
Of many Germans
II is specially In Paris that American
girl students give cause for unpleasant
gossip by their free. perfectly innocent.
manners and customs. give you an
example which recently came directly
under my own notice.
relatlVe OF mine was staying at q
pension In the Etoile quarter In which
there were a number of American girls
who were studying music Some Of
these girls were quite young, II or IL
at most. Nearly all OF them received
their young friends, male as we'll as
female. in their bedrooms. In the same
pension there were several Frenchmen
and two or three Italians. The remarks
or these men in the smoking room on
Inc subject of the girl students were
soomlnable, and yet in a certain sense
they were justified because for a
French or Spanish girl such conduct
would be inconceivable.
These young girls almost without ey.
ception had latch keys and came in
alone quite late at night. Here again
FOR the foreigners the position was cx-
traordinary. asked a charming old lady
from Boston If such very free conduct
was usual in the United States and
she said. No: certainly not" She went
on TO say, and this know to ne true.
that American girls abroad carry their
IDEAS OF liberty to the point OF exag-
seration; that they rather glory in
shocking those absurd foreigners" and
insist that II an action IL in itself really
harmless 1t does not matter what IL
looked like.
This IL a grave mistake. 'sThcy saw"
plays an important role in the comedy
or life and where the leune file Is con.
cerned II ought to be RI gardod seriously
II Is thousand pities TO convey an
utterly false impression: II IN quite use-
less to expect that the average Partisan
Will find il possible to understand a
position which remains puzzle to such
an enlightened artist as Bourget
The weather AT Monte Carlo con-
tinues to be experimentation sun
shine every day and gay crowds on all
sizes. In the famous Casino there has
been no really sensational play SO far
this season. one evening a stolid look
ing Russian won "A onsldera bile sum at
roulette; in fact he managed TO break
the bank just before rooms closed. This
achievement sounds very wonderful but
In reality II does not attract much
attention. Nothing happens except that
an attendant is quietly ordered to bring
In fresh supply of money for that
particular liable. The roulette wheel In
not stopped, everything goes on az
usual, but those who understand tho
little ways OF the Casino arc aware
that the bank has lost more money
than II had been prepared to lose and
'hat fresh supplies had been com
handed
pretty English girl made a nice
httlo coup one afternoon. II was her
nrst visit to the Casino and she boldly
placed golden twenty franc piece on
H. The number turned UP and she
won thirty-ive times her stake. with
amazing self-contro she picked up her
winnings and at once put twenty
tiane piece on 3l-her lucky IL re-
versed, Once again she won. and az
she thrust the gold pieces into her
smart little sack heard her say to her
escort, who looked like an indulRept
uncle.
Let us skip out and buy that lovely
little blue gown we were looking at this
morning"
In the Cercle Priye, TO which the ell
trance Tee Is 100 francs for the season
and 80 francs for a month very lovely
gowns are tn be seen. The latest crea.
tons of the best known Partisan Dress
makers are worn by beautiful, women
OF MANY hatlonaiitics, The show of
Jewels IL superb