Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-09
WHAT IS THE MATTER
WITH THE MODERN GIRL?
Inc Onlet Indictment Against Her Is That She Is
Too Much Interested in Boys, as if
This Were New Vagarv

lD you ever read George AIDES The
Girl Proposition'?" 1 asked Doctor
McFabre as he settled himself comfort.
ably In the Gloucester hammock on my
piazza
Ihe genial clergyman is particularly
FOND OF Gloucester hammock. He can
lie In 1t without fear of falling out. He
can never get over his wonder that the
New Englanders, whom he always thinks
OF as ascetio Puritans, ever thought Of
inventing such an admirable convenience
for loafing In the shade He is not the
only man west OF the Berkshires who
forgets that New Englanders have long
been fond Of creature comforts. They
make pie in other parts Of the world,
but 1t is pie in name only. The early
New Englanders built their houses with
low ceilings, but their pies are high stud.
ded, with the ample spaces between the
two crusts filed with delicious fruit or
mincemeat properly seasoned.
When he had adjusted the pillow, 70
his satisfaction Doctor McFabre re.
marked that he was not familiar with Mr..
AIDES views on girls, but that he had
some OF his own.
"I do not know what to think Of the
modern girl" he said. "she never seems
to have a serious thought. She is inter.
ested In dress and in parties and in boys
II Is almost impossible to get the girls in
my church to do anything. II I mako a
party OF 1t and give them q chance to
get the boys to work with them. they will
respond. But do not like to have re
ligious work done In such a way"
Terrible, isn't it2" said with a smile
You needn't laugh. 1t is most trying
Did 1t ever occur to you that It woult
be still more trying II 1t were not so? J
suppose 1t has always been so and alwayl
will be so. Back Of all the interest Of tn,
girls in boys and parties and dress is
fundamental instinct. It is the externa
evidence Of an internal stirring Of thai
emotion which builds homes and safe
guards the future for the race"
Perhaps so; but II is most trying"
ut might not be so trying doctor, 1
you would attempt TO recall what yol
thought and did when you were seventeen
or eighteen years old. Didn't you hav,
sentimental adventures then?" I asked.
YES" he admitted reluctantly ant
after moment his face grew tender ant
he added: God bless her, married her
too"
There you are" said I. "And o
course she turned out all right"
| OI1.
Lady, exercising the privileges of uncon
ventlonal intimacy with our guest an
me. She had Just come out Of the house
Don't disturb yourself" she said to tn
clergyman as he started to get out of tn
hammock.
I'VE were talking Of modern girls"
explained; "and I was suggesting a con
parison of them with those of Docto
McFabre's youth, which was not so man
years ago that It is difficult for him I
recall them"
'T have often wondered that cam
through that trying period without di
aster." she confessed.
But you did"
what were you going to say abor
: Ade's book about girls7" the doctc
wanted to know.
7 Nothing, except to remark that Mr.
| Rinehart has written a book from a dI
i ferent point Of view. She has drawn
portrait Of a seventeen-year-old girl thr
is so true to life that It ought to be r
assuring to parents who have forgotte
that they were young once"