The New York herald., 1921-11-13

Special Cable TO THE New YogK HERALD.
Copyright, 1891, by THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London. Nov. 12.
Friendships among American women
constitute one Of their most striking
characteristics, when differentiate
them not only from their English sis
ters, but from the women of all coun-
tries, according to an anonymous cor
respondent writing in the London
Times on the national traits of the
American woman, who has come in
for much discussion here lately by ar
lists and writer's.
On the whole, the writer likes Amer
lean women and has some very kindly
and flattering things to say about the
New England woman. Travellers
abroad" he writes, cannot have failed
to notice little groups of middle aged
American women travelling about
around the world enjoying themselves
to the full. Very often the party Is
composed Of four or six friends who
have known each other since their
schoolgirl days.
Loss Of Compn nnfonships.
TN England the companions of our
youth slip away, and it Is impossible to
imagine little group of English women
between the ages of 40 and 60 setting
out to travel together for months. Few
would have the means to do SO, and had
they the means they would not have the
opportunity of cutting themselves adrift
from the ties of home. And 1t is safe to
say that few would return on the same
friendly footing on which they set out
But American feminine friendships hold
more enduringly
Luncheon parties at which men are
never present take place from choice as
well as necessity, for American women
really enjoy the society Of other women
just as much as that of men.
although she puts up a brave show
outwardy with her intense refinement
of face and form, her exquisite taste In
dress, her wealth and Jewels her mind
is essentially simple. Beneath her trap
pings she Is a very kind, very hospitable.
very friendly creature. often childishly
unreserved and childishly inexperienced.
inclined toward conventionality, but
brimming with beliefs in American
ideals.
The New England Type.
Undoubtedly the finest types are pro-
duced In New England ard the South.
The New Englander has what the
wealthy newcomer does not possess
Puritan traditions, which produce stead
mess Of virtue and an outlook almost
disconcerting to the European. She
brings to life great simplicity and great
serenity. Her whole being seems an
chored In some calm sea whose clear
surface reflects only what Is pure. gra-
cious and of good repute.
Mentally she seems far removed from
the unpleasant and difficult problems of
life. Her thoughts turn to the good
things of the world, both material and
intellectual. This makes her mind a
kind Of non-conductor to what Is hard
and painful If she sometimes lacks
the larger sympathy which springs from
contact with suffering humanity she
gives forth very unfaltering content
ment. Her nature is sngularly un-
clouded. Almost 1t seems at the moment
as too pure, rejecting instead of assimi-
lating the froth Of life. When her exist
ence is sufficiently sheltered she is able
to make herself impregnable to certain
phenomena.
The writer says that American women
have not had time to develop within
themselves the main traits OF a national
type, but there exists among the leisured
class, which he says means the enor-
mously wealthy class, some unifyina
characteristics which separate them
widely from the women of northern
western and southern Europe.
principles, indeed" he continues
govern her life and conduct to an
amazing extent and in these she is for
! tilted by the extraordinary idealistic
opinion of herself held by the American
man."