Year: 1876

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RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.


American women are much to blame
for this insolence. At home they are
accustomed to public admiration and
tens Of thousands of them 20 on the
streets on purpose to attract it.
have many time seen a car full of
men thrown into flutter by a girl
who stepped in, with all her airs and
graces, and glances, challenging their
admiration as plainly as if she had
spoken and asked them to behold and
consider her. charms. All over our
land young women may be seen by the
hundred, behaving like children play
ing with nitro-glycerine; and public
sentiment demands that the glycerine
shall not publicly explode. 1t is not
50 here and one who, through igno.
rance or intention, applies a match to
can of powder, is certain to get her
face burned. It is the women, not the
men, of whom circumspection is
expected.


The boy, from Is or Is, until death,
has unlimited license and to preserve
any social purity, the girl must be
held to strict account. She may not
meet any man not a member of the
family, alone in her fathers drawing.
room. Even her betrothed lover is
not permitted to meet her, except in
the presence of her parents or a chap
erone and German father no more
thinks of intrusting his daughter to
the care of one of his friends than a
shepherd does of sending a wolf to see
his lamb safely home.


Girls can go alone to theatre, opera,
or concert, but never with a beaux.
If one is out in the evening, a maid
servant can see her home with safety
and propriety; but the young gentle.
man of the house where she may be
visiting stays at home, if he is there,
which is not likely, as the men spend
their evenings together, and the WON.
en- stay with the children. So Ger
man young lady is taught to regard all
men as beasts of prey, and to be more
afraid of them than tigers. while in
our country we act on the assumption
that all men, except tramps, are the
natural protectors Of women, and in
this national difference makes a differ.
ence in the manners of our girls,
which the men have mistaken; but l
do not think they are more likely than
other men seriously to molest women
whom they understand to be respect.
able.


Az that an American girl needs do,
therefore, in order to make it safe to
come to Lipzig to study, is to be sure
that it is study she comes for; to be
quite certain that she has no lurking
desire to tamper with dangers; to
know and feel that any man she meets
here will be likely to insult her and
assault her if he can find an excuse for
so doing and then be sure she gives
no such excuse by snowy dress, side.
long glances, or any desire in her heart
to attract attention. If the desire is
in the heart it will manifest itself, and
she will get more than she wanted.
do not think that any behaviour,
age, or social position could protect
any woman here from small insults,
such rs being jostled on the street by
one or two fellows, who will show
their intention by speaking to each
other as they approach or after they
pass, and having a laugh over it. l
saw the wife of our consul-one of
the most elegant women l have seen
in q year--jostled, in this way, on one
of the most public streets on Sabbath
afternoon, Oh her way to church; and
she spoke of it as common occur.
renee in the experience of German
ladies. I have been crowded off the
pavement several times when there
was no excuse in any real want OF
room. The men walk straight on,
with an air as if they would as lief as
not walk over one and the women
get out of their way, except those who
are pulling wagons; with or without
the aid of dog or donkey, and they
hold their own with men and horses
with wonderful courage.


There are very decided musical adj
vantages in Leipzig; and girl who is
desperately in earnest in the study OF
music can afford to bear a good deal OF
small impertinence, such as is unavoid
able, and, by proper precautions, can
escape personal assault. But let al
patriots aid the project of establishing
a National musical centre, second tC
none in the world. l see no reason
why this may not be done inside OF
five years, and 1t ought to be done ir
less than two.