A FEMININE DEBATE

Evening Star, Issue 11776, 5 January 1903, Page 3

A FEMININE DEBATE

Melpomene, I ought to explain, is an American girl, who invaded onr family territory last year in order that she might study us as a nation before we became overshadowed by distinguished Coronation visitors. Her first impression was that wo, in cur turn, were all busy studying America, and Melpomene felt a thrill of pride in the Stars and Stripes. At last she and I were obliged to hold a deep discussion on the American invasion, ■with the view of mutually arriving at a perfect international understanding, as private misunderstandings are sometimes more troublesome and complicated than national ones.

Melpomene likes to go, to thc root of the question, and the problem that presented itself to Ifer mind was: “ Wherein lies the cause of America's growing power and supremacy 1”

She is a great believer in the old adage “ Cherehez lea femmes,” and this she proceeded to do in her most effectual manner, and from this time every woman she met was mentally placed under a magnifying glass.

At last I ventured to ask Melpomene a very pertinent question. I had been reading a review of an American book, in which tho author described my countrywomen as " sodden and stupid,” and I began to feel myself,'as a representative of the English nation, disgraced in the eyes of Melpomene, and I realised tho time for action was at hand.

" Melpomene,” I inquired. “ do you or do you. not consider Englishwomen sodden and stupid?”

1 saw from her expression that she scented battle in thc air. She hesitated for a moment, then left her seat, crossed thc room, and sat down opposite me. “ We-agree to put all personalities out of the question?” she queried. “Agreed,” I replied, and then waited for the worst.

“No,” she began, after a pause, “not sodden or stupid: in fact, I have come to the conclusion tluit your women possess quite as much brain as our countrywomen —but nobody would ever guess it*at first sight. You generally take as much pains to hide it from the casual stranger as we do to impress him with our cleverness. You all envelop yourselves in an outer shell of very much the same pattern. You spend your years of education in acquiring this universal conventional shell, which you evidently consider perfect only when it matches all the other shells worn by the members of that particular set to which it hath pleased Providence- to call you. The whole object of an American girl s education is to bring out her individuality, and herein, I think, lies the real difference between tbe women of America mid the women of England. My first feeling each time, I visit England is that I am taking a cold shower bath. I remember on one of my visits," continued Melpomene reflectively' “ being taken by , m .V hostess to call upon a lady whose uusbtLDd s family luid owned ttc property since the clays 'of William the Conqueror. Her reception was chilling to a degree, but I thought of the shell, and kept my spirits above freezing point. Finally, she asked me, in cold, measured tones, if there were any nice people in Chicago. I said I thought wo might find a few if we had time to look for them. I believed, however, that shortly a society -was to be founded for the ‘Finding of Nice People,’' and when found their addresses would be carefully kept. I felt ” said Melpomene, •“ that I owed that parting shot to my country. The lady looked at me for a moment, then remarked : ‘ Ah, ves, a really gooa idea,’and the subject dropped, but it left a lasting impression on mv mind.”

Perhaps breathing fog for several generations has slightly overclouded our enthusiasm,” I pleaded in defence. Perhaps, allowed Melpomene, generously, though. I must say, rather hesitatingly ; “ but I am rather inclined to attribute tbe difference between our women and your women to two causes, and the first is that for generations you have been under the strict authority of the men of your family, and you are just beginning to wake up from your dream and realise that vou are independent individuals, endowed with .character and intellect just as important in their way as the character and intellect possessed bv the male sex.”

The second and, perhaps, more important point is that are are a nation of equals, and therefore almost every woman strives to be as good as and, it possible, a little better socially than her neighbor; and there is nothing so stimulating to an ambitious woman as to find that she can reach the top stratum of society with a little pluck and energy. You see, tively speaking, from the log hut to* the White House is a straight jf rather a long road ; but the travellers don’t, as a rule, buy return tickets, so that if they do take rather a long time on the journey, vhy, it does not matter very much, as when they have once arrived they will spend the rest of their natural days there. And then,” added' Melpomene, in a stage whisper, “there is always the prospect of your Dehrett or Burke. Your duke does not, as a rule, travel in vour provinces to find his duchess; but a little trip across the ocean is sometimes taken with that object, and if his wife’s dowry is the outcome of dry goods or pork-well nobody cares, and there is a convenient distance placed between their Graces and the dry goods relations; whereas it would be decidedly inconvenient if Her Grace's aunts and cousins resided at Boston or upper Tooting. “I will tell you a third reason, which is strictly private, and which I woulf, not divulge to the world at large—-we are new, you are old; we have to make our prestige, vou take yours for granted: you are like the lady whose ancestors owned the bud since the days of the Conqueror, we rrc the nouveaux riches who have just borndn the adjoining property. We think it worth while to impress the merest stranger and so gradually gain a reputation ; vou, secure in your own abstract ideas, are* totally indifferent and careless of his opinions.” “Have you quite finished';” I asked Melpomene.

Quite, thank you, and quite ready to hear the case for the other side,” she replied. "As a nation, your women take themselves too seriously,” I began. I 11 is , 111(1 only way to make other people take them seriously, ’ Melpomene icmarked. True, I replied; “the world generally allows individuals (be value they set upon themselves. But to return to our point, ion are all very young, you beloim to a. young country, and it is the rule of excessive youth to take itself very seriously, xou often make me smile. Melpomene.” Please don't mention it; I am glad to be of any sendee,” she replied. “You place yourself on pedestals, and expect the world to listen to your words of wisdom.” “The world would not be able to hear them if we whispered them in the back parlor.” remarked Melpomene. It is not the place I am objecting to, r.or yet the words of wisdom. I am trying to point out that you take for granted that the world wants to hear you,” I said, quietly. “ I see,” replied Melpomene, thoughtfully, “ the world need not listen if it does not want to. We just climb the pedestal and gite it a chance, and we generally find it stops and listens. Just you try it; it is lots of fun.” u ? b T o, thank you.” I , replied severely. “We arc not accustomed lo climbinv nedestals." ” 1 Ono ought really to begin very young to do it successfully.” she remarked. “In our country we begin as soon as we can. talk, and we find our parents stop to listen m order to prenare us for our larger audiences in later life.” Then before we can attain a successful career we must begin to educate our parents,” I replied. At last we have discovered the cause of America s growing power and supremacy,” exclaimed Melpomene. “It is the success--I'ul education of our parents.”—‘ Daily Mail.’