isiest. The young men appeared
more regardful of public opinion, and looked round with solicitude, lest
they should attract too much attention. It is "girlsterousness" that dashes
straight on, regardless of all observers. Of course reformers exhibit their
full share of this undesirable quality. Where the emancipation of women is
much discussed in any circle, some young girls will put it in practice
gracefully and with dignity, others rudely. Yet even the rudeness may be
but a temporary phase, and at last end well. When women were being first
trained as physicians, years ago, I remember a young girl who came from a
Southern State to a Northern city, and attended the medical lectures.
Having secured her lecture-tickets, she also bought season-tickets to the
theatre and to the pistol-gallery, laid in a box of cigars, and began her
professional training. If she meant it as a satire on the pursuits of the
young gentlemen around her, it was not without point. But it was, I
suppose, a clear case of "girlsterousness;" and I dare say that she sowed
her wild oats much more innocently than many of her male contemporaries,
and that she has long since become a sedate matron. But I certainly cannot
commend her as a model.

Yet I must resolutely deny that any sort of hoydenishness or indecorum is
an especial characteristic of radicals, or even "provincials," as a class.
Some of the fine ladies who would be most horrified at the
"girlsterousness" of this young maiden would themselves smoke their
cigarettes in much worse company, morally speaking, than she ever
tolerated. And, so far as manners are concerned, I am bound to say that the
worst cases of rudeness and ill-breeding that have ever come to my
knowledge have not occurred in the "rural districts," or among the lower
ten thousand, but in those circles of America where the whole aim in life
might seem to be the cultivation of its elegances.

And what confirms me in the fear that the most profound and serious types
of this disease are not to be found in the wildcat regions is the fact that
so much of it is transplanted to Europe, among those who have the money to
travel. It is there described broadly as "Americanism;" and, so surely as
any peculiarly shrill group is heard coming through a European
picture-gallery, it is straightway classed by all observers as belonging to
the great Republic. If the observers are enamoured at sight with the beauty
of the young ladies of the party, th