meeting on a
public question. They are also good writers. Such women as Mrs. Ella
Wheeler Wilcox, Mrs. Mary N. Foote Henderson, Mrs. Elizabeth Towne and
many others, are a great credit to their sex. The writings of such
women show their profound insight and wide culture. Naturally such
women cannot be expected to play second fiddle. They exercise great
influence, and when married "they rule the roost". It should be
mentioned that their husbands submit willingly to their tactful rule,
and gladly obey their commands without feeling that they are servants.
I would advise any married woman who complains of her husband being
unruly and unpleasant to take a lesson from the ladies of America.
They are vivacious, bright, loquacious and less reserved than European
ladies. In social functions they can be easily recognized. If,
however, an American lady marries a foreigner and lives abroad, she
soon loses her national characteristics. Once on board a steamer I had
an American lady as a fellow passenger; from her reserved manner I
mistook her for an English lady, and it was only after some days that I
discovered she was born in America, but that she had been living in
England for many years with her English husband.

There is one fault I find with American women, if it can be so called,
and that is their inquisitiveness; I know that this is a common fault
with all women, but it is most conspicuous in the Americans. They have
the knack of finding out things without your being aware of it, and if
they should want to know your history they will learn all about it
after a few minutes' conversation. They are good detectives, and I
think they should be employed in that line more than they are.

A nation's reputation depends upon the general character of its women,
for they form at least half, if not more, of the population. In this
respect America stands high, for the American woman is lively,
open-hearted and ingenuous; she is also fearless, independent, and is
almost without restraint. She is easily accessible to high and low,
and friendly to all, but woe to the man who should misunderstand the
pure and high character of an American girl, and attempt to take
liberties with her. To a stranger, and especially to an Oriental, she
is a puzzle. Some years ago I had to disabuse a false notion of a
countryman of mine respecting a lady's behavior toward him. The keen
observer will find that the American girl, having been educ