American Women Abroad

Iít-v. Ur. Osgouíl iu tiio New York Poet. 1 conítss, Iiowcver, íhiit our Amcr.cnu womcn iu Europo a peared lo 1110 on the whole chcetul - especially thoso at housekccpiaíj with thuíl families - aud per haps fir a very cotumotiplaeo reason. The plague of sorvants is compaiutively a mild walady on tho Continent, and our fi onda seciii to be nblo to comnmnd such service a3 tiey want. Piobably the democratie tpirit that has doi)C so much to unsetl'.e Jiutopean socie'y and bre&k up tíi8 oíd feudal ties between masten and servaots has thus far belpcd our amcrican families abroad, by transferring to their hauds and ready pay the services tliat used to wait inainly upon titlcd personages. Moiicy witli moderate refioernent s now becouiiug aiiittooraoj, and fervants are to be hud 11 Jíurope for fair pny. Ladics Lavo told me tljat words can not exaggerato tbe comforts of having servauls wlio ore thoroughly trained to their work and dir-pjsed to do H well, and with a whole8 une sense of the faot that others are ready to fill tbeir places. Here i ti America it is not so, and sometimes scven dinntra in ene wcek are ppoiltíd by as many cooks in turn, who agree as much o exorbitant demanda for wages as they difier in the rare variety of the ir waste and wickedness. French people, indeed, compliiiu of tho present race of mercenaiy servante, atd of ths decliue of the oíd feudal reverence, very much as our Southern neigbhors coruplain of their changed household service. They say that it is not safe for the parlorto listen to what is said in the kitcheD, and that tbere is alwnys discontent with WBges, and sbarp criticism of the manners and tampcr of the bousehold dignities. But they also Fay that some of the old nuiaaocea bav vsnished ; 1 bat the roguish valet and ihn intriguing lady's maid have ceased to be eharaeters of French society, nnd their places have been taken by loss romantic and less datigerous ser vi tors. It has been, and is now, apparently tho aiin of fome Anierioan women to go abroad to find husbandp, citherfor theraselvcs or their daughters, po tUat the whole subject bas assumed Pcrious importanoe, and probably ;it l'ais very hour there are eenres, perhaps hundreds, of American girls abioad who are thinking of tho matter for themsolves, with an eyo to a direct spplicant for their hand. VTe know very vell that good matches a'e eomotimes made thero, and tbat Goimaü., and even Frenchmen and Itaüans, have made good husbands to our datightcrs. Eut the chsnees are quite the other wny, and the differente of birth and mannerg is apt to bo a root of discerd. There is a cüiTerenca in th very stai'ting idea of tho marriage relatioii betwteu the two worlds, aud au American woniau can not expeet to find in a foruigti busband the same thorough j recognitiou of her asserted cqurKfji iu men. In one respect, thera ia ffenerally no mincing the matter on the part of tho European lover. He goes at once to bu-iness, and before he niakes open loye to tbe daughter lie puls tho matter of money to the futher, and fiada out preeisely what he may cspect. This is not a charmiug aspect of tbe loro relatíon to our American visión ; for we tako it for grantcd that a man ought to marry mninly for loye, while we do not objeot to haviog a liitlo ruouey tlirown into the )argain, f it happens to be conveniont. Ve have what wo oall tho American system on thia subject, and it is the best fystem with all due wisdom iu carrying t out. It eeems to keep lts place with our best American families iu Europe, aud I was grcatly pleased, in Paris, to icar a fine giii who had been asked in aarriage by an Italian JPrinca on cerain financial conditions within her ability say that sho was wholly American on that point - American, I think 6he said, "to the backbone ;" a very memortibie comparison in oase of one vvhose vertobrsc were so prettily strung together and gracefully poised as hors. Bha meaiit to s:iy that kIio should marry a nan who loved her and whoui fhe loved, and sbe was not in tho market for a bid, aud that iheir Frinco tnight go to his owu sulphur estáte, or down lower, be 'ore ho could have her or her money.