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If I remember； we were then thirteen days getting to Liverpool； and
made the acquaintance on board of the people with whom we travelled
during most of that winter。 Imagine anyone now making an
acquaintance on board a steamer！ In those simple days people
depended on the friendships made at summer hotels or boarding…
houses for their visiting list。 At present； when a girl comes out；
her mother presents her to everybody she will be likely to know if
she were to live a century。 In the seventies； ladies cheerfully
shared their state…rooms with women they did not know； and often
became friends in consequence； but now； unless a certain deck…suite
can be secured； with bath and sitting…room； on one or two
particular 〃steamers；〃 the great lady is in despair。 Yet our
mothers were quite as refined as the present generation； only they
took life simply； as they found it。
Children are now taken abroad so young； that before they have
reached an age to appreciate what they see； Europe has become to
them a twice…told tale。 So true is this； that a receipt for making
children good Americans is to bring them up abroad。 Once they get
back here it is hard to entice them away again。
With each improvement in the speed of our steamers； something of
the glamour of Europe vanishes。 The crowds that yearly rush across
see and appreciate less in a lifetime than our parents did in their
one tour abroad。 A good lady of my acquaintance was complaining
recently how much Paris bored her。
〃What can you do to pass the time？〃 she asked。 I innocently
answered that I knew nothing so entrancing as long mornings passed
at the Louvre。
〃Oh； yes； I do that too；〃 she replied； 〃but I like the 'Bon Marche'
best！〃
A trip abroad has become a purely social function to a large number
of wealthy Americans； including 〃presentation〃 in London and a
winter in Rome or Cairo。 And just as a 〃smart〃 Englishman is sure
to tell you that he has never visited the 〃Tower；〃 it has become
good form to ignore the sight…seeing side of Europe； hundreds of
New Yorkers never seeing anything of Paris beyond the Rue de la
Paix and the Bois。 They would as soon think of going to Cluny or
St。 Denis as of visiting the museum in our park！
Such people go to Fontainebleau because they are buying furniture；
and they wish to see the best models。 They go to Versailles on the
coach and 〃do〃 the Palace during the half…hour before luncheon。
Beyond that； enthusiasm rarely carries them。 As soon as they have
settled themselves at the Bristol or the Rhin begins the endless
treadmill of leaving cards on all the people just seen at home； and
whom they will meet again in a couple of months at Newport or Bar
Harbor。 This duty and the all…entrancing occupation of getting
clothes fills up every spare hour。 Indeed； clothes seem to pervade
the air of Paris in May； the conversation rarely deviating from
them。 If you meet a lady you know looking ill； and ask the cause；
it generally turns out to be 〃four hours a day standing to be
fitted。〃 Incredible as it may seem； I have been told of one plain
maiden lady； who makes a trip across； spring and autumn； with the
sole object of getting her two yearly outfits。
Remembering the hundreds of cultivated people whose dream in life
（often unrealized from lack of means） has been to go abroad and
visit the scenes their reading has made familiar； and knowing what
such a trip would mean to them； and how it would be looked back
upon during the rest of an obscure life； I felt it almost a duty to
〃suppress〃 a wealthy female （doubtless an American cousin of Lady
Midas） when she informed me； the other day； that decidedly she
would not go abroad this spring。
〃It is not necessary。 Worth has my measures！〃
CHAPTER 4 … The Outer and the Inner Woman
IT is a sad commentary on our boasted civilization that cases of
shoplifting occur more and more frequently each year； in which the
delinquents are women of education and refinement； or at least
belong to families and occupy positions in which one would expect
to find those qualities！ The reason； however； is not difficult to
discover。
In the wake of our hasty and immature prosperity has come （as it
does to all suddenly enriched societies） a love of ostentation； a
desire to dazzle the crowd by displays of luxury and rich trappings
indicative of crude and vulgar standards。 The newly acquired
money； instead of being expended for solid comforts or articles
which would afford lasting satisfaction； is lavished on what can be
worn in public； or the outer shell of display； while the home table
and fireside belongings are neglected。 A glance around our
theatres； or at the men and women in our crowded thoroughfares； is
sufficient to reveal to even a casual observer that the mania for
fine clothes and what is costly； PER SE； has become the besetting
sin of our day and our land。
The tone of most of the papers and of our theatrical advertisements
reflects this feeling。 The amount of money expended for a work of
art or a new building is mentioned before any comment as to its
beauty or fitness。 A play is spoken of as 〃Manager So and So's
thirty…thousand…dollar production！〃 The fact that a favorite
actress will appear in four different dresses during the three acts
of a comedy； each toilet being a special creation designed for her
by a leading Parisian house； is considered of supreme importance
and is dwelt upon in the programme as a special attraction。
It would be astonishing if the taste of our women were different；
considering the way clothes are eternally being dangled before
their eyes。 Leading papers publish illustrated supplements devoted
exclusively to the subject of attire； thus carrying temptation into
every humble home； and suggesting unattainable luxuries。 Windows
in many of the larger shops contain life…sized manikins loaded with
the latest costly and ephemeral caprices of fashion arranged to
catch the eye of the poorer class of women； who stand in hundreds
gazing at the display like larks attracted by a mirror！ Watch
those women as they turn away； and listen to their sighs of
discontent and envy。 Do they not tell volumes about petty hopes
and ambitions？
I do not refer to the wealthy women whose toilets are in keeping
with their incomes and the general footing of their households；
that they should spend more or less in fitting themselves out
daintily is of little importance。 The point where this subject
becomes painful is in families of small means where young girls
imagine that to be elaborately dressed is the first essential of
existence； and； in consequence； bend their labors and their
intelligence towards this end。 Last spring I asked an old friend
where she and her daughters intended passing their summer。 Her
answer struck me as being