W THE RIDING-SCHOOL. 201 



that peculiar self-consciousness which makes an 

 American awkward under observation and res- 

 tive under reproof is scarcely found in countries 

 not democratic, and the " I'm ez good ez you 

 he " feeling which is at the bottom of American 

 intractability, has no chance to flourish in lands 

 where position is a matter of birth and not of 

 self-assertion. 



A French woman, compelled to make part of 

 her toilet in a railway waiting-room under the 

 eyes of half a score of enemies, that is to say, of 

 ten other women, arranges her tresses, purchased 

 or natural, uses powder-puff and hare's foot if 

 she choose, and turns away from the mirror 

 armed for conquest ; but an American similarly 

 situated, forgets half her hair-pins, does not 

 dare to wash her face carefully lest some one 

 should sniff condemnation of her fussiness, and 

 looks worse after her efforts at beautifying. A 

 French girl, told that her English accent is bad, 

 corrects it carefully; an American, gently re- 

 minded that a French " u " is not pronounced 

 like " you," changes it to " oo," and stares de- 

 fiance at Bocher and all his works. And even 

 that commendable reserve which hinders well- 



