68 Life and Sport on the Pacific Slope 



or blue, or yellow (primary colours, mark you) ; each 

 appeals to the curiosity, not to mention the cupidity, 

 of the male ; each, too, has a chameleon-like facility 

 of adapting herself to her environment without sac- 

 rificing an iota of her personality. Many English- 

 men waste valuable time in making up what they 

 call their minds upon purely domestic matters. In 

 the West, the daughters generously assume this 

 task. Without the circle of politics and business, 

 the young American man follows wherever his sis- 

 ter, or some other man's sister, may lead. About 

 this spinster, moreover, are no skirts of compromise : 

 those clogging garments which cramp and compress 

 the walk, the talk, the very thoughts of the English 

 miss. 



Perhaps the common denominator of the young 

 women of the West is a magnificent charlatanerie ; 

 an imposture that would be ridiculous if it were not 

 sublime. Each pretends to be what she is not; 

 each thinks herself the superior of the women in 

 the classes below hers, the equal of those in the 

 classes above ; each strives to appear cleverer, 

 younger, wittier, and prettier than God intended 

 her to be. Indeed, it is an impertinence to speak 

 of them as women ; they are all — ladies. And all 

 are ambitious. The ambition of the wife spurs the 

 husband to efforts beyond his strength. Living as 

 they do in the country of infinite possibilities, the 

 humblest unconsciously try to fit themselves for 

 positions that but few are destined to occupy. I re- 

 member, many years ago, being accosted by a tramp, 

 who asked me for money wherewith to buy " a bite 

 of something to eat." I gave him a small coin, re- 



