202 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



with but one voice. Nevertheless, in face 

 of the swift and unexpected developments 

 ceaselessly revealing themselves in the life 

 of a hurrying people, who can foretell the 

 future with any kind of certainty ? The old 

 shibboleth has, to the attentive ear, already 

 lost much of its confident ring. There is a 

 new spirit abroad that watches and waits, 

 prepared to be surprised at nothing. ' The 

 old order changeth,' it whispers, eyes dark 

 with dread and suspicion, * yielding place to 

 new ; and who is this that will fulfil himself ?' 



Admitting therefore that two kindred and 

 ' hard - headed ' nations have certain unex- 

 pected foibles in common, we have also to 

 admit that the American perhaps because 

 his emotions are nearer -the surface, and 

 because of his more varied origin pre- 

 sents himself to the world as a person posses- 

 sing a larger capacity for inconsistency than 

 the Englishman ; although the Englishman, 

 too, is quite capable of giving his ' surprise- 

 parties.' 



The typical American if, indeed, it be fair, 

 or even possible, to set up a type in the midst 

 of such diversity is at once imitative and 



