Page:Side talks with girls (1895).djvu/24

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THE SOCIAL LIFE OF A GIRL

BY this I do not mean the society girl, that is, the girl whose whole life is given up to the claims of society, but I mean the girl who, having reached a suitable age, goes to places of amusement, entertains visitors, and no matter what her occupations may be during the day, is supposed to be in the social world. She is, very many times, troubled about how she shall act, how she shall speak, and what is her duty. I think if I were asked what her duty was I should say, "To get as much pleasure out of life as is possible without hurting anybody else, or doing anything that is wrong." The laws of conventionality were made, not that people should enjoy themselves less, but to protect them more, and no young girl can break these laws and be happy, for I can never be convinced that a girl enjoys being spoken of as