As Maturityapproaches - The Sexes Diverge

This brief statement only hints at the vital physiological truths itcontains: it does not disclose them. Let us look at some of them amoment. Remember, that we are now concerned only with the first ofthese passages, that from a girl's childhood to her maturity. Inchildhood, boys and girls are very nearly alike. If they are natural,they talk and romp, chase butterflies and climb fences, love and hate,with an innocent _abandon_ that is ignorant of sex. Yet even then thedifference is apparent to the observing. Inspired by the divineinstinct of motherhood, the girl that can only creep to her mother'sknees will caress a doll, that her tottling brother looks coldly upon.The infant Achilles breaks the thin disguise of his gown and sleevesby dropping the distaff, and grasping the sword. As maturityapproaches, the sexes diverge. An unmistakable difference marks theform and features of each, and reveals the demand for a specialtraining. This divergence, however, is limited in its sweep and itsduration. The difference exists for a definite purpose, and goes onlyto a definite extent. The curves of separation swell out as childhoodrecedes, like an ellipse, and, as old age draws on, approach, tillthey unite like an ellipse again. In old age, the second childhood,the difference of sex becomes of as little note as it was during thefirst. At that period, the picture of the