Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-12-31
LADIES PETS.


We give The following thoughts from the
London Re0ieso without note Or comment.
Most of our readers will recognize among
their aequaintpnces some one or more origi-
nails Of the portrait; for the creatures des-
cribed are not confined to what the writer
calls society" but arc found in the hum
blest circles and the smallest hamlets They
may differ in species, but the class is one;
at is almost impossible to enter society
without encountenng ladies' pets. The
name is doubtless suggestive enough, yet 1t
is liable TO many misinterpretations A
lady's pet may mean anything. A dog,
bird, horse, or a squirrel might be as easily
understood by the term as a man. Yet 1t is
certain that when we talk of ladies' pets, we
mean nothing more nor less than men.--
There is vast variety of ladies' pets. Il Is
not to be disputed that there are some ladies
who insist upon making pets of men worthier
better fate. We have nothing to do with
them. The hapless man who is forced into
being the recipient of the smiles and glances
and signs of u general feminine partiality, is
10 be pitied, not despised. Those who know
what he has to endure will feel for him.
"But the creature upon whom we have IL
few remarks to offer is of very different
kind. 1t is obvious that ladies are not silly
enough 10 make pets of men who have not
one single merit with which they can recom-
mend themselves. Generally, however, 1t
will take one long time to discover what
this merits. This is only natural, consider
ing that most often this merit happens to be
question of personal appearance, and
tastes, we all know, are SO curiously prone
to differ. The most ordinary kind of ladies'
pets is.the individual to be met out at even
ing parties, A quick observer can detect
him at glance. There he stands, with his
marvelously parted hair, his immaculate
neektie, which kept him such dreary while
before the looking glass; simpering smile
upon his lips, the precursor of flood o.
silly talk when occasion shall demand him
10 prove his right TO connect himself with
his kind by the exercise OF his tongue
Watch him for few moments after he has
entered; he stands awhile looking around
him, alternating his glances at the company
with glances into the nearest mirror. Now
he approaches group of ladies' There il
no diflidence in his address. There is {
sober certainty of being delightedly received
which animates his manner with a species
OF Impertinence truly commendable. By
and by you will have some of these ladie
tapping him with their fans. Wherever HI
goes he is greeted with parted lips disclos
| t,,rr irsp tor fall TIa IN
siders he has right to display that kind 0
frivolous officiousness which, in most men
would be resented as liberty. He resem
bles very bad sort of spoiled child. II
! has generally penetration enough, however
to know his friends from his foes. Som
q girls he would no more dare approach tina
a Channel pilot would approach the Good
win Sands. II he strikes upon good sens
D he is helplessly shipwreeked.
"Women are accountable for great dea
! if for nothing else, for having originate
!! ladies' pets. Were it possible to be seriou
& for moment over such subject, might nj
the origin of such feminine creation L
attributable to the antagonistic feeling whio
it seems the sex entertain against mel
Shall we be considered idly philosophical
we perceive in the formation of ladies' pc
= the expression of the revolt against me
which women arc ever making, and whc
they conceive they can best carry out b
degrading our sex to their utmost? W
y narrow their sphere OF action; they cann
limit ours, but they make as many of i
operators absurd as they possibly can.-
There is not single male creature who hi
been made coxcomb through the admir-
ton Of women that we do not interpret in
the expression of protest against the asce
TX dancy of our sex. 1t is a subtle phiosoph
t. aud we pay women high compliment
conceivng them capable OF planning al
H executing it. Whatever serves to make III,
ridiculous necessarily helps to heighten
comparison the characters of women. Co
sldere thus, ladies' pets will not be thoug
so contemplate as they may at first sig
appear"
Three young men in Berlin have di
u while aitemptiug to pass soVen days NJ