North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-01-20
The Ways OF Women.

For several months the London Satur
day Reciesc has been dealing with thu
"women question in manner that mus
be exceedingly aggravating to the sex
Its articles on this subject are understood
to be written by woman, which makes
the matter all the more aggravating. W.
transfer few paragraphs from its las
growl, which is entitled
rExENINE AMENITIES.
The ways of women with each Other
more than all else shew the great differ
ence between their morale and that oi
men. They fatter and coax as men could
not do, but they are also more rude to
each other than any man would be to his
fellow. 1t is amazing to see the things
they can bear and do-things which nc
man would dream of standing, and which
no man would dare to attempt. This is
because thty are not taught to respect
each other and because they have no fear
of consequences. If one woman is insult
ed by another, she cannot demand salts.
faction or knock the offender down, and il
is unladylike to swear and call names.
She must bear what she can repay only in
kind; but, to do her justice, she repays in
manner undeniably effective and to the
point. There is nothing very pronounced
about the feminine mode of aggression
and retaliation, and yet it is eloquent, and
sufficient for its purpose. 1t may only be
a stare, shrug, toss of the head but
women can throw an intensity of disdain
into the simplest gesture which answers
the whole end perfectly. The unabashed
serenity and unhinching constancy with
which one woman can stare down another
is in itself an art that requires certain
amount of natural genius, as we'll as care
full cultivation. She puts up her eye-glass
NOT being short sighted-and surveys
the enemy standing two feet from her
with sublime contempt for her whole con-
dition, or with still more sublime ignor-
ing of her existence altogether, that no
words could give. If the enemy is sensi-
tive and unused to this kind of thing she
is absolutely crushed, destroyed for the
time, and reduced to the most pitiable
state of self:abasement. If she is Of a
tougher fibre, and has had some expert
ence Of feminine warfare, she returns the
stare with q corresponding amount of con-
tempt or Of obliviousness and from that
moment contest is begun which never
ceases, and which continually gains in
bitterness. The stare is the weapon of
offence most in use among women, ana is
specially favored by the experienced
against the younger and less seasoned.
1t is one of the instructive arms native to
the sex, and we have only to watch the
introduction OF two girls to each other to
see this, and to learn how even in youth
is begun the exercise which time and use
raise to such deadly perfection.
In the conversations of women with
each other we again meet with examples
of their peculiar amenities to their own
sex. They never refrain from showing
how much they are bored they contra
dict fatty, without the Aimsiest veil of
apology to hide their rudeness and they
interrupt ruthlessly, whatever the subject
in hand may be. One lady was giving
another a minute account of how the bride
looked yesterday when she was married
to Mr. A., of somewhat formidable repute,
and with whom, if report was to be trust
passages which made the mention of his
marriage notoriously sore subject. "Ah !!
l see you have taken that old silk which
Madam Josephine wanted to palm off on
me last year." said the tortured listener,
brusquely breaking into the narrative
without a load of any kind; and the
speaker was silenced. in this case it was
the interchange of doubtful courtesies,
wherein neither deserved pity; but to
make disparaging remark about gown,
in revenge for turning the knife in a
wound, was thoroughly feminine manner
Of retaliation, and one that would not have
touched a man. Such shafts would fall
blunted against the rugged skin of the
coarser creatures; and the date of pattern
of bit of cloth would not have told much
against the loss of lover. But as most
women passionately care for dress, their
toilet is one of the most vulnerable parts.
Ashamed to be Questionable, they tolerate
anything in each other rather than shah.
biness or eccentricity, even when pictures.
que; hence sarcastic allusion to the age
Of few yards of silk is return wound
of considerable depth when cleverly given.
Women can do each other no end oil
despite in small way in society, not to
speak Of mischief Of graver kind. A
hostess who has grudge against one oi
her guests can always insure her disap.
pointed evening under cover Of doing her
supreme honor and paying her extra ut.
tention. If she see the enemy engaged in
a pleasant conversation with one of the
male stars, down she swoops, and in the
sweetest manner possible carries her off to
another part of the room to introduce heI
to some schoolgirl who can only say yes
or no in the wrong places-"who is dying
for the honor of talking to you, my dear y
or to some uniedged stripping who bushes
and grows hot, and cannot stammer Out
two consecutive sentences, but who is pre-.
sented as rising genius, and to be treat
ed with the consideration due to his future.
As her persecution is done under the guise
of extra friendliness, the poor victim can
not cry out, nor yet resist, but she knows
that whenever she goes to Mrs. So and
Sos she will be seated next to the stupid
est man at table, and prevented from talk
ing to any one she likes in tie evening
and that every visit to that lady is made
in some occult manner unpleasant to her
And yet what has she to complain of?
She cannot complain that her hostess
trusts to her for help in the success Of her
entertainment, and moves her about the
room as perambulating attraction which
she has to dispense fairly among her
guests, lest some should be jealous Of the
others. She may know that the meaning
is to annoy but who can act on meaning
as against manner? How crooked soever
the first may be, if the last is straight the
case falls to the ground, and there is no
room for remonstrance.
THE AMERICAN SToCK JOURNAL
Where is the Farmer that does not admire
fine Blooded Stock, or take pride in car
ing for it. Every farmer has now an
opportunity of obtaining some choice
Cattle, Sheep, Hogs or Poultry free, by
getting up club for this Journal. ,Speci-
men Copies, Show Bills, &c., sent free.