Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-30
For Gentlemen Only"

Ouo VI " luTSe CiuSS VI WOulciI uOt SO
favored as to have homes of their
own, and having had some recent en-
periences in answering some of the
numerous advertisements which ap-
pear daily in the columns of our city
papers, I thought I would relate
some of these experiences-partly to
ease off my injured feelings, but
more particularly to call the atten-
ton of women in general to some OF
the glaring lucon ,istencies in speech
and conduct. Some weeks ago,
having been obliged to make Il
change in my boarding place, 1
advertised for room without stat
ing whether it was lady or gentle
man who desired it. I received six
ty-two replies, nearly all of which
began "lIr. -" "Deur Sir" or The
gentleman advertising can find q
large and we'll furnished room, with
fire, gas and bath, good attendance,
etc. Please call before making
arrangements elsewhere, as l feel
sure that I can please you" OF
course did not call, as the rooms
referred to were for gentlemen
only" The following Sunday I in
serted an advertisement stating that
n lady wished a room. 1 received
Just FIVE answers, three out of the
five stating that the writer preferred
renting to gentlemen, but that if the
lady would call she might make
some arrangements. My next re-
course was to take the list of rooms
advertised in your worthy journal,
dress myself as neatly and modestly
as possible, and start out to meet
the enemy. In two places the door
was closed in my face by colored
person, who informed me that they
did not rent to ladies. When l did
succeed in effecting an entrance any
where I heard the oft-iterated state
ment. For gentlemen only" or I
was asked "Have you a Husband p
When I trembling replied in the
negative, these same ladies, some OF
whom have no husbands themselves
and others who would be better off
without those that they have, looked
at me as if my reply had settled in
their minds the question of my yre-
spectability. One lady on Olive
street, not great distance from
twentieth, told me condescendingly
that she would take me if had
husband, but as l could not produce
one, and as she did not like to take
clone ladies'" into her house, l
failed to secure her very desirable
room. Ladies who are themselves
women, whose mothers were women,
whose daughters usually marriage
able daushters) are women, have
told me that they hated and de7pised
women. Now, l know that all wom-
en- are not all angels Il have found
this out by boarding with some OF
them.) I think there will be men
angels in heaven as we'll as women
angels. There are good and noble
women rs there are good and noble
men, but do think that women are
not the friends to each other that
they ought to be. We ought to be
united because the struggle with the
world is harder for woman than
for man. We ought to look after
our own and each others rights, be-
cause the gentlemen possess in an
eminent degree the faculty of look
ing after their rights. Persons who
rent rooms to ladies complain that
they are $50 troublesome" $50
fault-fnding," but do they ever
stop to reflect that if they gave gem
tlemen the same cause for complaint
that they give the laiies, they would
either hear complaints from them or
have their rooms left vacant on their
hands? \ gentleman rents room
goes and comes as he pleascs; his
pedigree is never inquired into; he
can stay out till any hour of the
night, sleep till any hour of the
morning, and should he forget his
night key and have to ring the
lady OF tie house up ut an unreason-
able hour, how politely she receives
his apology, if ne makes one, and
assures him in her blandest tones
that "it is of no consequence. But
just let lady go to prayer-metting
a church socia bic or any other emf.
nently respectable gathering, and
return homo as early as 10 or II
o'clock, minus her key, and "woe
be unto her by whom the ofTense
cometh." l have tried it, and ]
know ali about it, Now, while
did not intend at the start to make
this little talk a dissertation OF
Woman's Rights" l must say
right here that one of their rights Ii
the right to be properly treated b,
their own sex. When q lady rents {
room and pays the same price for /
that q gentlemen would pay, It's he