The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-17
THE CANDID WOMAN.

In a recent Courier-Journal editorial en-.
titled ga plea for candor," Mr.. Watterson
lets fly all the skylarks of his Imagination,
which soaring still doth sing and trill the
praises of truthfulness in a most astonish.
ing manner. Whether Mr.. w. is seeking to
clans, or to make himself solid with the
many charming girls of Kentucky, or to
wreak his vengeance on some lying old
busybody of his acquaintance, is not at once
patent to the general reader. 1t is evident,
however, that he writes on the subject con
amore, and spares no expense, but riots in
the reckless expenditure of luxuriant praise
for the use and behoof of the woman who
dares to tell the truth. For the benefit of
those who would like to take Mr.. Waiter
son'sitemperature on the subject, the fol
lowing extract is made:
"This article we dedicate above all others
to the woman who dares to be candid, who
holds to the strict construction of the En-
glish Language, whose expressions of delight
do not tax ones credulity. 1t is dedicated
to the woman who weighs her words, and
uses only those which ring with un-
mistakable meaning. She stoops to
no hattery; she uses none of the arts of insin-
cerity. Strong in her self-respect, demanding
no undue need of praise to satisfy her van
ity. she stands face to face with truth. Clear
in her perceptions, accurate in her observa-
tons, she is candid in her utterances. There
is no room to mistake her meaning. She
lacks nothing which wins popularity, and
sacrifices nothing to obtain it. Than she,
no one is more thoughtful of the feelings OF
others. From her one word of appreciation
outweighs a volume of studied compli-
merts."
Comment seems almost sup~er1uous, but a
word to this erring editor may not be con-
sidered amiss. 1t has ever been observed
that man is a being prone to fluent and ex-
haustive discourse upon subjects In regard
to which his information is exceedingly
limited. In this way errs Mr.. Watterson.
He has evidently never met the candid wo-
man. She is a goddess who has only trailed
her graceful draperies in the garden of his
dreams. If he could materialize her and gel
a good look at her, he would undoubtedly
hurry to change his opinion. Margaret
Fuller says: The observations OF women
upon women are more valuable than those
of men," Another womanly philosopher
has said: Save me from those who tell me
the truth, and I'll manage the liars myself.
Anyone can give a faithful portrait of the
candid woman. Her negative is always pre-
served. She tells you when your hair begins
to get grey or thin, and when your teeth be-
gin to perish. She greets the sick with dis
couraging remarks on their thinness, and
always has an aunt SO affected, and hat auni
always dies. She knows when your carpet
is of too small a figure, and when your wall
paper does not correspond with your furni
ture, and never fails to tell you of it. She is
argus-eyed, keeps posted on the pecadilloes
of all the married men she knows, and
cheers up their wives with such information.
Every neighborhood that harbors the candid
woman hates her like a pestilence, and heI
dangerous tongue keeps people ever lodging
her unwelcome visits. No human pen could
do justice to her entire, as her Janus-face
and Medusa-head are ever changing, each