The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-07-24
WOMAN GOSSIP.
Methods OF HaiiinG Strret-Cars n Reli-
able Index To woman's Individuality.
The Preservation of Woman's Beauty
Mania for Tea-DrinI<ing.
HOW WOMEN HAIL HoRsE-cARs


The different methods women cm-
ploy To stop horse-cars would make a
very reliable index to their individual
character, writes Gertrude Garrison in
tho Pittsburg Dispatch. Attitude, gest-
ure, facial expression, all arc pro-
nounced in action of this kind.
The severe, long-faced woman is at
tho corner while the car is yet affair off.
She has deep-grounded belief that it
will do its best To 20 by without taking
her on, and that belief makes her as
grimiy watchful as n sentinel on duty.
She raises her arm almost rs soon as
she can distinguish the figure of the
driver, and with her foreiinger takes
deadly aim ut his eyes. Her face is
written all over with the workings of
her mind, which ut that moment are
peculiarly determined and energetic.
Palmer than words her countenance
speaks. 1t says: ''Pass me by at
your peril"
On some drivers, the new and ner-
vous ones, this method of calling their
attention has n shattered effect But
the stagers mind it not. They pull up
their horses without moving a muscle
of their faces. The woman who COM
manded them to stop, so far rs they are
concerned, might BIO an angel or a
demon.
The idea that the car will pass with
out stopping is latent in the majority
of women's minds. This accounts for
their extraordinary earncstness and
energy of accosting il. The lack of
IN,
has cause for its existence, of course.
Women who make overmuch haste
gesticulate with both arms, much rs If
they were signaling locomotive to
prevent destruction. Anxiety, even
terror, paint their faces with the coiors
of alarm. When the car does stop they
are certain in their minds that single
gesture less on their part would have
failed TO bring it to halt The fact
that the driver is employed to stop for
passengers is something they would
scout as wild and scnseless assertion.
Very young and very pretty women,
who have faith in the potency of their
personal appearance pose on the cor
per and merely incline their heads
gracefully toward the driver, certain
LIldl Ilc, lS WCll iS blC WOlNl, 10
to serve them. They carry this at
mospherc of self-satisfaction into the
car, where it is felt by the severe and
the nervous women, who are already
in. They sigh rs they silently reflect
that there are some disagreeable things
for that young lady TO find out later on.
The timid woman, young or old, al
ways has her heart in her mouth when
she orders 4 car to stop. She feels
that she is asserting herself beyond the
usual bounds, an the thought makes
her uncomfortable. Timid persons are
prone to self-consciousness, and for the
life of her the timid woman can't rid
her mind of this belief that aparyhady
is looking ut her because she is so self
assertive.
The very stout woman has the worst
time of all. She is not constructed for
excrtions of that kind, and as her move
ments are of necessity slow, and the
driver always affects haste and makes
her feel impatient, she is apt to get
aboard little out of temper.
The theatrical woman-particularl
the beginner, who moves and has her
being with imaginary footlights all
around her-bids tho car to stop with
a "Halt-there-ye-slave gesture, which
surprises even the horses.
The humble woman of the basket
and bundle is sometimes pushing and
sometimes hcsitating. She knows that
by reason OF her appendages she will
| be unwelcome to conductor and pas
sengers, and the knowledge makes her
shy or defiant, in proportion to the
sweetness or bitterness of her nature.
II life was less desperate with street.
car drivers they would see comedy
lurking on every corner in the person
| of some woman.