Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-08-08
ZnE IUDENEss OF WOMEN.
4Rretty Sharp Criticism by a Bright
Newspaper Man

- Rretty sharp Criticism by a Bright
~ Newspaper MaR-
WI hat Is the influence upon woman
thet should make her more selfish, i'm
polite and inconsiderate of the COM
forts OF others than men are? That
she Is all over the land is. perhaps, de-
bAfable, but here on the Eastern coast
the rudeness Of women has so long been
marked among their characteristics
that few observant persons can have
failed to notice it. And whether ladies
from other parts of the country, con-
|gregated at our summer resorts, bring
rude manners with them, or merely
catch them from our own women, as
school children take and give the
measles, it certainly is fact that all
are very much alike in their behavior
after they reach those places.
II the hotel clerks and managers
would not say-were they to be inter-
viewed-that the women they meet
viii are especially difficult to please
and to get along with, as compared to
the men who accompany them, 1t would
be Tor some reason that does not infu-
ence them in their informal talks with
men. But the weightiest testimony on
from the fair sex itself, from the
women who wait on women, from the
servant girls. the saleswomen in the
shops, the stewardesses in boats and
waiting rooms, and from those who
work for and serve women in the other
walks OF life.
No one will deny that most men
treat pleasantly the clerks who wait
Il Inl hn
men deal with clerks on a basis OF
equality for the time being, listening
to what they say, treating their re-
marks with respect, asking their ad-
vice and interjecting in the business
conversation more or less of pleasant
chat about the weather, the news OF
the day, the state of business. or what
ever. 1t does not matter who the men
are, whether they are millionaires,
officials, petted clergymen, wouli.be
aristocrats or what. Thus men treat
men when business brings them to-
gether. The main exceptions to the
rule are those in which we find the
male customer familiar, jocular and
even confidential in his manner to who
ever is serving him, man or woman.
With women the case is different-very
markedly, and 1 think strangely DIFF
feoent. Your lady customer, your
woman making purchases, puts on an
air, " as the phrase goes, when she con-
fronts her servitor. She may may have
been at the instant smiling and mirth-
full with her companlon; perhaps 1t Is
her nature to be frank and lively and
engaging with every one of her friends
and acquaintances, yet she Is almost
certain to adopt either a cold and
naughty, or at least what Is called d
thorcughly practical business-like man.
ner Is she prepares to address the clerk,
always if the clerk is a female; seven
times in ten in my experience IL the
clerk be male.
~ She permits no polite exchange OF
/ {oafkInent comment, no familiarity OIL
\ iefe-ssssure OF any- sort from a ixed- ad-
herence 10 the mechanical duty OF
serving her on the part of the clerk. II
she has what humble folk call the
mark of the quality' that is, the
| fashionable manner she will be able IL
remind the clerk of her place with Z
sentence or look or gesture in which
will be found the refinement of cold
ness, of rudeneSs and assumed SUPERB
ority. And how many men are there
who Will not recall that when they have
whispered: "Why make that poo
creature pull down all that stuff If yoT
don't mean to buy?" the answer ha:
been something like this; why should
| rot see the things it / want to?" or
"What else is she paid forf'
This unwarranUed behavior toward a
large class of humanity Is conspIcu
Gus feature of what is called shopping
and women tell us-though, perhaps
they don't need to-.that they prefe
shopping to almost every other joy ol
earth,
The rudeness OF women in crowd
surpasses that of the men in the SAM
assemblies IN every walk of life. The.
push, elbow their way and struggle 70
advantage over those beside and befor
them in the CONSTRUCTED entrances ant
passages of shopping stores, railroa'
platforms and wherever they find thel
way opposed, though every one aroun'
them is In the same situation. The.
often use what physical strength the.
have, and bring otis (probably becaus
they feel its insufiiciency) aid out
spoken appeals, comments and com
plants.
In the accidents and annoyances o
everyday existence, the masses o
women exhibit less patience and les
politenes5 than the masses of men
When passers-by joStle against them
aud tread on their feet, an apology
by no means as nearly often satisfying
or well received as with the same mum
Der OF men under similar circumstances
The reader must have noticed TIL
when he has been the offender; but til
. widest means for noting the fact, ope
to those of US who seldom offend /
these ways, is In hearing the comment
, of ladies we are with or close to whe
such accidents accur. The most petu
liant and sometimes savage ejaculation
follow the offense, and the ordinar
man is quite apt to be astonished at th
temper women display, and the free
dom with which they exhibit 1t unde
such circumstances.
What is the explanation of this di
; ference in the behavior of the sexe:
!, There certainly is a tendency to create
gallantry toward the gentler sex tha
obtained in ruder times; but Is not til
more than offset by the growing ind
pendence of women arising from Il
; opening of numberless vocations
them2 In these two new condition
are found the main changes in the rels
tion of woman to the world around u
! Is it to either of these that their rud,
ness is due? Or Is it to both?
Causes of Neryous IrritabiIity