Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-10-05
SEMI WEEKLY WORLD.
THE SOCIAL GALL.

"A Cynic Who Throws stones ut Woman
Eavorite Diversion.
The cynic wants to know what ia
gained for any rational being when a
city full of women undertake to make
and receive formal visits with persons
whom for the most part, they do not
wish TO see. What is gained, he asks,
by leaving cards with all these people
and receiving their cardsP When u
woman makes her tedious rounds, why
is she always relieved to find people
not IMP When she can count upon her
ten fingers the people she wants to soc.
why should she pretend to want TO see
the othersp Is any ono deceived by il?
Does anybody regard It rs any thing
but n sham and burdenp Much the
cynic knows about It! Is 1t not neces-
sary TO keep up what is called society,"
Is 1t not necessary to have an authentic
list of past board acquaintance TO in
vite to receptions? Aud what would
become ofus without receptionsP Every
body likes to give them. Everybody
flocks tn them with great alacrity.
When society calls the roll, weall know
the penalty Of being left out. Is there
any intellectual or physical pleasure
equal TO that OF jnmming so many peo-
Pile into n house that they can hardly
move, and treating them to babel OF
noises in which no one can make her
self heard without screaming? There
is nothing like reception in any un-
civilized country. Il is so exhilarating!
When dozen or a hundred people arc
gathered together In room, they all
begin 20 raise their voices and to shout
like pool sellers in the noble rivalry OF
''warious langwidges." raspiug their
threats into bronchitis In the bidding
of the conversational ring, II they
spoke low. or even in the ordinary tone,
conversation wonld be Impossible, but
then 1t would not be a reception, as We
understand.
But does society that is, the inter
course of congcnial people depend |
upon the ela'A ate system OF exchnng- |
ing calls with hundreds Of people who |
are not eongeuinlP Such thoughts will |
sometimes come by a winter ircside of |
MISUNDERSTANDING friends or at dinner |
party not too large for talk without a |
VIZ l'AANiiHs VI Al Aii1 summer Iliiit Iy |
the sea. or IN the cottage in the hills,
when the fever OF socinl life has got
down to normal temperature. We
fancy that sometimes people will give
wny 10 a real enjoyment Of life and
that human intercourse will throw of
this artificial and woarlsome parade,
and that il women look back with
pride ms they may. upon their personal
achievements aud labors, they will
also regard them with astonishment.
Women. woread ovcry day. long for the
rights and privileges OF men, and the
and serious purpose In life
of men. Aud yet, such il the sweet
of their nature they
take on burdens which
men have never assumed, and which
they would speedily cast of If thuy
had.
What should we say OF men II they
half their time in paying
formal calls upon each other merely
low-spirited If they did not receive ms
many cards as they had dealt out to
society Have they not the timer
Have women more time? aud if they
have, why should thoy spend IL in this
Sisyphus taskP Would the social ma
chine so 20 pieces tho inquiry IL
made in good faith. and solely for in
formation If they nude rational bust
ness for themselves 10 be attended TO.
or even If they gave the time now
given to calls they hate, TO reading aud
study and TO making their households
civili1ing centors OF intercourse and
enjoyment. and paid visits from some
other motive than clearing OF tho
listP" II all tho ARTIFICIAL round of
calls and cards should tumble down,
what valuable thing would be lost out
Of anybody's life9 HsrPcr's Igee.tiy.
o |
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