The sun., 1888-05-13
Lady or Woman.

question which has long excited consid-
cradle interest hero has become matter for
discussion In Texas. and we will consider 1t
with reference to all localities. corre-
spondent writes:
"wll you please explain when and where the words
lady and woman should be used the difference in
tho tive words and which, either Il correct sales.
lady or saeswomanf "ABH
HONEY GROVE. Texas Mays.
Philologically woman is woman, and q
lady Is hldfdGge, Q de0e OF the hldf or loaf,
kneader Of bread. q bread maker. The
word came up when the bread maker Of the
house ruled 1t, always Of course, under the
supervision Of her husband and she being a
distinguished person, LADY" became term
to be used with discrimination and not ap-
piled to every woman, regardless Of her oc-
cupation and domestic station. As civiliza-
tion went on, the lady or bread maker Of
the house inclined to hand over her dis
tinctive function to another person. But,
although she resigned the bread making,
she jealously retained her title, the dignity
ofwhich had been derived from labor solely,
and it gradually became the recognized
designation Of a woman Of social elevation
above most Of her associates. Finally It
was adopted to mark the dividing line be-
tween refinement and education and the lack
thereof.
While 1t worked very well in serving this
purpose it has OF late years produced an anx-
ious and supersensitive sort OF craze against
the broader rname OF woman When the female
division Of the race entered the industrial
world 1t began to come under criticism.
Statesmen had never entertained the notion
of putting gentle" in their title, and max
Ing OF themselves salessentlemen. But
women who displaced men in these duties,
took to displacing tho latter part of their
regular working name, and by their own
preference they became known as sales
ladies.
Our correspondent asks which is right.
Either. II salesmen wanted to call them
selves salesgentlemen they would be per-
fectly correct. The word saleslady can
only be criticised as matter of taste,
and from that point of view few philoso-
pliers would commend it. 1t displays sem
sitiveness to a distinction which Is arbi-
trary, unimportant superficial, and trivial.
1t elevates q special and somewhat indefl-
mite phase Of woman above tho far
grander and diviner conception of the
sex. 1t betokens great attention to the
idea Of wearing fine clothes and of proclaim
ing ones self superior to ones fellow crea-
lures, rather than a just appreciation OF
womans mission and usefulness. It is
glorious thing to be saleswoman, girls.
1t shows that you are not salesmen. It
shows that you have driven tho men out
from work that they used to think they
could do better than you It unveils future
possibilities that may dazzle the imagination
OF the most imaginative prophet OF woman's
progress. AS time goes on, there is al
most an UNMARRIED showing of new kinds Of
work in which you displace or share mans
former monopoly. But you do it all as women,
not as ladies. It Ia the feminine powers In all ,
their breadth that compete successfully witt
the powers Of man; and they deserve to 10
recognized and respected fully rather than
subordinated to the narrow and restri:ted
notion OF what constitutes lady. Better |
that woman should cease to be lacy than |
that lady should cease to be a woman.
No. girls, don't trouble yourselves With fan
tastic discredlt OF woman. To woman we, |
all Of us, men and women, owe our ex-1
istence. and woman will ever represent
the tenderest, the noblest conception OF ths
Sex. A lady carries her stamp Of quality m
her manner, bearing, and principles, as
man carries his gentility, and never wearsor
covets any other certificate. Be ladies' OF
course. as your sweet mothers taught you
to be, but remember always those lines OF
BURNS, SO full OF sense and humanity:
The rank is but the guinoas stamp;
Awomans woman for a. that
Prohibition and Protection in theSouth. |
Tho vigorous beginnings OF Georgia Pro-