The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-09
go, She IS A MANS WOMAN"
What Do Our Sisters Mean When
They Use This Phresep
From Lfppincott's Magazine.

From Lfppincott's Magazine.
We otter hear the expression, mans
woman" Let it be noted that the words
are usually uttered by one of the gentle sex.
and prefaced by an ejaculation savoring
slightly of disapproval, an "Or' accom-
panied by a meaning smile, slight eleva-
ton Of the eyebrows, shrug OF the shoul-
ders.
80, yes," they say, with one ormore of
these mystic signals; 30, yes, sheis a mans
woman" X
Now, do they mean by this to impute or
to excuse vagary9 And what is q mans
womans Most of us understand pretty &C
curately what is intended by this epithet,
yet it is hard to define, and the direct ques-
ton is battling one.
Most women are, have been, or intend to
become, the possession of some especial man,
yet it may be certified that the greater num-
Der Of them are not, never were and never
will be 'men's women How. then, are we
to distinguish this subtle difference which so
clearly marks out certain women among
their sisterss
First of all, let us succinctly and def
nitely explain that q "man's woman" is a
shorthand phrase. 1t means to express
terssly what it would take too long to state
in detail. "man's woman is one whose
society is sought with avidity by the oppo-
site sex, whose most ardent champions are
men, at whose bidding men are prompt to
respond. and in whose companionship men
seem to find peculiar happiness. She is
one who "makes conquests," and who is
ever winning lovers.
With closed doors, and in low whispers
and women, who are not "men's women, !"
ask each other, what is it, What Is this in
ward grace of which the outward evidences
are so marked-this atmosphere which en-
virons some women and gives them such in
contestable power9 Women who cannot
see it, or women who are blind and will
not, ask each other, what Is it,
A mans woman may be beautiful, clever,
accomplished; she may have in addition the
luxurious surroundings, the indolent ease,
which in these sybaritic days seem neces-
sary adjuncts to a wom1ns attractiveness
and gracefully frame the picture. Yet these
| things are not necessary to mans woman.
1t is quite possible that she may possess
| none of them.
Perhaps of them all tho gift of trans
cendent beauty is the one with which she
| can the most easily dispense The mans
| woman is seldom really plain although
such cases have existed, but she is oftenest
not beautiful. None the less she cast such
a glamour over her admirers" throws dust
in their eyes," as her detractors say-that
| men win sometimes insist of such a one that
she IS beautiful; and this in the very face
| of all the art schools and all the canons of
| correct proportion.
AS to her cleverness, while she generally
| displays her subtlety of thought, the quick
| adaptiveness, the fine discernmsnt, which
bctray knowledge of the human heart, she
may be more Or less lazy intellectually; her
| learning may be superficial aud her accom-
plishments few. say they may be; because
If she possesses wit, culture and talent, these
| are undoubtedly an added charm, particu-
| Larry il she em ploy them in increasing her
personal attractions. But they are not
necessary to the sway she exsrts. In fact,
they are valueless il they walk not hand in
| hand with suppleness and tact. Men in
stinctively dislike SUPERIOR women; and
many women who are beautiful, we'll edu-
| Gated and elegant, have never received the
bhss-conferring brevet of fascination.
There must be, then, some force outside
of all other attributes, independent Of them.
| and as vague in its sources as it is evident
and powerful in its effect. The beauty Of
mans woman" may consist In mysteri,
GUS smile, a trick of the hair upon the brow,
dainty per-nothing more; yet the
magic perfume OF her presence is enough.
Men feel that the more would BIS too much.
Women who always give large credence to
| the power of mere beauty will forever look
on and marvel. II it were only a certain
exterior CONFORMATION of form and color it
would be no wonder. But there is another
subtler charm, which lies deeper and
eludes analysis. 1t matters little whether
her eyes be large or light or small or dark
her features classic or Irregular, whether
her tongue be eloquent or she be given to
silence, If she hides within herself that
which attracts, enchants and retains.
The mans woman is an individual, a per-
sonality; she sometimes manifests admir-
able traits of character. They are devel-
oped possibly by those very forms of temp
tation and of trial to which she viii be
peculiarly subjected. Her calumniators
can often find no harsher epithet of con-
demnation for her than that which forms
our theme. She may be heartless, it is true !:
she may even be cruel, cold, mean; but this
Is uncommon and improbable. Ia fact, she
is rarely envious or malicious, and she has
generally large-mindednos which makes
her easy to live with" While she is not
deficient in the desiro to please, she is often
no more energetically vain than others.
She is even capable Of resenting measure
of the admiration which she inspires, and
for which other women toll with such
meager results LFt