Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-03
WOlaLN AID PROGRESS.
LINES ALONG WHICH THE SEX
SEEMS TO BE ADVANCING.

|
Criticism Of the Exclusiveness of Clubs.
Opening a daily newspaper | found in
three parallel columns three different series
of notices in regard to women, and they
seemed like 50 many detached lines in
which the women OF the present time were
marching on into the future. Each rep
resented strenuous labor, personal effort,
organizing ability and in many cases un-
selfish industry.
In one column there was a report of pro-
ceedings at "a woman's college; in another
a record of "A convention of working girls
clubs; and in the third a series of items of
what is called Society Intelligence-a din
ner party at Mrs. AS, a theater party of
Mrs. IS and "a very pretty wedding" at
the charming country house of Mrs c., on
which occasion 1.-The presents were numer-
Gus and costly"
OF these three classes, that which is the
theme of the society paragraphs is, on the
whole, the least interesting to the scientific
observer, though often the most attractive
for purposes OF social intercourse. 1t is,
indeed. for this function of social inter-
course that it eXists-to preserve the
usages," the ways of refined living, the
standards of cultivated intercourse
VALUE OF SOCIAL UsAGEs.
1t is of unreasonable importance that
this should be efficiently done; that the
world should keep all that it has got in the
way of neat personal habits, kindly and
courteous observances and delicate tastes,
Even "the gospel of good gowns" is, as
Mrs. Moulton long since pointed out, by
no means to be despised. Fine social inter
course is really the finest of fine arts; and
if painting and sculpture and architecture
10 or binbar
standard of manners without which these
things are merely misplaced fringe for
barbarism.
1t is true that manners joined with moth
ing better are disappointing. 1t is true
that hungry man would rather dine with
a boor on venison than with Duke Humph-
rey on his proverbial dinner-that is, on
nothing. But if the boorishness destroys
ones appetite, where is the good of veni-
son? And IA dinner of herbs, where love
igor even where refinement is-turns
out the better bill of fare.
The true charm of fine manners is best
seen in poverty, when attanable there;
but wealth is doubtless the better school
for them at first, and this is one reason
why men are tempted by wealth. The
English word means" or the phrase "a
man of means" is very instructive, for il
views DrOlkfIN bub rs a HicttlS Wv dih
something more important. And though
many men 90 no further than the means,
vet it is something that we have this great
truth recognized in language. So all the
love for fashionable novels is really an ex
preston of a longing after the rehnements
of life.
And though the society columns" are
often made up largely of the doings of the
socially obscure, and though the socially
prominent usually try to keep out of them
yet they are no doubt humble school TO
good manners to those readers who dis
trust themselves. The young girl VIII
with vague admiration reads of Mrs. A.
and Mrs. b. 5 entertainments perhaps &C
auires the wish that when she also is an
nexed to some matrimonial letter of tn
alphabet, she also may have an attractiv
home.
KISDLY CRITICISM
Yet, after all, the newspaper colum
that records the convention of workin
girls clubs has a heartier sound and
deeper interest than these society par;
graphs. Here we have what is called th
"boue and sinewn of the community, {
would be were it made up of men. 1t is
pleasure to look on a gathering so heart
and so genuine, and to know that here, to-
is society in the making. There is fea
less simDlicityin the words working girl
although the writer has never been
those who seriously objected to the wor
"saleslady," since that on its side repr
scented, like a somewhat excessive bonnie
the longing already described for the r
fnements of life
But the other is the soldier term, al
has the merit also of going beyond cast
because many of these clubs are found'
bv those who do not in the common sen
of the word belong properly to them, al
who often in organizing them have be-
in the very hardest sense working glrl
There is something fine and wholesome
the success with which the more favor
Young women thus often work for q
benefit of the less favored, and thus spir
uaIly benefit themselves most of all.
The present writer has once or twice a
dressed these working girls clubs, and h
found in their rooms piano, a little
brary, good attendance and cord
hearing. They are often composed OF
mixture of nationalities auh religions, a
thus do a good which the ordinary par
or guild organization cannot accomplis
and help toward that fusion in these
spects which is the only safeguard of o
institutions.
Sometimes, I fear, they show lit
spirit of exclusiveness in their own wa
us where they take in those employed
shops and omit those who work in I
tories, or where they include composite
in printing Offices, but not those W
achieve their compositions with the aid
a cooking stove or broom--in other wor
what are technically called "livin' {
girls"
This seems to me quite unreasonat
and like the attitude Of that barber
Dickens Nicholas Nickleby" who
clined to shave a coal HEAVIER becaus
was necessary to draw the line somewh(
and he drew it at bakers. But these
gering bits Of conventionalism are 1
probably, the prevailing practice, and '
soon be outgrown.-T. W. HiSsinson
Harper's Bazaar.
NynrLin0 Nomeu m Foreign Lands