Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-01
BY-THE-WAY.

sided over by Mrs. Julia Ward Howe
and other personages, read, "the sub
ject of one evenings discussion was
man." and this unfortunate biped was
again severely handled by many
witty speakers" Since reading that
paragraph l have diligently but vainly
searched my memory for parallel Incl
dent on the other side. have even de-
voted some attention to a department of
news which formerly l had neglected,
namely, the reports of banquets and
other festive occasions whereon men
make speeches and respond to toasts.
And almost without exception (having
permitted myself to "skip" Our Distin-
guished Guest, The Press, The Bench,
The Bar, etcetera), have come upon
The Ladies-God Bless Them! and,
thereto appended, votive garland gor
geous with flowers of speech and pain
fully denuded of thorns. This garland
woman, fixing greedy eyes on the
wreath of laurel or bays which the ora
tUt HAS ItscTNou lOT Ills OWn cAiSuOu5
temples. pushes aside-nay. tramples
underfoot as she clutches at the just
named and previously appropriated or
nament.
Man, blandly smiling, keeps a firm
grip on his own preferred headgear, and
continues to twine the modest violet
and the queenly rose, the hearts ease
and the rue, the SAVIOR, the bloom, the
balm of life--for her who quite naturally
wants something else.
Now will some one who knows all
about it kindly expound to me the rea-
son of this thusness? Why do women
say worse things of men, and men bet
ter things OF women than they think?
***
"Men serve women kneeling; when
they get on their feet they go away"
the man who wrote that knew human
nature, but then he was only human
himself, and therefore liable to err.
AS it has occurred to me, l have asked
for information on this point, and l find
the preponderance of testimony in
favor of the observation above quoted.
But" object mildly, "women don't
want pedestal. Considered as a per-
manent residence, such an eminence has
little to recommend it. The idol gets
tired of posing thereon and wants more
room. The smell of incense pals upon
the sated nostril. Also, man on his
knees has a sameness that wearies wo-
fully"
Man replies unmoved, sit is natural
and eminently proper that woman
should iand above man and that man
shoul tecognize the fact. Therefore
just have the kindness to step back
upon that pedestal, will you. and l will
burn sticks of cedar and offer franklin
cense and myrrh until time for business,
when l must see man down town."
"But," says Dea incerte, piteously,
81 would much rather come down,
plant my feet on terra frma, and walk
by your side-taller or shorter than you
as the case may be and as nature has
ordained. This pedestal adds to my ap-
parent height, it is true, but really re-
cent and savage assaults have so
awakened it that l feel quite insecure.
DO please give me your hand and help
me downp'
pooh p says the obstinate votary.
"Look at your feet = never made
for walking! l should simply
have to carry you and my load is heavy
enough now. You want to share it?
stay where you are !"
And after awhile the idol recklessly
throws away her empty insignia of SOW
ereignty and hops off her circumscribed
perch. And man gets up, dusts his
knees calmly, and-well yes, he goes
away.
As look over the morning paper nv
startled eye encounters at the end of a
long editorial condoling with Poor Man,
an apology for publishing last week
column of the strong-minded females
arraignment OF man."
An awful thought pounces upon me
and harpy-like claws me with hideous
talons! | have remarked no column by
any female, strong or other minded, ex-
cent. Is itpossible? Can the editorial
pencil refer to? Could anyone mis-
take the humble author of these lines
for what men mean when they speak of
str o, horror, horror!
frantically seek last Sundays paper
I turn to a certain page-I read-I
breathe again Thank-thank the COM
positor who for once has abstained from
perverting my meaning Not even
q biased mind-and the editorial
mind is invariably cut straightforward
torture my wild remarks into the
semblance of an "arraignment Of man."
Arraign man indeed! Non merci,
XIV
Before me lies Boston publication
called ''The Esoteric-a magazine OF ad-
vanced and practical esoteric thought"
1t is the organ of a society--a branch of |
which is colonized in this state--which |
has discovered new-and only-road
to the goal hitherto vainly striven for
the establishment of the do
minion of mind over matter. The |
Esoterics aim--not to eradicate but--to
subjugate all material desires, appetites,
passions and to live thus what they cali
the regenerate life. Very good. Nothing
in fact could be better. This is the
practical" aspect of the movement
the grain CT wheat in many bushels of
chaff.
But the Esoterics, being but human,
have not been able to stop here. They
have rashly plunged into the labyrinth
Of advanced thought, the slender clue
has broken in their hands, and they,
5oOs ssaye fallen victims to the all-de-
Vouring minotaur.
An oriental mysticism, dead, buried
and resurrected Journalism has fostered,
like blighting fungus, upon the kernel
~ l. -,