St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-06
ELLA WILCOX ON WOMEN.
To Be Charming She Says It Is In
diSpensabie is Have Neat Shoes.

To Be Charming She Says It Is In
dispensaDie is Have Neat Shoes.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, who is regard
ed as somewhat of an authority in such
matters, thus discusses the advisabilitv
of having neat SHOES as a means OF at
tracting and holding mans affections in
Il serious story entitled" Was 1t Suicide?
or. Why Marriage Is Sometimes Fail
ure," now appearing Serially III Demo
rests Family Magazine.
One day Maud threw herself upon the
lounge in Sybl's room. Her golden
hair was coiled high. on her shapelv
head. Her oval face was far more beau
tiful than it bad ever been before. The
look of dull. peevish discomfort. which
had caused her to fade so quickly after
her marriage, was replaced by one of
animated interest and robust health.
She had gained preceptibly in beauty.
grace and expression since she had
come to dwell with Sybl, but she had
never been tasteful dresser. Her gar
ments were expensive and fashionable.
but seldom becoming: and she was in
different in the matter Of hosiery and
shoes and skirts.
As she lay stretched upon a lounge in
all her grace, beauty anu youth. SybIs
eyes fell upon an incn OF wrinkled.
faded hose. and glimpse of a frayed
skirt displayed beneath the folds of a
rich morning gown. Her slippers were
trodden down at the heel and rusty at
the toes.
IF l were man." thought Sybl.
land she were my wife. that sight of
her feet would send me to the club, /
fear. Yes, it might send me to the
theater. even, where | would sit in the
front row and gaze with Zest and appre-
citation on such glimpseS of lace flounces
and trim slippers as were accorded me-;
Then she spoke: Maud. | want YOU
TO go with me tomorrow and make some
purchases. just to please me. Buy
box of pretty hosiery and two pairs of
slippers, and some dainty skirts in cam
bric null or silk. as you may prefer
VIII yOa?'
Maud lifted her blonde head by means
of her two hands clasped under it and
peered down at her feet. Am | so
Shabby?" she queried.
Not absolutely shabby, but certainly
not attractive in. some respects" Sybl
replied. Your gOwniS charming, your
nails we'll kept.yoUr hair we'll arranged;
but your hosiery is faded and carlessly
worn. your skirts frayed, your slippers
out OF shape. Were l man, and ever
so much in love with you. | should be
Then | fear | should be dislllusiOned
with my ideal of man love if it de-
pended on such DOOR objects as slippers
and hose" responded Maud with tinge
of sarcasm in her voice. IA mans love
ought to be on a stronger basis than
that"
Ought and is are different words.''
replied Syb. I'VE take men as they
are. when we marry them, and Sc we
must make the best of them. First of
all, we must keep them in love with US.
We can do nothing if we lose their love:
we can do everything If we keep It. No
matter how earthly aud unworthy neat
slippers and hosiery may seem COM
pared to a tender heart, and an intelli-
gent mind, and devoted love, we must
cater to a mans appreciation of the
former in order to make him value the
latter. So long as there are women in
the wOrld-On the stage Of theaters or
eISewhere-whO make themselves eX-
Quisitely attractive in these ways. fol
the gaze of masculine eyes, it behOOves
every wife not to become careless in any
detail of her toilet"
"One grows careless living alone"
said Maud: ''yOu must remember [ have
had no husband to dress for during the
last year."
Nor for thirteen years; but seel"
ana, with finger tip and thumb, Sybl
lifted her simple cashmere gown and
displayed a fleeting glimpse of snowy
mull, slken hose and trim bronze Slip
per. "If l were shipWrecked on an un-
! peopled island, l should polish my nails
| with the palm of my hand daily" she
! said. "One should be ever ready, any
| where, to meet the most scrutiniZing
! gaze of the man one loves"
Maud felt spasm of jealousy contract
/ her heart. ''lf Morris, the man we
| both love. were to see US this minute,
know which would please his masculine
! taste the BETTER" she thought: and then
she said aloud: Il will buy hosiery and
! shoes by the wholesale tomorrow. and l
VIII learn few theatrical songs and
dances to exhibit them if you like" she
/ added. laughing nervOusly.
Let US hope that the lady mended her
ways and her stockings. and that
Maudie won her Morris back again.