, 1892-02-21

WOTIu1 OF u uIIlt CODSlutIdllOu even
from the lords of creation The Other
derivation Of lady is from an old Saxor
wosd meaning the distributor of bread
that is to say the housewife and genera
domestic manager According to the
former derivation, the wife OF King
Cophetua is the most prominent lady on
record, and | fancy it would hardly suit
the dignity of an American woman to
claim the same title on the same
grounds.
Nor would there DO any eager scram-
bic for the honors of the dread server,
since, unfortunately, housewifery is an
almost forgotten art among us, and If
practiced Is generally so s~ubservient to
other interests and pursuits, at least in
large communities, that few indeed
would care to be addressed habitually as
Housewife So-and-so.
But since the original meanings are
obsolete and altogether inappropriate to
modern ambitions, what definition takes
their place. and what does lady really
mean among us?
Why it means absolutely nothing at
all. and had better be abandoned than
misused as it is.
A friend of mine who devotes herself
TO missionary labors Mt the east side of
New York tells me some funny stories
illustrating these statements, and they
are absolutely true.
One is of the white wife of a negro whom
she visited the other day. and found ly-
ing in bed and covered with plasters and
Sbandages. Asking for an account of
this condition, she was told that 1.-THE
lady as lives or the floor above has a
great way of gittin tight an cuttin up
rough on washday. an when me an she
was hangin ont our clothes on the one
shed we fit some, al in the end she
kicked me down the steps an broke my
head the way you see"
Trying to find a nurse to care for this
poor creature my friend was told by a
respectable roman in the same alley
that
lyon won't find n lady. mum, that
will go and nuss a body that's took up
with a dark man. unless it's another
lady like herself"
A second dame complained that IAN
other lady was living with her the
complainant's) husband, and they had
turned the "childher" into the street to
beg for their living
Trying to trace one of her clients who
mao temporarily disappeared, my friend
was told "Oh, you wants the lady that's
gone to the Island for a simple drunk.
Well, she's gone, but there's another
lady in her room very bad with the
snakes. and maybe she'll do you Just as
we'll"
And yet another had attacked her
neighbor tooth and nail because she had
told her she was no lady"
We all have heard Of the new servant
IN some western town who announced
herself as the lady that came to work
for n woman by the name Of Brown,
If you're she"
And | myself, in sending for n laun,
dress. was informed that the ~washlady
| wanted nae ONE
II is not uncommon to see placards in
the windows Of milliners and dry goods
dealers to the effect that salesladies are
waEted within. and in one large estab-
lishment | noticed n placard, mo con
~versation with salesladies in business
hours"
But / think the drollest use OF the
word ! have yet heard was when | good
naturedly accompanied a friend into an
intelligence office and heard the head of
II inquire among his charges:
lis there any lady here that would ac-
cept a place as kitchen maid?'
One lady was found willing to con-
descend so far, and was brought into
the room were we sat. A conclusion
was reached and the man, opening his
book took down my friends nam and
address, and then turning to the candi,
date for the part OF kitchen maid, in
quired
And your name, young Lady,
My names Brennan"
"Ah. yesi Well, Miss Brennan, yor
will call at this address as soon as posi-
Die, won't your"
But here my friend interposed, quietly
saying
Il fancy there is some mistake.
want to hire a kitchen maid and not /,
young lady, and my domestics are al
ways called by their first names. d.
you quite understand"
But hereupon the young lady" be
came abusive, the official tried to be joe
Mar, and we retreated minus the kitchen
maid
This is funny, but 1t is also true.
NOW, All Ino perSOuo ! ha'o hioh
toned wish to be called ladies, | for on,
have no objection in life; but let then
keep the title all to themselves, and lie
MS reserve the good old title of woman
for the rest of the sex. for n an
quite content to be called a woman fol
the rest of my days, and should nevel
fret If that of lady were denied me.
OF course, however the term doe
still mean something among persons
who use language with discrimination
and appreciation, and the proper defini
ton to my mind would be a woman O
refinement, education and good breed
ing. brought up in such habits and man
ner.that, however elevated a station sh
may he called To fill she will neve
Bucxten's Arnica saIve.
The best salve in the world tor cut