Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-27

W91s> - - v0k00010 A194<4eS8 -
sonissy. apd yss 80 iady. Why. than.
must svsEybody - clAAssd under The T.
tls e eoavsnsiouAlisy and dsspiss thAf
Of nature. especially - the fosuss y
much more within our control than ~
lattsgl
Any woman en- make hersAlf a
honor and glory 10 her sex by Develop
tng ths inhorn power and beauty of her
womanhood; any woman can rise BY
her own psrsiztsns eforts 70 the first
rank among the women Of the world
with far more certainty than. - u often
boassed. any free born American man
may riss 10 tho presidential chair. She
has bat to uss the faculties. the viii. tho
mind and tho persistence which are hers
by birth. but il Is not every woman who
can become . lady by her own sffcrts.
and sclf made ladies are never very sat-
isfActory TO themselves OF, to anybody
else There Is an ease, an unconscious
ness. gentle assurance OF manner and
calm expectation Of consideration
from other people which are seldom II
ever obtained except by birthright. and
the lack Of which are fatal to the per-
lection Of ladyhood. As said before,
these traits may be joined to . bad heart
and . shallow brain. bat still the per-
con remains = lady. just rs the Caucar
sian remains . white man. although he
commit every sin under the Dec,lloguA.
Would any one willingly confess TO tho
bad heart and shallow brain for the
sake Of being called . lady? l think
not. Then why struggle 50 blindly for
title which may mean both?
You will say that all ladies are MOI Of
this description. and that many women,
not ladies, are just as bad. True enough,
but then we have no choice as to being
women; no matter how fine or how good
lady is, she is primarily . woman, and
has it in her own power to be good WON
an in the eyes Of all men. and the advan-
tage Of this side of the question Is that
good woman is obviously one; you
can't mistake her; she carries the air Of
it about with her. as if it were q robe Of
Office. How often have smiled into the
face Of some dear old, toll worn, weather
beaten creature whose good honest soul
looked out through her poor tired face,
and all unconsciously proclaimed, .
good woman lives in this uncomely
body, and have given her . friendly
word, or pleasant look, or perhaps q
little present in appreciation Of the hon.
or she did my sex. But never called
such an ono lady, nor would she have
called herself so; she was something
better.
Now do not mean to say that ladies
are never placed in lowly situations, Of
that they are any the less ladies for ILL
ing them. One lady of my acquaintance
became so reduced in circumstances that
she was glad to accept tho position Of
scrubber to the floors OF some Of our pub
lie buildings, and did the work faithful
" and well until something better was
offered; nor was she any the less lady
while on her knees washing those floors
than she had been when, ROBBED in silks,
she received her guests and did honor to
her station.
Many . lady, too, has followed her
husband to the western wilds, and while
he delved and hewed and conquered the
wilderness in ono fashion. she cooked
and washed and scrubbed and sewed
and madc that same wilderness to bios
som like a rose with the grace and charm
Of her ninistrations. But the gentle
man did not cease to Be . gentleman
nor tho lady lady because Of their
rough toll: they simply found it easier
~ that so~c,v,t - ~;s~ ~ - <l>~ k~-~.~ -
bility Of manhood and womanhocd.
But although every woman cannot
achieve for herself tho ease and uncou-
sciousness and nameless air that are tho
birthright Of certain Of her sisters. she
may with caro- and thought become
lsdyiike, and often. very. very often,
ono meets ladylike women among those
Industrial classes who arc the backbone
and vitality OF our community. But
woman Of this description. especially IL
quite young. il often sorely puzzled to
know just what manners, what occupa-
tons and what use Of language are lady
like and what are not. and perhaps II
any sncb chance to read this paper they
will no. resent q few friendly hints upon
the subisct.
In tho first place, then, the true LADY
h always self controlled; she has her
temper. her bodily movements. her
modes Of speech just N much in hand ~
. good coachmsn has his horses: she
may bo very much exasperated, but nm
less she chooses she makes no deinonstra~
ton whatever Of the fact; II she docs
choose. she often utters very cruel and
cutting words. but she utters them In .
quiet. restrained voice. without gesture,
and certainly without raising her voice;
nothing is 30 absolutely unladylike a.
scolding. by which one means loud. noisy
and uncontrolled vituperation. and the
genuine lady does not know how to
show her feelings in that way II she
wished; another thing impossible for .
lady to do is to push and elbow her way,
to scramble and wrsngle for . seat or .
front place in crowd. OF for any other
desirable thing only 10 be obtained BY
such methods; self respect il one of her
chief characteristics. and no front seat
would repay her for even its temporary
Does; another mark Of lady Il her
readiness to accept an apology. and also
her readiness 10 make one in case Of any
accident. sach - having her lace aouDcs
torn Oh. on her tees stepped on. or her
precious bat of china smashed by "a
awkward visitor.
One need not perhaps 60 quite - fnf
S1.<> f1.1~ sell Ev<~.e,rx s. N.~~ V<.~&~