The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-03
SOCIAL SUSPICION.

Irene A. Stafford in an Eastern journal,
enters a hot protest against the mean
suspicious of society, whenever a man
and woman not married manifest their
respect for each others ability and intel
hgence and for the sympathy of beings Of
clean impulses by a fellowship of tastes
and a communion of thought. She says:
tits humiliating TACT that no sooner do
two persons OF opposite sex begin to "show in
tcresJ' in each other, and md mutual profit
and delight in each others society, tnan
thousand flying shafts OF criticism and innu-
endo proceed to darken the air about them,
poison the pure springs Of intellectual Joy and
fellowship and compel them TO abandon all
the inspiring influences OF their intercourse or
submit it TO what Carlyle would call "tne ter
Tibe test of wedlOck." Nor does it much
matter how high or honorable the position
and character of the friends in the case may
be, SO long as they are unmarried and dare TO
seek each others society. the social world Will
Dc in threatening ebulltion over them.
1t is indeed humiliaing. But there is
such thing as magnifying unduly the
fact complained OF. 1t is true that some
OF the best feIlowships, the most helpful
and satisfying friendships and most ele-
waiting communion of souls exist be-
tween men and women whose compan-
ionship and sympathy, though not sealed
by marriage, has the respect of the world,
and is invulnerable to mean suspicion.
Nevertheless. we agree with Miss SAT-
ford that there is a humiliating prepon-
derance of suspicion in social life, leveled
against those whose companionship is
not prompted in the slightest by the sex
ual instinct. Why pure woman and a
manly man may not be warm friends.
intellectual admirers, ardent partisans
for things in common, and enjoy each
others society and companionship, with
out being suspected of impure motives is
one of the questions society never salts
factorily answers.
1t is a sorry fact that our young men
and young women are being taught by
our social system that there can hardly
be clean and eleyating companionship
between the sexes, except matrimony is
in view. That this is creating in each
sex false estimates of the other; that it is
provocative of immortality, and lowers
men and women in their own esteem. is
undeniable.
PROFESSIONALLY this "monstrous evil,
of which the essayist complains prevails
to regrettable degree. We quote her
rather fully on this point:
Il is sad fact that an unnatural form of
society and education has come to regard
boys and girls, men and women as little more
than surcharged batteries OF love and matri-
mony, that are sure 10 flash sparks in some
direction. right or wrong If brought into any
possible connection with each other What
makes the little twelve-year-old in short
dresses and pinafores blush and look con-
scious when Tom offers TO open the gate tor
her or help her over the brook? Don't say
ats nature 1t Is not nature It's tue French
governess or the silly schoolmate who tells her
uhat she "IOm's girl" or even the anxious
mamma, who warns her that she Is too biz 10
play with the boys now" Let nature alone
Tor guarding a girls play with a boy, ana sue
can brighten his campus or share his work
desk forever, If need be, without passing
danger 10 any OF the fine trusts committed t0
her or him. Lett TO herself she would never
force or violate the liked and orderly voices of
her soul, and if, perchance. some special Tom
should Waken a. new consciousness IN her
heart she'd know how 70 guard that too he
sure and all the better because she had NOT
been ted TO look for or imagine it in every bow
who glanced at her The education indeed
WHICH IttNSs mex blOp@ltlS entirely Tree from
any concern about BOY, as "a being 10 be
either sought or stunned, is the one that
saves her, anu the unperverted mind that en-
ables her to receive all the unfolding lessons
OF life as mighty truths or gracious laws in
the eternal scheme OF being, is one that can
bring all needed knowledge into safe and or
derby relation TO her.
The creator of the race never founded
it upon plan that contemplates its two
grand divisions as so treacherous and
dangerous that they must be kept for
ever under the rod and threat OF doubt
and suspicion to the exclusion of human
sympathy, the impulses of charity, the
promptings of the intellect and the
natural admiration one strong character
or devoted soul awskens in and manifests
for another.
1t is, as the essayist puts it, curse
when the consciousness of sex is made &c
hang like a pail over lives inspired by
honest impulses. When the suspicion o.
coquetry, or courtship, or unclean seek
ing attach to every interchange of kind.