The herald., 1894-11-04
SOME THING ABOUT G|LL'S PLAY
Jacks Companion Prone to Seek
Simply Amusement.
The Diverse of the All Work and No
Play Aphorism.
A Wow of Certain Feminins Tendencies
and Some Timsly Suggcstions As
to Their Correotion-A Pa
per OF Interest.

The Ingenious, not to say ingenious.
benefacsor OF mankind, who invented
that trite little aphorism. "All work
and no play makes of Jack dull boy"
builded better than he knew, in that it
has been ier-reaching, enduring and ia
as adaptable today ss ever it was, in
case of race or ball game or other al
lurement that would take men from
their work, and for which absence
superior in Office or their own conscience.
Il is equally true, too, of Gill, when ap-
piled to her sex; it recognizes neither
age, race nor condition and has proven
itself by long and steady use to be a
patent, reversible, duplex and hides
tructible axiom.
But, as there are two sides to every
question, as each medal has its diverse
and reverse, why in all literature ia
there no such reliable and tims.serving
adage regarding the effect of all play
aud no work upon either Gill or Jack?
OF course there are little hints and
innue0ces, as in that reference to his
satanic majesty and idle handle, but
nothing has been handed down from a
paat generation, nor constr uctsd by the
present one, that carries with it the
same conviction and weight. Probably
because the average mind pays more
heed TO instinct than to reason, and as
necessity forces certain amount OF
work on mankind. there is no inolina-
nation to make inquiry as to whether
there should be more.
Il is not so much a question OF guam
tity, however, as OF quality. not
whether there should be more wor
done, but whether it should not be OF a
different kind, question OF the conser-
walton of energy, rather than the dissi--
patton OF force-with Gill at least; the
Gill that draws INCREASINGLY on her nerv-
GUS as we'll as physical strength by re-
volving around card tables after the
elusive prizs. uttering meaningless
platitueee at the afternoon end evening
high tea or reception. INDUCING in fool
ish and often harmful gossip in q cease
less and Iever-snding round of calls,
upon women OF whom a large per cent
can never be more than acquaintances,
since there is no time, even if there
should chance to be congenial interests,
to form and enjoy the deeper tie Of
friendship.
Not but that calls, and teas, receipt
ions and card parties are all very we'll in
their way--perish the thought that they
might not bs-thev are important on
the very score OF the all work and no
play theory. Il is only when they are
overdoDe that they are diverted from
their real use, which should be the
passive one OF entertainment, and made
to be active work that is harmful, in
that its results are net beneficial to
either the individual or the race.
The chief trouble is that modern sos
ciety is as exactiEg as it 10 demorali zing.
One invitation cannot be honored with
acceptance without giving offense if the
second he declined, or vice versa. One
engagement cannot be met and another
avoided, without the same disastrous
result. and the conseouenc ia, that the
life of society woman is that of slave
to the amenities OF society, that works
as quickly and surely. so statistics say,
toward that wOman's undoing physi-
cally and mentally, as any known cause.
Yet women are upheld and urged on
by men in general and their own hus-
bands, fathers and brothers in particu.
lar to be more or less slaves to society;
the very men who rise in revolt and
pour seornful invective upon the head of
the woman who suggests a deviation
from the old time groove for the cultiva-
ton OF her higher faculties, and the con.
sequent betterment of the sex and race.
Argument alter argument is advanced
in the home and through the press OF
the dire results sure to follow such q
course; the neglect OF the home, its
children and it's interests; the perver-
sion OF the natural sweet and subseryi-
emit tenn permanent to one of coarse and
independent thought of action. These
and many more forceful arguments are
brought TO bear On the unlucky woman
who has the courage OF her convictions
and the hardwood to utter them.
But there ere women and women
those who, having tried their wings and
becoming intoxicated with the novelty of
their liberty, mount the rostrum and
the pulpit; penetrate the myHterios OF
the medical and other professions who
would invade the bar, the ballotbox or
any other channel that leads to public
life and activity of these there is
small per cent and they represent the
one extreme,
Then there are the women that are
by birth and education, by inheritance
and capacity, eminently fitted TO fill the
roles their mothers and grardmotne ere
have flied before them. those gentle,
tmid passive, apparently brainleas be-
ings, the will or whim of whoss respect
i've lords 10 their law. and the cireum-
GCribed shadow cast by his image their
horizon those women whom the moss
grown purtanic laws OF other days cay
are the true women, but who are. by
their narrow and distorted view of life
and things, true neither to themselves
nor the lords they revere, in tho highest
ard best sense, and are only fitted for
that class Of men who ask for no more
in their wives than that they be dolls,
toys or elaVes; u hiIe their right to the
divine privilege Of motherhood 10 CUES
tionable, eince, never having had the
force to govern themselves. it ia doubt
full if they should incur the responsible.
ity of the life Of others.
OF theee women that represent the
other extreme there is larger per cent,
but ono that is constantly decreasing,
and neither the one nor the other come
under the all play or no work heading
the first wouldn't play if they could,
they arc too much absorbed, at present
at least, in developing their recently &C
quired wing power; the last couldn't
play il they would, Tor fear that my lord
would frown on anything that savored
o. frlvolity, or that approached o usurp-
ing of his prerogativee. 1t is the society
Gill thai does the playing. in season and
out OF season, Ia tom and at the sea-
side, day and night, Sundays and hol-
dave month in and wear out feyerisb