Frostburg mining journal., 1895-09-21
ORDERLY AND NEAT.
WHICH SEX is BEST ENTITLED TO
BE SO CHARACTERIZED

A bachelor said i'll my presence a year
or two ago: women are not by nature
Or habit so clean or orderly as men or
so delicate In their ideas of small mat
ters. "
l combatcd the assertion, -yith indig-
nant protests, and assured the speaker
that only q disappointed bachelor, whom
some woman's perfdy had soured, could
make such a statement.
Nevertheless | set about studying the
habits of the sexes in these respects, and
l began to question people who had wide
opportunities of Judging such matters,
and the result has not been wholly COM
plimentary to my sisters.
First, I noticed the dress Of men and
women in public convcyances. 1t is
rarely indeed one sees man, with any
claims to respectable attire, who dis
plays soiled collar, cuffs or shirt front.
But l have observed soilcd laces about
the neck of many an otherwise richly
and fashionably attircd woman, and
soiled white gloves are woefully in evil
dence and ruin scores of handsome tot
let's
1 do not think I have ever seen fringes
or tatters about the ankles of man.
1t seems to bo an understood law
among the most ordinary types of re-
spectacle men that the first raveled seam
or ripped lining shall be attended to by
the tailor before the garment is Worn
again. But women who carry fortunes
upon their backs display torn founces
and ragged laces frequently on the street
crossings or i'll alighting from vehicles.
Only a few weeks ago | walked be-
hind a young lady i'll prominent New
York avenue and admired the perfect
fit of her brand new promenade costume
and the exquisite details. which eXhib-
tied excellent taste and Judgment of the
wearer or her modiste. Hat, gloves,
gown and wrap and veil were in har-
mony. But suddenly there came mud
dy crossing. The lady lifted her dress
and showed a charming foot elegantly
booted lut. alas, above it silk petit
coat, with three rags hanging from it,
The harmony was ruined l,y Il discord.
Just as ] was :lbout to emerge from a
Turkish bath establishment one day a
young woman who speaks three Ian
guages flUertly and who belongs to a
rich and influential Family entered and
tossed off al expensive cloak, display
ing q faded silk waist which was out at
the elbows and badly soiled about the
neck. Her skirt was trim and mOdish,
her cloak and bonnet irreproachable,
but the waist she Wore was ineXcusably
shabby. cOuld not help but wonder if
she had appeared i'll this garment at the
breakfast table.
Perhaps III similar intimacy men may
see similar untidiness among members
of their own sex, but doubt it.
On the other hand, where is the wo-
man who could endure for ten minutes
the filth of Smoking car in which
refined men pass hours? The recollection
of passing through one by accident to
reach parlor car is sufficient to un-
nerve the average woman.
Talking with a lady who has Il large
country home, where she entortains ex-
tensively, l asked her opinion on this
subject. She gave it as follws:
81 will tell you our experience" she
said, (which, l fear, is not solitary
one. 1t so happened that two young la
dies and two young gentlemen had been
passing week under my roof, and the
morning of their departure my house
keeper was ill, and 1 went in person to
superintend the cleaning of the rooms
which they had occupied.
''The young ladies, mind you, had
been reared in homes of culture and
learning and were to all appearance
dainty and refined specimens of their
sex Yet this was the condition of the
rooms which they had occupied for a
week:
"The handsome dresser cloth was
stained and spattered by toilet creams
and washes. A box of face powder had
been overturned on the velvet carpet,
and the print of small slipper toe had
tracked it about the room. A large, un-
slightly roll of mixed blond and brunette
'combings' protruded from a pasteboard
receptacle like q last years bird nest.
Three toilet bottles We're minus their
shoppers. -Four cambria handkerchiefs
and one glove We're found under the
bed, and in the sweepings of the room
were discovered 81 dresspins, four hat
pins and two lacepins containing jew
els.
"When the room just vacated by the
men was investigated, the only souve-
Mrs remaining We're two half burned
cigars, small heap of cigar ashes ON
the mantelpiece and one quill toothpick
on the floor.
"'Sure, and I'd rather clean up after
tin gintlemen than one lady any day.
remarked my servant, and i'll view of
the contrast between the two rooms I
could not rebuke her. -
Another hostess whom consulted on
this subject said: 81 do not know that
I have found men guests neater than
women, but | have found them more
delicate minded in regard to many mat
ters. For instance, the seemingly best
bred girls and the richest are often ex-
ceedingly careless in small matters.
They will borrow wrap from a hostess
when they have mislaid their own OF it
is inaccessible, and they will leave this
garment on veranda chair or in boat
| with reckless disregard Of conse.
quences.
Another lady said II think men bathe
, much more than women do and are
more particular about the details Of