Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-05
big stores in WASHINGTON. I sauander half

big stores in Washington. I squander half
my pin money at Her counter, just because
I like to talk to her. She is dressed in
black always because, she told me, it is less
expensive and less conspicuous than any
thing else. Sometimes it gets almost
threadbare-just now, for instance, for that
one cashmere is now doing its second Win
ter's servce-but it is always eXquiSitely
clean, free of dust and grease. spots, and
with not a bow or rufffe on the skirt to catch
and tear, or to hold lint. When a little
lame brother is released from his suffer
ing, and WornOut mother no longer needs
her loving care, she can afford new gowns
oftener but l know there will be more
heartache in the smile with which she
greetS me. III
The day before Christmas I saw women
standing five deep at her counter, and
among them a lady prominent in official
circles; all were in hurry, but all walt
ing to get the attention in turn of my lit
tie friend. The floor walker undertook to
palm off another clerk on the official lady,
but she stood her ground, and expressed
her desire to be waited upon by my clerk,
because, you know, she is so very obiGinS
and charmingly interested in getting
you pleased, and she is 50 wholesome
WOmanly Woman.
Now, at that same counter, is girl
whom i greatly dislike. She is tawdry.
Her dress is always a cheap imitation OF
the latest fad in dress goods. 1t is SLOUGH
lily made. and has enough furbelows on it
for ball gown, and about the second
wearing the bows and lace and ruif1es are
usually pinned on. She rouges to the limit,
and wastes heap of powder in her efforts
to even up the surface of muddy skin
that is dying for soap and water! L Know
that in two or three ways, and one OF them
Is because L have never seen her yet with
clean neck and earSi Then she is devoted
to the use of triple extract of heiiotrope,
and her lingernaiis seem never to nave met
a manicure fle though they are loaded
down with cheap rings. A girl IKE TINS IS
one of the hopelessiy tawdry type ana L
must frankly say she is not common among
the working girls.
! think there are more of them ike my
little girl in black. They are most of them
self-respecting and Woodworking, with an
ambition to improve, and quite sensible
enough to reject the spurious IN Dotn
dress and manner, but lacking the insight
to character and motives that will lead
them to understand that the niceties OF he
are as much the property OF the common
people as they are of the favored rlch class
es, and that they are more to be priced
than the costlier luxuries. for rags cannot
disguise the true gentlewoman, any more
than the velvet gown will cover the mis-
takes of the woman ignorant OF the COM
mon courtt sizes of life
Then l would read good books-just a
few-that would widen my knowledge oil
history and of the world OF men and Wo-
men, and l would read at least one good
daily paper to keep myself in touch with
the times. study of the daily press is an
absolute necessity in this age, when We are
making history fast, and nothing 50
thoroughly stamps one up TO date as a
perfect understanding of what is going on
in the world.
Above all things else I would be wo-
manly woman. A recent writer has de-
fired her as one 'Who is gentle, tender and
corsideTate a woman with sufhclent
strength of character to allow neither her
head nor her heart nor her home to be DIS
turbed by any claims other than those be
longing to her Womanhood and wifehood.'
l guess. after all is said and DONE that II
you just try to be womaniy woman. you
will pretty nearly fill all requirements
SONORA SARA.