The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-20
. WOMEN Ann THEIR wars.

Unfortunate indeed IL the woman WHO
does not count among her chief treasures
woman friend. She may be hedgcd about
with the tender devotion Of q husband, and
surrounded by q brilliant court Of mescu.
line admirers. but life hiss stiil withheld one
Of lie moot precious giftS from her. unlcsi
there 10 sone woman 10 whom she may 70
prehension and sympathy ~ only one NO.
man can give another.
| Platonic affection between men and wo.
men has ever been series Of dangerous
experiments. Leaving the ethical side OF
the question out Of confederation. however,
men arc but fsir-weather friends where wo-
men are concerned. They love liz while we
Laugh. They leave us. u they possibly can,
as soon as wo begin 10 weep. They do not
know how to sympathize. unless the sympa-
thy can take the form Of doing something.
Your head aches. perhaps. and your woman
| friend IL content to sit beside you In a dark
ened room listening to your tale OF woe.
Your man friend may pity you just a
much. but he wants to get out Of hearing
OF your complaints and send the doctor 10
you.
| Herein lies the essential difference be.
tween masculine and feminine friendship.
ana II ie what makes the woman friend ~
necessary ana 80 eystaining. A woman knows
that when you complain you don't always
want things changed. She comprehc nds--
for does she not do the same thing herself?
that there Ia relief unspcakablc In un-
hurdcning your soul to a sympathetic heart.
and that there Is cold comfort to be de.
rived from having somebody minglo their
tears with yours, even when the weeping
leads to nothing, A man is bound TO un-
dervalue or overvaluc these things. but a
woman assesses them at their truo worth.
A gift o! beauty and cxpenec II the little
fnblo OF china 70 hold triHes In the modern
drawing room Tho standard Is with flower
decoration, while the top is formed of So
ries OF Sevres NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. heads
of fair women, alternating with bits of land
scape. etc.
The craze for crests is increaeing ard not
content with biazonng II on ones station
ery II Ia now the mode to have II ex.
1ulaitely hand painted On parchment.
framed and hung In a conspicuous place
In hall or library. For mourning station
cry. dead white linen with narrow blacl,
border Is the correct style. The
very wide black border which was
supposed TO gauge the depth Of
the writer's grief Is quito out Of
date. For second mourning. nure white pa
per with very narrow border Of pale gray
or violet is sometimes used, with monogram
or address die In color 20 match
II Is not every woman who possesses the
faculty Of SO adjusting ribbon decorations
on hat or dreW IA to produce
the most harmonious effects. And
yet nothing adds so much 20 the
beauty of toilet ae tho disposition Of
tho ribbons that adorn II. VISIONS Of love
illness in ribbons and lacce" are frequently
fppipa for tho ~ a MI ua1 IN,
tailor-madc gown and mufiled up In her
wraps. woman IL ready for the outside
world: ready fo' the hurry and stress of
shopping or the formalities Of calling. and
those who meet her see tho fair somewhat
cold ottside take her ms che presents her
self and are--strangers. or. at best. ac-
Guaintanccs. But let this etald damsel
cross the threshold Of her home. and In an
hour or two appear In her drawing-room
with snme warm. rich color at ,hroot and