Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-09
OUR SOCIAL WORLD

tAll items of social interest will be gladly
 noted in these columns if sent to Mrs
 George c. Ball. Nineteenth street, between Tenth and Eleventh avenues South High lands. Telephone 9SS)
 The position of journalist is one of
 trust, whether that journalist be man or
 woman. Personal and private griev-
 ances are of small concern to a reading
 public It is the bounden duty of every
 one who writes for the newspapers of
 this generation to be honest just and
 true and to give all possible assistance
 to every class of humanity in the daily struggles of life. The present day news
 papers are the great educators of the masses, and are also tremendous factors
 in regulating the conditions of the peo- pie and alleviating the sufferings of the innocent and guiltless. There are no limits to their power for good and evil and
 that journalist who is indifferent to the
 cries of the weak and forlorn is unworthy of the position he holds in the march of
 human progress. Holding these tenets partisan of the partisans though I be- it is pleasure and privilege to do my utmost for all conditions or mankind and to exercise all possible energy for the up- lllllllS OI the uOWn-tTOQQen. My friends, recognizing this fact, have called my at-
 tention to a social matter which, some claim, needs immediate attention. It is not at all new or unfamiliar to Birming- ham people, for 1t has frequently been discussed in the privacy of our homes, yet thus far 1t has not been commented upon in public print But at gathering Friday afternoon of congenial men and women, while the soft refulgence of shaded lamps cast glow over beautiful embroderies and delightful refreshments and the odor of violets and hyacnths made great room fragrant, the matter was again moOted and I was requested to make an effort towards certain changes now deemed essential by many weary men, I am a woman's woman, but that need not hamper me in the prem tses. A woman's woman generally has enough masculine friends to keep her in touch and sympathy with their interests, and therefore I deem it a privilege to do something towards relieving some Bir- mingham men from bonds that weight and worry them.
 As is well known to our citizens, we have had an especially cheerful social season this winter. Teas, afternoon re- captions, card parties, card clubs and literary circles have kept the women of Birmingham busy since last October and the approach of the Lenten season is gratefully anticipated. But in the re- equalization of our gaieties one is bound to observe that these social functions, with few exceptions, have been daylight affairs. Now this does not signify that they were not aesthetic and artistic; far from it; it only means that they were women's parties, and that no men were bidden to partake of the good cheer with their wives and sweethearts. This state of affairs has gone on with only an oc- casional remonstrance on the part of some gregoriously inclined husband, and the women have continued to gather to- gether, with unabated satisfaction, to the surprise of many man, who in his inherent vanity deemed the masculine element an. essential adjunct to any sue cessful festvity. At the close-of the sea- son the women are content with the re- suits, and if there Is not a revolution in public sentiment they will repeat their ante-Lenten experiences in many a post Lenten gaiety. But few men, who are utterly weary of being always left at home are anxious to bring their cause before discriminating public. They are tired of wandering around aimlesSly in the social wilderness feeding only upon mama, while just over the border grow the great punches of purple grapes and all manner of luscious fruits. They wish to enter this land of delight, and they demand that some relief shall come to them. Mama is very. very good for six months of the year, but ones digestive organs decline to be eternally refreshed with the same diet. And surely we women cannot blame them for this prac- tical view of an every day matter. But what is to be done? This was the ques- tion asked on Friday afternoon by cul- tivated, judicial friend, man of pro nounced social instincts and accomplish ments. He voiced the cry of many Birmingham man when he made an ap- peal for certain social privileges for the husbands of our city who would occa- sionally enjoy an outing.
 In his despair he wrote this propose tion. and he, with many aiders and abet- tors. desires to have it discussed by the men and women of our city:
 Resolved, That the willing husbands escort the willing wives of Birmingham to the social functions to which they may be invited"
 shall always escort his own wife, let that be fully understood. for, as is generally known, the willing husbands--men anxious to be social and gregarious--are mot always welded to wives with the same tendencies. There is a great un- equalness about this side of matrimony, which cannot be denied. A willing wife, one with social inclination, willing to &C., cept all proper invitations, frequently marries man to whom these things are an unutterable bore, and husband who enJOyS tne lrlctioh oA co"e"Se "fen HIS fellow men and women Is often yoked to some unwilling wife. who finds such things a constant source of annoyance. This is one of the arrangements of providence for the regulat ton of the race. but still it has It's little drawbacks, es- pecially, when a willing man desires to go to a party and an unwilling wife wishes nu sremain at home. and vice versa. Ear be it, from me to suggest any changes in our asucfai life which I might result in future complications, but, as journalist. am bound to pre- sent both sides of this matter to the pub- uic and in the hands of the public place 1t with faith in the ultimate good to be Accomplished. The question now before