Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-28
SOCIETY'S SEASON OF REST
Lent Is More Than Half Over and Festal
Occasions Are Rare.
TWO WEDDINGS OF OMAHA PEOPLE ABROAD
Easter sbipcs In the Near Future, md
Approaching Springs Hoscntc
Prospect Divcrts the
Mind.

Society In mid-Lent is supposed to be,
and in the nature Of things should be, at
It's very lowest ebb. Then. II ever, should
earthly Joys be allowed to fade away, and
the mind be rlycted upon higher things. The
week just past, as will appear from a glance
at the columns which follow demonstrated
omaha's strict and religious conformity to
the spirit Of the time Aside from certain
amount OF arrival and departure, and indi-
vldual downsotting and uprising, which has
been chroniced as faithfully as the mpor-
tance of the facts seem to deserve, very little
indeed has happened to make the period in
any wise notable. The near approach Of
spring, with its limltless possibilities OF out
door enjoyment. makes the tanner pleasures
of the ball room and the card table seem
poor and feeble things by comparison; and
although the cessation Ia the social round
Is doubtless due in large measure to piOus
inclination, 1t may be questioned If the re-
turning robins song has not something to
do with 1t as well.
Many stories are told, chiefly by men, Of
the conduct of women in street cars, from
the moment they get on, the car being sta
tionary, until they alight, Invariably in the
wrongest and most dangerous way. These
narratives usually have for their theme the
selfshness of woman In her dealings with
her fellows OF both sexes the theory being
that the exigencies of street cars have power
in a most extraordinary degree to bring out
the hidden and real character of individuals
OF the human race. Most yarns of this
nature are not nearly as amusing as Mrs
Lofter's Ride" and no nearer to being
genuine history than that supremely divert
ing fiction. There are women, not few
who are ladies as we'll, and whose ladyhood
is quite as apparent in public conveyances
as elsewhere And there are others by no
means unknown In what are called the higher
walks of society, who are likewise ladies
and don't care who knows 1t.
One of the latter class boarded a cross
town car the other day, Just at the hour
when working men and women have finished
their days duties and are going home. She
was not working woman, and had done
nothing more fatiguing than an hours les-
urely shopping. Besides, she was young
strong and vigorous, good at that moment
for ten-mile bicycle spin or a long even
ings exercise on waXed foor. 10 the
casual observer the car seemed full. The
rear platform was crowded with Doors OF
the male sex, all of whom were smoking
Some of them dropped off to give the young
woman foothold on the step. She did not
thank them for this service. Probably they
did not expect her to. She struggled through
to the interior of the car, with the friendly
aid of the conductors hand upon her back.
The space inside was only comfortably filled
In reality, although the few women occupying
the seats contrved, by a skillful disposition
OF their draperies, to convey the impression
to the men standing in the aisle that every
inch of space was taken up One man was
sitting-a cripple, who held two crutches
upright before him.
The girl who was the latest conner paused
midway of the car, grasping strap in an
athletic manner and fixing a baleful and
stony glare upon the man with the crutches
Not woman stirred or compressed her
volumlnoGs rament by hairs breadth. The
cripple rose painfully, but very
promptly, raised his hat, and, with
courteous "Allow me, madame, y
indicated his vacant seat. The women
on either hand made quick play
to expand still further, but the girl was too
active for them She pounced upon the place
Just vacated with CELEBRITY and vigor which
Indicated ability and willingness to stand
a siege IL necessary.
Thank the cripple? Not by any means.
Was he not a man, and was she not a
woman? And did any of the others show
compassion for him in his struggles to sup
port himself with his crutches and the
straps of the car? Assuredly not. But the
conductor, under his breath, made remarks
freighted with deep meaning, and one of the
smokers became so excited that he got off
tho car three blocks short of his crossing.