The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-26

A Frenchwoman wants to be a law
yer. and forthwith the Frenchmen-
LAWYERS. doctors and journalists
making diagnosis of her case
as specimen of the dis
ease which will prevail among
tWentieth-century women, and are
predicting the influence that her
alarming developments will have upon
the twentieth-century Frenchman. All
agree in locating the cause of the dis
ease in the fact that, unlike the eight
Henth-century woman, who never wad-
ed into dangerous depths of wisdom,
the nineteenth woman has be-
come seriously learned, and has, there
fore, assumed that she is the mental
equal of her brother. Consequently,
the twentieth-century woman, a few
specimens of whom have already
struck CONSERVATION into the hearts of
the professional Frenchman, is going
to work on that assumption Of equal
ity. and demand admittance to the
professions on the same basis with
man. Truly, all these things the wom-
en- have done, and now the wise men
of France chant in mournful chorus:
Decadence! decadence of the old-time
maidens, with their pretty ways, their
witching smiles and their charming
bIunders-just like their mothers used
to make! They would fain have time
turn backward in its flight and give
them back the dear old days with their
sweet spinning maidens (he spinster5
are still with them). The bizarre blare
of modern education withers the re-
freshing naivete of the aristocratic
Frenchwoman, who exclaimed in as
tonlshment at the grammarian who
wished to dedicate his grammar to
her: ITO me! dedicate a grammar to
me? Why, I cannot even spell!' and
they ask gruesomely, what will be-
come of the men?" The fair flower Of
chivalry will wither in the presence
of Independent women, and in it's place
will grow the weed of brusqueness.
And last but most terrible of all, if
the twentieth century Frenchwoman is
determined to do what the nineteenth
century man has done, what can the
Notwithstanding man do? This is q
knotty question, even to the French
champion of the fair sex. each Wom-
an" he says, who exercises a mans 8
functions means one man pushed to
the wall, degraded Oh, dear! But
what fun it will be to see man COM
PEELED to be a Wall-flower in this mad
dance of life; to sit there demurely,
as the women have done for centuries,
and wait patiently until some gallant
woman chooses him for a partner; to
see him accept with suppressed eager
ness and, perhaps, marry her-for
home! But why should that degrade
him, M. Marcel Provost? Is not that
the position that has always ennobled
woman? If that sanctified retirement,
that quiet, cushioned seclusion has
kept woman so pure and lovely, Will
not the moral health of men receive
some material benefit in like sacred
retreat? AS for the effect on her, the
diagnosis is not SO discouraging. 1t
reads thus: More intelligence with o
keener relish for independence; less
passion with diminished modesty; O.
a strong sense Of personal interest, ana
enlightened egoiSm; less charm and
greater security; less tenderness and
more refection-such gradually will be
the transformation effected in the
women Of the twentieth century
From all which one would infer that
modeSty is the shadow of passion en-
lightened egoism (whatever that may
be- the adjunct of personal interest;
that the sense of security is hostile to
charm and reflection an ogre to tender
ness. All these things will happen TO
the French people, because the French
women want to be lawyers and doc
tors, Just like men, and they want to
do such dreadful things because they
think they are the equals OF men, ana
they have such foolish thoughts be-
cause they are receiving as honest an
parodied story of the horseshoe nail.
But. never mind, monsieur. After the
woman has all the enlightenment and
reflection and so forth, she will begin
to reflect on the poor man, Whom Sne
has driven into retirement, and she
will not leave him there, be sure. Inc
Scripture says: after man came
woman" and there is a terrible truth
in the commentary that woman
made in a toast, when she said: And
she has been after him ever since!
Miss Reed of the Albion, gave BIZ
cycle party and luncheon Friday even
ing in honor of Miss Britton, of Pitts
burg. The guests were: Mr.. and Mrs
Briggs, Mr.. and Mrs. A: B. Eckert, Mr.
and Mrs H. w. Dresen; Misses Waite
Stahl, Benner Price, Lewis, Mason
Parsons, Paul; Messrs. Strong, Gerber
Cooley, Foster Parsons, HaWley
Pease, McVeigh and Hausemann.
Mr.. and Mrs. Percy D. Godfrey. Of
Winifred street, were surprised by 6
number of their friends Friday even
ing. The occasion was the return OF
Mr.. Godfrey from Paris. Mr.. and Mrs
W. R. Hoag chaperoned the party
which had prepared a programme o.
musical, literary and scenic features
After the programme the guests en-
1cyed a game of cards. Lunch was
served at the conclusion of the pro
gressive card game. Among the guest:
were: Mr. and Mrs. w. r Hoag, Mr.
and Mrs. H. c. Newhart, Mr.. and Mrs
r. j. Wilson, Mr.. and Mrs. Leonhardt
Mr.. and Mrs Frank Whitmore, Mr.. j
r. Hickey, the Misses Nellie and Abbi'
Lawton Emma McGovern, and A
Stoessec The little misses assisting
were Florence, Nettie and Clara Sharp
Gol6ie and Emma Gillette, Nellie an(
Mary Mcdaniel and Alice Bear.
The Manitou two-step will be IA
vorite at the Remer dancing acaden!