The record-union., 1897-07-02
WHO ARE LADIES ?"

BY what standards are we to meas
ure worth, chastity and decency IL the
usage of the time in application OF
the title lady is to continue? This
word is grossly misused. To say that
one behaves as lady" is of more
meaning than any other form of ex-
preston, since it indicates belief that
a woman demeans herself as one OF
refinement, modesty and chastity
should. So, too, the expression lady
like" implies correct and refined, po-
lite and clean bearing. But standing
alone and when not used for special
purpose lady" is not mentionable
with the broader, better, holier title
woman.
To speak Of ones wife, mother,
daughter or sister as womanly IS
precisely parallel with the express
sion manly, as applied to one
of the sterner sex. To say that
an action was manly, a bearing manly,
is to the full as expressive as the
softer term "gentlemanly," since it is
difficult to understand how one can
be manly and not gentlemanly, though
it may be conceded that the latter
should imply special refinement, cul-
ture and polish.
But the use Of the title lady" gen.
orally by the press of the day when
referring to all manner of women, has
gone so far as to arouse the indig-
nation of chivalrous men, and lead
them to resent the application of the
term to any of the women of their fam
lilies. Here, for instance, is glow
ing and suggestive account in the nude
press of the elopement of a California
wife with a fellow who brazenly ad-
mits his crime and defies the injured
husband. This female, who has de-
liberately lowered herself to the level
of the mistress is spoken of as fthe
lady" A notorious creature in San
Francisco living as the mistress of a
prominent man of family openly and
defiantly bears him child, brazenly
assumes his name and seeks to wrest
the title of Mrs" from the wronged
wife. This creature and her shame
lessness are paraded in the press that
speaks of her uniformly as ''the LADY,
Indeed'some newspapers appear to take
pains to refer to this strumpet as "a
lady" and 1.-The lady"
Another kept-woman, sixteen years
4ba ,,,;s+race Of a r1roYoinanf San Fra IN =
ciscan, now dead. goes into court in
a quarrel over his estate, and is re-
ferred to in court and print as ''the
lady" Even the opposing counsel speak
of her as this lady," and is as polite
to this member of the fallen sisterhood
as if addressing their mothers or sis
ters. This same woman, resenting some
remark concerning her brazen conduct,
bristles up and declares. Il am lady,
and win not be spoken to thus
Kind heaven save the mark! Has
the ethics of politeness become so cor
rupted that the demi-monde and the
Barbary Coasters are to be entitled
ladies'" while decent women, pure
WIVES, I1OIleIS anu StSiSIS iluSb Dc
content to have the same title applied
to them, trusting to the shading of
the application to indicate the line that
distinguishes one class of ladies' from
another?
Men who respect womankind worthy
of regard, really should esteem the
painted harlots of the tenderloin dis
tricts of our congested communities su-
perior to these lady mistresses of
shameless men. The true sisterhood
at least assumes no virtue they have
not. They at least are not hypocriti-
cal, nor do they resent the applica-
tion to them of the title that describes
them correctly
Honestly, these fallen women have a
right to protest, and common justice
will sustain them should they prefer
it, that these other hariots should be
spoken of as they are. and not be ex-
alted above them by title, for in
truth the pretentious lady courte-
SLAMS are some degrees beneath even