Evening star., 1897-01-28
THERE ARE OTHERS.
Has Everybody Rights but Theater-
GOers:

AAeS SsSHS Oons Nhe"sS "ns
GOers:
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
From the prevailing current of journal
istic comment and of proposed legislation.
one might conclude that displays Of female
vanity and rudeness to other people are
confined to the theater and opera; and that
in other public assemblies there is no cause
of complaint. But it is a memorable fact
that the ill-bred woman with an offensive
ly high advertisement of her uncivilized
condition is very impartial in her distribu-
ton of afrronts to the rest of the COM
munity. She is yet found, though in
diminishing percentage. at every church,
exhibition, lecture or display of pictures,
In city or country.
AS a general rule Of behavior a man is
expected to show due regard to the rights.
the convenience and the pleasure of every
man, woman and child about him, or else
be set down as a boor and swiniSh fellow
and receive many q bitter rebuke an
occasional kncck-down TIL he learns bet
ter. II man plants himself square in
front of two or three ladies as to block
their view Of the pictures on the screen.
he is a gawky who deserves to be escorted
to the door. But If he has secured seat
which enables him to view what he came
to see, and which the mere head of an
other person in front would not obstruct
and finds a so-called lady sitting there.
gaudy finery to shut out his view, what is
the difference, except in the custom that
has hitherto required the victim to sit soft
ly swearing to himself and endure the out
rage?
Many devices are invented from time to
time to render the churches attractive to
men. especially to the young: but they are
often neutralized by the evaporation a
man feels at sitting in broad level ex-
panse of seats, with towering black piumes
and stick-up ribbons on every side. shut
ting him out from every view except that
of the ceiling ornaments. He hears a voice
and supposes 1t is that of the pulpit orator
he came TO hear: but he is not allowed to
see, unless he is of giant size or hnds a
conspicuous seat. As a means of anti
grace-as a fertile and most justifiable ex-
cuse for avoiding such an assemblage.
there is nothing now more effectual than
the gay young female Christian. displaying
her millinery and raising 1t on high as a
Sabbath tribute to her goddess. Fashion.
When a man Of medium stature finds one
of these beings eclipsing his view OF dis
tinguished speaker. he cannot always keep
his attention on the words of the discourse.
His mind Is apt to be spellbound by the
Hottentot fixings that flare out about two
feet before his face: and all manner of
strange conceits and rebellious thoughts
spring up unbidden, In spite Of all his ef-
forts to cultivate devout feelings. and a
sweet and forgiving spirit. is this Chris
tianity that l see here displayed? Is this
| the boasted advance in refinement? won
Il DER now MUCH tudt IiAAsFS CoSt any way
wonder II any man ever really wanted his
wife or his daughter to make such q guy OF
herself in public? My wife. right beside me.
| has one about as bad. l begged her not
| to get 1t. but she would have it: not TO
please me, nor anybody else that I can
| imagine, unless the devil. may be- Ha, ha
There's q man sitting Just behind her.
hope he can't see any more than / can.
And there are two or three big hats just in
| front of my wife. I'm glad of that. 1t
serves her right: but then. these women
l think them a necessary evil, like death or
| Christmas 1 wish the law allowed
me to carry a pair Of shears. and
| clip these hearse-plumes all around me.
| I'd drop them all into the plate when 1t
| comes round, and they might be sold for q
| hundred pence. to benefit the poor. How
| absurd these women are! They don't wear
| plumes In natural or becoming way. The
| ostrich never wears them on top. but goes
bareheaded. and wears the plumes some
| where else. Let the ladies learn to imi-
tate nature, and wear them In q way that
| wiH not cause the Maker OF them 20 repent
l that he ever made feathers. Then / will
| 20 to church again. and be able to say that
| I enjoyed the service" etc, etc.
| Now It fs the humble suggestion OF an oc-
l casional visitor that such exasperations.
4 inflicted by the gayest flowers Of our Chris
l tian civilization, are to quite an extent re-
| sponsible for the scarcity of men at church.
l II 10 not all due to the pernicious Sunday
| paper. Something Of the old Adam still
persists In the masculine nature. to cause
i o dislike to such q wholesale display OF
| harbarous vanity and fashionable gall"