The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-07
FOR FEMININE READERS
CONyENTIoNALITIEs THAT HINDER
FREEDOM OF ELDERLY WOMEN.
Progress being Made in the Art of
COOkery-Teaching Music as an Art
Hints ON Various Matters.

What is the reason an elderly man who is
youthful in his tastes is to be admired,
while an elderly woman who gives way to
youthful impulses is an object OF ridicule?
A feminine conclave, says writer in the
Chicago Post, fell to discussing this on the
pleasant veranda of country house not
fifty miles from here. And Clarissa heard
them. They had smiled at the burly, white
mustached host sallying eagerly forth to
the golf links with his sons and daughters
and said they liked to see him.
You would not like to see me do it," OBJ
served the hostess wistfully. They tried to
imagine the stout matron of fifty, without
her black silk and laces, wearing a short
skirt and running about the green. Then
they said evasively:
But you would not like to do it,"
Il would love it, she replied emphatic
ally. when l was a girl / played ball and
climbed trees with my brothers; later
took to croquet and archery; as a young
married woman 1 was a crack tennis play
er. Even now, If you think 1 prefer a rock
ing chair to the golf links, you are very
much mistaken. But / know very we'll
which is most becoming to woman of my
age, so 1 resign myself
Then her neighbor said with comic rue
fulness that without ever having been an
athlete now, in the autumn of her days she
had found great pleasure in the bicycle, but
she took her pleasure sadly on account
of the jokes cracked at "old fairies" 1t
was not agreeable to think she was pre-
senting ludicrous spectacle. With great
anxiety did she study the appearance of
other women of mature years whom she
met on their wheels. To her judgment, some
looked well and some did not. Those that
were trinity clad and rode easily were
greeted with condeScending and amused sur
prise. Those that were timid, awkward or
ill dressed were everyone's butt. Young
girls INDUCED in audible witticisms at their
expense, small boys shouted at them, hood
lums rejoiced in terrifying them.
were these women exceptions or are there
many like them? When tongues were loos-
ened it was curious to hear how a sup
pressed love of exercise and open air
cropped out among them. Clarissa says it
was rather pathetic. but It was funny, too,
because she could not help imagining what
they might all look like in the conditions
suggested and, like the rest of us, Clarissa
was brought up in the little girls-must-beA
have pretty and keep their dresses :
clean school. A feminine creature who is
not pleasing to the eye has no right to ex-
list.
Some one pointed to Mr.. Stevens lying fiat
on his back in the grass, gazing up at the
sky through the branches. The old man
was pleasant picture of contentment Why
would we all be shocked to see Mrs. Ste
vens doing the same thing? Think of Mr..
Morgan; he sprawls on the rug before the
fire like a child Last week he rolled down
bill with the children, and every one said:
IL. Isn't he a dear old boy?3" Saturday, when
the windstorm came up, he rushed down to
the shore to watch the lake and the clouds;
he was drenched, but he did not care.
Can you imagine Mrs. Morgan rolling
down hill? No; it would be too dreadful
Can you imagine her curled up on the rug or
racing out to enjoy a storm? You would all
think she had gone crazy. No, no, my dear
a woman may love the feel of grass beneath
her or the breath of the wind through her
hair or the exercise of her active eye and
hand, but when her locks are gray she must
pretend she cares for none of these things