The record-union., 1898-05-15
BESELENA'S PRATTLE.

tspecial Correspondence Record-Union)
PORTLAND (Or.), May IL They
were talking of the different kinds OF s,
friendships-women' friendship in par
ticular
@The trouble with women is said
one of the women who, in spite or hef
gray hair and some wrinkles, seemed
almost as youthful as her companion,
q rather pretty girl in blue shirt
waist and sailor hat-"the trouble
with women is that they don trust
each other If you want an idealiy
perfect friendship between two women
trust must be the foundat1on-ssohe.
But, unhappily, women neither lruse
nor protect each other. It's peffectiy
wonderful the way men shield edch
other and try to make light or even tne
most glaring shortcomings I've hveu
a great many years my dear, out We
never ceased to marvel and at the same
time respect man for this same ioyalty.
Women are queer creatures. 1hey
are queer in the religious bellefs, ana
they are equally queer in their lIieio
ships A woman can accept all SORTS oi
queer religions, and actually pm Ger
tain amount of faith to them; she can
believe unquestioningly in relncarld-
ton and naturalization ana olher
things of that sort she can also DC
lieve in miracles and man. Yet she
cannot or will not trust the members
OF her own sex. unless
Yes, unless?" questioned the girl IN
the blue shirt-waist, leaning forward
eypectantly.
Unless they are years older, or are
decidedly unattractive," said the oioer
woman, with a little laugh.
The girl in the blue shirt-waist was
about to give vent to an indignant pro-
test.
Don't do it, my DEAR" said the older
woman. divining her intention; IT
wouldn't do a bit of good. Now, don
you suppose / know why you profess
such friendship for me? It's because
I'm no longer as young as l once was,
and my powers of attraction are conse-
ouently on the decline. / can't draw
your beaux from you, neither can
wear pretty gown as well as you can.
In short. I'm not a rival. Every woman
sees in the members of her own sex,
especially if they are young and at
tractive, a possible rival; that is the
cause of the lack of sincere friendships
among women.
II don't say that women are not cap
able of friendship; they are-with men.
A woman instinctively trusts a man,
you see; it's that little element of falth
again, and because both the man and
the woman have faith their friendship
grows and fiourishes And yet women
understand each other so much better
than man can. A woman can put
herself in another woman's place, feel
for her. and with her, she is so much
more sympathetic than man; but she
seldom does it because she lacks faith.
Faith is one of woman's most beau
titful characteristics, but she almost
invariably guides it in the wrong dlrec-
tion. Have more faith in your sister
women, and less in your brother men.
Give a little of the trust and fidelity
you so lavishly bestow on man to
woman, and you will see that things
are more evenly divided. / don't ad-
vocate your losing faith entirely in
man, but don't believe in him too i'm
phcitly; don't believe everything he
says to you Men are tickle creatures;
they are creatures of impulse, and
pretty face is apt to turn their heads
and cali forth all sorts of meaningless
nothings / long ago learned never TO
accept an excuse a man offered me. L
never disputed him. because / found
that useless policy. | made him be-
lieve that l accepted as gospel truth
every word he said. You can doubt a
man all you want down in your heart,
but you must be clever enough not to
let him know it. Men know that women
trust them that is the reason they in
vent all sorts of fiimsy excuses to give
them. A little judieious fiattery, rea-
sons a man, will carry out the most
clumsily worded excuse ever invented.
If q woman gave you the same excuse
that a man did. ten to one you would
cut her the very next time you saw her.
What woman needs most of all is
less faith in man. and more in woman
Try it for yourself, and see if what l
say is not true BESELINA.