The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-31

the age OF romance dying OUT leiluet-
ouled women, ambitious to reach a plane
above the prosaie, eager to become ideal
lists, seek an answer.
Into Eden's fair garden practical affairs
soon entered, and since the days Of
Mothe Eve her daughters have had to
meet and cope with life's prosy details.
Need the prose of existence destroy its
poetry? May not romance's golden thread
be woven through its dullest toned woof.
a thread as fragile as a spiders spinning,
YET as able to lead most of us as &the
strongest whipcord?
Pessimists ask us to ponder over the
sarcasms of platforms and stage, to read
the erotic novel, to ~criticise the attempted
witticisms of newspaper and magazine,
to listen that society may have its saw
and then to cease in PHYS name to Won
der that romance's death is close at
hand.
Pessimists hold women responsible for
the rapid wane of a sentiment that has
since time began bundled and bound our
hearts most precious ties. We are ac-
cused of undue haste as we jostle each
other on our way to progression's front
Pessimists say we are not content .un-
less we are known as creatures of affairs.
That in truth progression is but another
word for hustling and that nothing so
quickly drives sentiment out of the way
We are told there is nothing Priscilla
ike in our slap-dash style of following
mans lead. THAI we juggle with his
wardrobe to suit our needs, that We in
cline to mannish dishes and mannish
sports. We are accused of revising we'll
known methods of sentiment by Compel
ing with our brother on the links, in the
hunting field. in clubdom. He sets the
pace, so it is said, we follow and crow
over our cuteness in not being left be-
hind.
Lovers of romance declare the dual
role a hard one to play. And we mean
while are tormented by doubts and fears.
We would be mems equal, we would have
him our slave.
We wish to become a good eomrade,
we insist we shall be his petted darling.
Our acceptance of the toast which has
gone the. rounds
ITO lovely woman, once our superior.
now our equal is tinged with resent
ment.
We are, to say the least. inconsistent.
Much may be forgiven US. Are We not
women?
One of the best known and most sue
cessful teachers on boxing in Chicago IS
such a firm believer in the beneficial f.
fects of his ~favorite exercise that ne has
carefully taught his wife and daughter
the art. The result in his own family
has been such as to still further confirm
him in the idea that women and girls
should learn how to use their hands. Il
see no reason said the local athlete,
.fwhy boxing should not be a good cxer-
else for females. 1t is not more violent
than fencing when properly taught, and
it's a heap more interesting for them than
some other exercises prescribed for their
development. | have heard people say
that boxing is an unwomanly accomplish
ment, but / do not see it that way. It's
a modest and sensible exercise, that
brings ali the muscles and the limbs into
play. l know this, anyway. My wife
and daughter are not half as timid as
they were before they learned to box, Ind
I don't see why other women couldn't
benefit in the same way."
A professional of worldwide celebrity
teaches the manly art to bowling swells
at the New York Athletic Club. About a
year ago there was a ladies day" at the
club and two of the members gave an *
hibition of sparring. Ncne of the fair Wis
itors had ever seen anything of the kind
before, and all were delighted. A sister of
one contestant was present and at once
determined to learn "to box With this
end in view she sought and consulted the
instructor, saying hat she could beat her
brother at golf and tennis and now want
ed to. surprise him by learning to use the
gloves. The instructor agreed to give
lessons at her home, unknown to all out
her mother. He found an apt pupil and
in a couple of months was delighted 10
hear the brother tel a fellow member that
isis picked up a whole lot about boxing,
don't YOU know. BY Jove, she actually
landed on me today in the gymnasium at
home. Sc much success could not be kept
secret. The young woman told one or
two of her girl friends and now the club
instructor has a number of female pupils
belonging to the most exclusive circles Of
the 400.
!" DO you believe Platonic love is pos
sible between young unmarried men ana
women?' a young married man said to me
not long ago. writes Frances Evans in
the December Ladies' Home Journal"
" More likely to be possible between them
than between a married man and a young
unmarried woman I replied. He looked
at me a moment, then the color mounted
to his face as he replied. You are rather
hard on u.s. Women blush for nothing,
but a man never colors up without
a cause. That red flush. although It was
for the sex of inherited trousers, not for
himself particularly, would have confirmed
me in my belief had I been a Bit shaky-
which / was not. What did he mean by
Platonic love anyway? What do W. all
mean. when we use that epithet? Look
first at the dictionary definition. Platonic
love: A pure spiritual love subsiding be-
tween sexes, which regards the mind and
It's excellencies only That last clause,
regarding the mind only upsets the
theory of Platonic love entirely. The truth
is. that there is no such thing existing
between any man and woman. As soon as
the feeling of regard between people of
opposite sex grows strong enough to be
designated as love, it emanates from the
heart, not from the brain, and is not in
terested alone in the excellencies of the
mind. although mental attraction in many
cases is the first cause Of the love. The
clearest form Of expressing affection for
any one is by means of a caress given
with the hands, arms and lips. This is
- tx.r a,5 5~fUht .u1or the q fFac4fau ID