The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-14

en- occupy themselves nowadays, they are
quite as prone to superstitious fancles as
their Observation-Disclosures were CEN
turtles ago." says a writer who CLAIMS 70
speak with authority. And, mind you,
these superstitions are just as common
among cultivated society folk as among
the poorer class, says the Liverpool
Mercury"
mot long since I was invited to a small
dinner party. on my arrival ! ound
eleven persons assembled. But just at
fine last moment the brother of our hos
tess returned unexpectedly from a jour-
ney. and was, of course, asked to stay.
Thai made the number thirteen. I MOTTO
ed that our hostess looked nervous But
tho ca,,se of her nervousness did not sug-
gest itself until the nurse appeared with
the small two-year-old son OF the mouse.
The child was blinking and yawnlng, ana
had evidently just been awakened. Ihen
I realized that a dinner party OF sane
nineteenth century society men and wom-
en- had been kept waiting for a fourteenfh
guest. The child was placed at the table
in a high chair, and remained there dur
ing the meal.
.sThen. too, just think Of the number
of women who won't cut their hair II the
moon is waning, or who nearly nave a
fit if they chance to break a mirror, or, IN
fact. any other piece of glass. Why, l
know one woman of As who broke a small
hand mirror three months ago. Eve
since then she has been going out with
a sort of imaginary life preserver. Ii she
ventures out alone she wears a RIBBON
about her neck to which a visiting card
is attached. Besides this, every little
family mishap is attributed to the break
ing of that glass. If the children take
cold, that is the reason. If the COOK
leaves her in the lurch, it comes from the
same cause. / Upon all other topics she is
as sensible as can be. But on his sub
iect she cuts a really ludierous figure.
.Another woman of my acquaintance
would rather walk five miles than come
out of a house by any other door thai
the one by which she entered. : And l
know of a mother who has kept her lit
file bow from school for a fortnight be-
cause he happened to run under a ladder:
This threw her into a perfect agony OF
fear concerning him.
Among much wise advice given to young
girl graduates none has a more wholesome
suggestion than that made by a photoS-
rapher, herself a woman, says "Harpers
Bazaar, ssNew York she says, lis no
place for a woman to experiment. She
must come here equipped in her line in
order to be successful" 1t is just the
reverse of his proposition which is gen
orally regarded by young women desiring
positions and advancement in New YORK.
With vague ideas as to the OF
opportunities, and with no ideas at all as
to their qualifications to embrace any,
they turn by the hundreds to New York,
expecting friendly doors to spring open at
their approach. They forget that they
do not. in many cases, know what 1t IS
they intend to ask for when once a will
ing ear has been lent them. And they
have altogether failed to grasp the truth
that a specific demand is in itself an
opening wedge to success in new ventures
They believe in propitious fortune, IN
guiding stars, and perhaps in Providence,
but they forget that unless they are ships
upon the ocean. no winds. though they
blow direct from heaven, can carry any
ones vessel to port.
Out of the first few mistakes which one
makes in life or in work one learns to be
more definite as to aims and objects. And
certainly the young woman who makes
her first trials away from a metropolis,
where the battle is always to the trained,
has done most wisely for herself. II she
has learned to he more definite even as to
her general aims, she will have become
better equipped than many of her sisters.
The beginning of debts and difficulties
lies in 'improvident marriages" Hap
PLY they are less popular than they were.
Still one hears apparently sane middle
aged men and women carping at the in
creased prudence and fo~rethought of the
young men and women of today. We were
says some worn worried lady,
Who has hardly known al hours freedom
from care since the days of that honey
moon which has so quickly metamor-
phosed into a vinegar moon of a never
ending description. She still, however,
congratulates herself on having been ro-
mantle, though it is patent to her friends
and acquaintances that her romance has
not been a success.
There are very few people possessed of
the temper, nerves, disposition or ability
which would enable them to marry hap
PLY and manage successfully on a small
income.
There are a certain set of young men
and young women who are able to make
themselves happy on very little. Low liv-
irg and high thinking contents many SUI
perior beings; but amongst the upper
classes this tone of mind is distinctly
rare. 1t requires a peculiarly excellent,
cheerful, strong, clever person. who is
willing to forego all the luxury to which
he or she has been accustomed. and yet
be honestly happy and content to have
only the n-ecessaries of life and do without
its amusements. 1t is true a great many
men and women are obligedsto forego all
pleasure and luxury; but they betray such
discomfort and annoyance at their fate
that they are far from being pleasant
compartment Moreover, their ignorance of
the domestic arts and sciences renders
their homes remarkably uncomfortable.
And now some kindly and beneficent
inventor has at last come to the assist
ance of the patient and long-suffering
carver, and by a clever and ingenious
little two-pronged device has reduced his
woes to a minimum. No longer need the
head of the family bring obloquy upon