The times., 1899-05-14
4 MANS idea OF
4 SWEET WOMAN
He Judges Her by Her Pretty
Face.
And Then He Finds Out Differently
After Marriage.
A Little sister of the Sex Give.
Her Opinion on the
Subject.

l was much amused the other afternoon
while walking up town with an old
friend, said Clarice. We met Eloise Dix,
who bowed, smiled, and as We passed on
jim turned to say with great emphasis:
'Now she is what l call a sweet woman"
For my part / wouldn't give that for
any mans opinion of the relative sweet
ness Of women. To them a playful DIM
pie, a blush, becoming bonnet or cheer
full laugh are all primary constituents of
feminine saccharine.
didn't mean to breathe word against
Eloise, of whom personally l am very
fond, but simply inquired of Jim whether
he had ever met Tom Dix in a strong light
and count the grease spots on his clothes;
Or had been in the Dix bedroom and seen
lll the poor boys neckties swinging dusu-
ly from the gas fixtures; or had CHANGED
to observe his silk hat box with the COW
er off; or his shoes sitting wrinkled moidy
and detected in the corner.
Jim said he never had.
then informed him that no woman on
bid toothbrush dipped in hartshorn on her
husbands coat when it shows spots; or
trim his frayed cuffs, or press out his
wrinkled vest, keep his shoes tidily in a
bag, or have neat little cases for neckties,
gloves and handkerchiefs.
She may be q star club member. she
may preside like a queen at political
meeting, or may even work like mailer
On entertainment committees, but for all
hat she isn't sweet woman.
And really, now. measured by the stan
dard of pride and interest in the appear
snce of their fathers, brothers, husbands
and sons, We have precious few highly
Iweetened women in America.
In describing Mr.. Pickwick's careless
ness in dress, Dickens remarks that great
men are seldom overscrupulous in their
ltiire." That is true.
If Gladstone who. as it happened, was a
rreat dandy. had been a sloven, people
would have overlooked it, and thought his
ihabbiness an eceentricity of genius. But
10 one takes that attitude about the man
7f your family. He is merely one OF the
thousands of down-at-the- heel laborers
who are far too busy digging out dollars
o pay attention TO the details of dress.
He hasn't time, and you don't care
enough to realize that the polish on a
mans shoes. the crease down his trousers
eg, his white linen. and neat tie, all help
his credit in the working world by the air
of prosperity they lend.
But no one would think of criticising
he siovenliness of the average American
mans appearance If the American woman
Was not famed the world over for her su-
preme success in clothes. She can make
better show for less money, knows how
10 be smarter. more speckless, or better
groomed than any one OF her kind living
Most girl typewriters, clerks, etc, are
not only tidy. but are frequently charming
looking creatures on a salary of IS per
week. while foremen. confidential men, and
business bosses who oftei earn thousands
Yearly. are shabby to the last degree. Their
wives. no doubt own sealskin sacks. and
diamonds. and tic see them out shopping
one would fancy them members of rich
mans family.
The plain. unyarnished truth of the mat
ter is that the American woman cheerful
ly eEpends time. brains. and money on her
own apparel and doesn't care one button
whether her men folk look like tramps OF
gentlemen.
/ saw the whole trouble exemplifed in
the Bracmer household.
Molly lives with her brother in a fiat
which is supported by what he makes as
an expert proofreader. About - q
month. fancy.
Well, Bracmer is one Of the most unat-
tractiye individuals as regards clothes that
you ever saw. whereas Molly is noted for
the exquisite little theatre bonnets she
knocks up, her pretty neck fixings and be-
coming shirtwaists, all made at home
One evening recently / was at the fiat
and could not help seeing that the coat
and trousers Ned had put away on the
back of z chair that morning were lying
disheveled heap. just as he had left them
His meagre wardrobe was in a sorry con-
dition, and / sighed TO think what an av-
erage brothers room his was, while Mol
lys. further up the hall, overfiowed with
toilet conveniences, boxes. bags and racks
After dinner, as is not uncommon be-
tween women, We began talking dress and
exchanging facts as to bargains, special
sales and the like.
In the midst OF an argument as tC
whether chiffon or liberty silk would weal
longest, ] noticed Tom fumbling In his
pocket.
Finally he brought out half dozer
samples of the very ugliest checked cassi-
meres ever set my eyes upon.
He handed them TO his sister, and in g
shamefaced sort of way remarked Say
Molly, everybody says you've got lots OF
taste about clothes. What do you think oil
those for a suit?"
Molly took the samples. fipped them
through her fingers in an absent minded
way handed them back and replied:
why. they all look pretty nice l SHOULD
think any one Of them would do