The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-12
FOR FEMININE READERS
aEN AND WOMEN CONCEAL THEIR
Feelings AND ABJURE SENTIMENT.
The Assumptions OF Anti-Sudragists-
Modern Women's Accomplish.
ments-ynriOus Hints

much less endowed with the power OF
speech. viii admit that we have cause"
DO YOU really believe. then, that a man
often remains single because OF hopeless
passion
Men have died and worms have eaten
them, but not for love-" quoted the news
paper woman. ''No. I'm thinking of getting
up g list OF obsolete phrases. and "a hope
les passion will head the list. But, as you
probably know by experience. men don't
wait for hopeless passion. Generally they
ind time TO propose TO a girl while they are
yet boys, before they get busy and pessi-
mistiC like Mr.. Black. All meant was that
81 a mans first proposal was always ac-
cepted there would be 50 few bachelors that
they wouldn't be worth counting. For I
verify believe that, were the truth known
precious few men have ever attained the
age where they become young bachelors
without getting TO point where. If the girl
had wanted them badly. they would have
been committed TO matrimony. OF course"
continued the newspaper woman, who was
now fairly launched the tide of her own
eloquence, II don't mean TO say that the
man does not often thank his lucky stars for
having escaped, and 1 don't mean that he
does not fit gayly from flower TO flower.
only mean that. If you're going back to first
causes. most men thank a girl - and
they generally do thank her sooner or later
for their single blessedness."
But" protested Mrs. Rugglesby, why do
shey keep on being bachelors?"
Maybe they are fond of gayly fitting, as
just said"
But you didn't think all bachelors are
pr hittatious?" desperately coming word.
DO you really want TO be serious
II ba rar
well, as nearly es / can make out. there
are several good reasons why man might
hesitate longer now about getting married
than ne would have done years ago. Perhaps
why ~ does hesitate. L advance them with
al due mOdesty. and any bachelors who
wish 10 correct and return them may do so
aud welcome.
In the first place, girls are different from
what they used TO be. They are Independent
and queer, and complex and high anu
mighty. and, if 1 Were man, / should
think Just about a million times before
introduced what might prove TO be an IN
fernaI machine into my domestic arrange
ments. OF course. / personally know tnal
The girls are all right at heart; sound and
frue and TomanIv-noSt of them. But there
l. "A deadly fraction of young womankind
which Is 80 erTatc, so emancipated from lhe
1ime-hOnOred graces and qualities known
and admired feminine, that their shadow
rests on all their sisters.
been a shifting of the common ground on
which men and women meet. II used TO be
terial and the mental. I've read the gift
books my mother received when she was u
girl and the original poems dedicated 10 her
and inscribed in a fine, flowing hand in heT
Album of Thoughts We've revolted
against such gushing sentimentality. PEG,
pie flop from one extreme 10 another, anu
Just now we're at the 1ppant, cynical
point A young man asked me a while ago
If / had any romantic feeling. Ther he telt
like a goose to have asked me, and felt as
81 / would be goose if replied. so we both
laughed and that was the end of it.
Women used frankly to advertise TO the
world these traits. they even pretended to
b. full of sentiment when they were reaIIy
as hard as hint It's IS SD so dmerent PS%
seem callous and critical and cold. self
sufficient and disillusioned and with very
20 be flint when they are often full of senti-
ment. But man can't know all this. And
while the statisticians add and multiply and
divide. and then announce that the NUMBER
of marriages Is decreasing
But that isn't the only reason. l suppose
another good one is that bachelor can live
"a comfortably now as eEy man could want
to There are bachelor apartments ana
clubs in abundance, and II pure comfort is
what man wants. a bachelor can probably
get more of IL for less money than most
married men have. / mean that all the
comfort about the place belongs 10 the
bachelor and TO him alone. lie doesn't
have TO consult snybody's prejudices or any
bOdy's convenience. and that's great thing
AS all girl bachelors know. too.
Then there's another thing Probably
there are plenty of excellent wives but
somehow those are not the ones we hear
much about We hear about the extrava-
CANT girl who worries her husband to death
with her bills; the cross one who nags I'M
slattern: the stupid one who becomes a
bore. all OF them apparently nice girls be-
fcre they fell under the blight of matrimOny-
don't blame a man for having cold chils
Of apprehension | know a man who was
state OF blue funk for weeks before the we'd
ding DAY came around. Finally he went 10
2 married friend and told him about it. lie
didn't know but there was something rad
iCally wrong with him.
My dear fellow. said the married man.
that's nothing. Every man feels that way.
- you know why they have best man on
these OccaSiOBS2
e. Why. to walk up the aisle with the maid
OF honor. said the prospective bridegroom.
90 Not a bit OF it. That's only Incl
dent His real duty IS TO shadow the bride
groom day and night until the wedding day
and see that he doesn't run off. That's what
he's for. and he's generally needed
No. / can't say that I blame man for
being 50 apprehensive that his tongue act
ually cleaves TO the roof of his mouth when
In the excitement OF a moment he may feel
tempted TO propose matrimony. The spectre
OF some other mans misery probably looms
blood ''' Inn anu '-''-'9 VIC a''O' u MS
After all. I don't know but one of the
very best reasons is one / heard man give.
lie said that in city most men did not
really have chance 10 meet the woman
they would want 10 marry. He said that
many men come 10 New York and go into
business, They have almost no acquaint
dtCeS and they are too busy 10 devote their
tire 10 social duties. In fact. most Of them
have no social duties. simply because they
can't AFFORD them. They peg away at their
work and they may know a few nice girls
and Yet not happen TO want TO marry one
OF them. Perhaps n girl whom they would
De- glad TO marry lives on the next block
She might as we'll be IN Afghanistan And
50 the years drift by and the gOodly com
pany OF confirmed bachelors grows and
grows"
Well" said Mrs. Rugglesby. ''all say IS
don't ever repeat All those reasons i'm the
presence OF unmarried men: because II
they hadn't already been afraid 10 get mar
ried. they'd never have the courage to do IL
after hearing you talk.
The newspaper woman was not paying at
tenfi0n
What puzzles me-" she said refectfvelv
rs why people are always wondering why
bachelors don't get married As III the whole
matter was dependent on their attitude AS
II women were waiting breathess and
eager. for the chance TO say yes TO some
bOdy-anybody"
Well" said Mrs. Rugglesby. ct suppose
its because a man does the asking-takes
the initiative. YOU know"
The initiativei As II the proposal really
amounted TO anything, You know what i
mean. AS if-wen. YOU understand
And Mrs. Rugglesby seemed to- Perfectly