The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-18

In MOman'S World.



! it finds an appropriate place in bed
spreads, doilies, and scarfs for bureau
n table or-namentation. For these
homelier uses a heavier and more elabor-
ate style of lace Is chosen than for the
daintier needs Of the toilet.
Prof. Harry Thurston Peck. of Column
bia University, and editor ofA"The Book
man. is the author Of an article for
Maids and Mothers in the JANUARY
Cosmopolitan that is calculated ITO
make feminine Rome how. The Over
taught Woman is the special topic,sand
Professor Peck not only does not believe
women capable of acquiring the highest
| education, but accuses them of lowering
mems mental standards and achievements
by their efforts to do so, says the sGen-
tlewoman.s Some little time ago, IN the
same magazine, he analysed the fasclnat-
ing woman, and declared at that time
that she-the fascinating Woman-never
knew a great deal of book learning
Professor Peck takes himself very seri-
ously, and writes well. he hits a great
many nails on the head and drives them
in straight, and what he says is true 50
far as it goes. but it doesn't quite cover
the ground.
He persists, as do most men, IN viewing
not only all men but all women wholly
from a masculine standpoint. Women
mainly view men from a feminine point
of view. and view women, or try to, from
the masculine standpoint. The few ex-
ceptions among women who view them
selves from a feminine standpoint are
more or less biased, undoubtedly. Still,
-, -l-11 .... X q - III a hu1ves1,t a right
to their own opinions? 1t never seems to
occur to women's masculine critics that
a woman has any right to do what she
wants to do just for the sake Of doing
it. Men are forever telling women how
they ought to live-for men; how they can
best please-men; how to be fascinating
Ito men.
Professor Peck is now trying to induce
women to give, up working in the. profess
sions and sciences, ETC., SO men shall not
come down to their feminine level OF
mentality.
Bless us and save ust
Poor men, poor dears! Poor, dear mas
culine critics. Don't worry. Most women
exist only to please you. For sweet PHYS
sake don't waste so much time andtrouble
trying to prove to women that domesticity
and motherhood, and to be fascinating
to men, are their sole functions in this life.
Most women believe it. Even when they
are no more suited to domesticity than
Professor Peck is for being a valet even
when nature who does make horrible
bl,,nders has decreed that motherhood
| shall be lifelong invalidism and misery II
not death dealing. still most women, more
or less cheerfully, do their duty in the
sphere in which ma is Wiling theg
should live, move and have their being
But the few women, the exceptions VINO
but prove the rule; don't mind them, PRO
fessor Peck. They are selfish creatures;
they have made up their minds to nave
their own way, and they want to experl-
n.ent with ways to see which hey IKE
best.
Certain bright men have been p~retenaing
/ these several years that they lived in ter
ror of being crowded to the wall by the
! woman of the period, who is advancing al
such a furious pace on all the heretolors
T ~str,ngholds of men. Fhe jest IS brousilt
to mind by the indignant protests tha1
have appeared in the press against a late-
" deceased man being referred to IN oelt-
uary notices in an effort to emphasize ms
identity as the husband OF Mrs. BOD
Fla. X, a well known society lead
er. soornfully writes the man ed
itor hat evidently the correspond
.ents Thought they could add MOTH
ing to this eulogy, and SO FAR as the
country at large is concerned, the late Mr..
! Blanfwin go down in history as the proud
| husband of a society queen. The hazard IS
made that Mr.. Blank performed some
functions Of a good citizen, but they were
of meagre Importance compared with the
triumph of standing back of the regulator
of fashionable society.
Not only in the social world, but in that
also of achievement, says Vogue, are the
heretofore relations of husband and wife,
unit and cipher, being reversed. A man OF
| more than ordinary culture is just at the
| moment sharing his knowledge with audi
| ences at so much per head. The mans at
tainments are internationally known and
| rosnected but he is heralded far and wide
and known to the general public principal
| w as the husband of a vaudeville per-
| former. At this fact also are the men with
pens girding. Somehow the believer in far
play cannot ~sympathize with the rage OF
| the men; nave not the wives, during all or
these centuries, been the overshadowed?
| surely the men might quietly acquiesce in
an occasional one of them doing a little
| shadow throwing.
In an article on 'tThe Period of Be
| trothar' in the February "Woman's
Home Companion Carrie E. Garrett
| gives afianced lovers of this timely word
of caution:
.On ridiculous though perhaps natural
| custom Of engaged couples is their habit
| Of isolation from their family and friends
in order that they may make love- I'M
| disturbed. In some cases ] have observed
| that when John called onfMary it seemed
to be perfectly we'll understood that all
the rest Of the family should decamp and
| leave the field clear for the lovers. At
ny sudden interruption (of what was APP
parently a lead ~silence) everybody con-
| cerned would feel a certain awkwardness
| and constraint. as though there had been
a very unexpected intrusion. Now, all Of
| this is very silly, and Mary's tactics are
poor and weak in the extreme. John
| would admire her a thousand times more
If he saw her in the ordinary relations of
life. among her family and friends, spirit
| ed and laxative and merry. Far more
precious to him would be those rare
| stolen moments which he or chance (not
- -l~~..+ All