The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-17
On the Difficulties of Being Gentlewoman.
BY Prudence wintergreen

"N.ses'cfSt ipi ldlfs luUXmenr, or a
Judgment unapproved' might prove fatal
to their annbitions-have succeeded the
old assurance which could fearlessly trust
Itself to recognize the hallmark Of gen.
uine breeding and distinction. The result
mas been that in the society which most
prides itself on its superiority. elements
necessary TO give It actually right to
that ute, have been gradually eliminated,
except 20 far as concerns the possession
Oh money and the taste and ability to cx-
pend II Tor the common social gratinca-
ton and Notification
/ must say that Hilda IN nor s.un,s
she had been listening closely a read and
no" she observed But. after ALL the old
gentleman IL mere or less on my side. What
ne says amounts to a confession that the
social world today is a very different thing
from the social world Of forty years ago.
Inc question is. Of course. snail one adopt
oneself to the environment And that
concluded ,iilda triumphantly, "is wha,
meant when asked you IL you thought
1t paid 70 be a lady"
''of course" observed somewhat co,dly
1T all depends upon the POINT OF view. II
you are in life. Hiida, to make IL give YOU
all the Paris frocks and the costly feeds
and the general opportunities that you can
get-if you want coarse pleasures and
plenty or theni-if you care to attract at.
tenuon rather than to deserve admiration
II you arc not particular about the grade
OF incense burnt at your shrine, then
adapt yourself by all means-if you cam"
But / can't?' said Hilda plainttveiy
And you aren't playing fair In pretending
that can One is what one IL and there's
no particular use in pretending that one
isn't ] have an inherent bent toward ad-
miration OF what your friend. the man
VINO writes to- the papers calls the old
quality and it's quantity that counts now
adays. Quality simply isn't In it--and /
am human being with her eyes open on
the threshold OF her social career!'
Your eyes are too wide open. Hilda II
doefn't strike me as beautiful for a girl 20
be so clearly aware of what she Is renounc-
ing by retaining the ideals and the tradl-
tons Of gentlewoman."
"Ah, but. so long as DO renounce, Aunt
Prudence. / think It's moro beautiful than
blind involuntary adherence 10 those
same ideals and traditions. For a know
what I'm giving up and I'm willing to
pay the price. III were willing TO be a
little bit rowdy and a little bit selfisn and
to scheme a good deal. and to hurt other
girls when they got In my way, and no, to
be what Florence calls 'priggish' about
what people say to newly. dare say
should be In for ~ good time as Florence
Anderson. I'm certainly as god locker"
and Hilda surveyed herself in the mirror
with sober appreciation.
I sighed a little, for In my day girls did
not StD1 To count the cosf NJ tiyiuu ,tY,
their ideals | said so.
Yes. wish had lived then" mu
INJURED Hllda. but you see come JUS
too late 1t Is an era OF material de-
velopmen,, and people do take thought
| for everything except the kingdom OF
| heaven-and can't help knowing It.
I Perhaps I'm not one OF the elements out
| of which "a gracious and distinguished
society can be formed. any more than
Florence II, but, though protest some
times. 1 do mean to try for the ability
to recognize distinction that Is intrinsic
he uses lovely language. your friend,
doesn't he? That means to know a nice
person when you see one, doesn't IT, and
to make a grab for them Instantly II
you're in grabbing position"
But you can't know a nice person
when you see one unless you are a nice
person yourself. remember warned.
The nice people close up when the other
kind are around, like tho leaves OF a
senOive plant. Do you suppose a noble
soul would want to reveal itself to your
friend Florenoe' They would have no
way of understanding one another.
'Graoiousness and distinction would
mean as little to her as the ultra violet
rays do TO most OF us. They are quail
ties that her eyes cannot see"
II hope YOU see" observed Hilda. still
little perversely, that you are making
II as hard for a girl TO be a gentlewoman
as for camel to go through the eye of
needle. No audience. no appreciation
not many Notwithstanding but the In
ner approval born OF the ideals OF her
gTandmoiher's and not yet outgrown.
dearl " sounds terribly lonesome
1T is a religion like any other" an
swered. 1T calls for you to be IN your
world, yet not OF IL. But II isn't as lone
ly as 1t sounds. Tor in The middle OF
society overwhelmed by opulsnce there
are stll plenty of other people besides
yourself who are striving for the old
quality and endeavoring To lend 20 social
life all the charm mat intelligence and
spirituality can give H. And wnen you
have found and recognized them YOU
have the best that life can give you
yes, I know" said Hllda. fsrvently.
II believe II, every word-and yst-and
yet"