Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-05
WISE ADVICE TO

Whatever the obstacles which con-
fronted women who had in any a
erred and desired to reform fifty years
ago, it is an indisputable fact that to-
day the world is not merciless toward
such a woman.
1t gives her a chance to live down her
mistakes. She does not tread a path
strewn with roses; yet she is not pur-
sued by fiery-tongued %serpents of con-
demnation at every step, az of old.
Were the Scarlet Letter. to appear for
the first time today we would condemn
it as an impossible tale. Time was
when it required heroism for any man
or woman to stand forth as the cham
! pion n friend of women whose record
bore any blemish. Today scores of
good people are always ready to give
her a helping hand and a cheering
word, though absolute social recognition
be not accorded.
Even that is not impossible If she
possesses family prestige.
Among our fashionable people more
than one woman could be pointed out
whose indiscretions had blemished her
reputation for a time. but whose social
influence was sufficient to make the
world forgive If not forget her errors.
It is a curious fact, too, that it is usu-
ally men, not women, in this age who
place the greatest obstacles in the way
of a woman's reform.
The world used to bemoan Woman's
humanity to woman, but any observer
| today will find that facts do not verify
! the accusation against us; nor do they
illustrate mans greater generosity and
breadth of judgment.
A r$f io ATTAIN Voo1u fn coll 1lnn
some woman whose reputation has SUIT
fered by gossir's tongue, and the hus-
band objects.
The wife says: I'VE do not know that
these stories are true-she may be the
victim Of malice, and at all events she
is conducting herself discreetly now
and the association with good women
might encourage her to continue"
But the husband shakes his head:
you would be more likely to pull your
! self down han to pull her up in public
opinion" he says. Better go slowly
in that direction"
A man often seems to befriend a
woman who has been gossiped about by
appearing with her in public; but at
the same time he would not allow his
sister or mother to be seen with her.
1t is a love of notoriety, not a spirit
of chivalry which actuates him.
Sometimes, however. he marries her,
and then he is indignant if other mems
lQOlIlGlS duu SISIcIS W Hol call upon
her. The fact that he considers he1
good enough to be his wife he feels
should render her good enough for all
the world. II he is strong in his social
position he usually succeeds in making
the public accept his belief.
Women do not sit in mated oranges
or iyied towers and grow melancholy
mad over old sorrow and sins as they
did in earlier times. They leave tbs
scene of their roubles as soon as pos
sible and go out in the world and busy
themselves in some of the numerous
open to them. They let the
grass grow over the graves of past fol
lies, and claim the privilege men have
always enjoyed of beginning new lives
OF course, no woman ever forgets a
grave of this kind as men forget them
AS nature placed greater physical obsta.
Giles and penalties in the way for her
if she traHsgressed, so it gave her mine
q more pursuant lemor and her sou
a more relentless remorse.
From these she cannot escape, how.
ever she may be released from me per
secu.ions of the world.
Woman's greatest punishment fol
folly comes not from the speech of So.
ciety, but from the voice of her owr
higher self.
When time OF silence silences thf
voice from within, she will cease 10 b.
q woman.
But SO far as the world goes there Il
m9n as man today to live down earl.