Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1901-05-09

mothers, with their diamonds and
pearls, in the toxcs.
III you want ta study strange freaks
ni human nature. you onght to look nj
the respectable old aud young women
at the opera while Faust is sung.
The center of the whole thing IL Il
young woman named Marguerite.
When the curtain goes up, she has the
best OF intentions, the best character,
the prettiest of faces, and two long,
yellow hraids down her back. She is
dressed very prettily, indeed, and in
the opera house she has sound
ing name, like Melba, Nordica, Calve
or Patti.
Every night that Faust" is sung
this young woman goes to tie bad.
She went to the bad again last night
in the Auditorium.
Every night that Faust is sung
every woman in the audience SYM
pathizes with Marguerite, who be-
haves so badly. Many shed tears over
her misfortune. All forgive her, feel
sorry for her, and know that she is not
to blame.
The most severe old woman in the
most expensive box would put her
her not to fret.
Now, we should like respectfully to
lecture that same severe old woman in
the expensive box as to her attitude
when she leaves the opera.
How does that old lady act ii on the
way to her carriage she finds the side
walk DISTRACTED by some unfortunate
creature who has Marguerite's sorrows
without Marguerite's good clothes:
Does she not say that il is All outrage
for the police to allow such things?
Possibly she will observe that in the
opera Marguerite has not a fair cha zee.
Faust has such beautiful silk tights,
one leg striped an1 the other leg
covered with spangles and, besides, he
has devil to bring box OF jewels to
tempt Marguerite.
But we would like to tell the con-
servative old lady that the erring
housemaid whom she NAV have judged
so severely had greater temptation and
a better excuse than did Marguerite,
even though she could not get her voice
up quite so high.
ephistopheles is just as busy with /
house maids and poor, oyerworked /
shop-girls as with any Marguerite |
that ever lived. And his work is
made easier by long hours, dull routine |
and hopeless future
1t is strange and sad that mortal wo.
men find it so easy to sympathize with .
the Marguerite whose sins and life end /
in the beautiful "Anges purs, ange
radieux" aria written by Gounod, and .
not with the Marguerite who ends in
the hospital, the morgue and the
Potter's field.
1t makes a great difference, apparent
y, to moral and virtuous women,
whether the erring Marguerite has
famous tenor on one side OF her and
amOus basso on the other, or whether
'he has on one side OF her the Cook
'ounty hospital and on the other side
he Bridewell
So much in criticism OF woman's
attitude to her sister. But remem ber
hat all criticism Of universal condi-
ions is necessarily false. Things are
ust right az they are "a wise purpose
lnderlies them.
Women are harsh with women be-
ause eternal wisdom wills that they
hall be. Women Tears, above all /,
hings, the contempt, the harsh con-
Iemnation OF other women. While
hat contempt Furnishes brutally many
Unfortunate creatures, it saves from
isaster thousands OF others.
The cruelty of wOman.is woman's
reat salvation. Things are as they
hould be.
But for an interesting study in hu-
nan nature. go and watch the faces
# the old ladies at Faust while the
enor screeches. the devil poses in his
ed tights, and Marguerite sings:
"Je t'appartiens;
Je t'adore"
Chicago American.