The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-10
WOMAN'S
WORLD.

" 81
Among the most valued and affording
of my friends, says Dorothy Dix in the
New Orleans Picayune, rs an old negro
woman, whose grizzled head Is w'hitened
by the SHOWS of many winters and whose
bleared eyes have looked on many sides
OF life. She belongs to the generation OF
''befo' de wah" darkies, ana can neither
read nor write. but she possesses the
happy Gift of epigram-of being able to
nit Off truth, in single blow, white
hot, on the forge of speech. Her occupa-
ton Just now is in caring for bright
and interesting little girl, OF whose perfec-
tons she is never weary of dlscoursing,
and she invariably winds up her pane
gyric by saying: Il tell YOU, dat child is
smart, and she's got sense with it."
We all know the woman who is smart
without having sense with it, with whom
friendship is ore long series of disastrous
experiments. She has ell the qualities
that attract us most-magneusm, intelli-
gsnce, brightness, cultivati on, and asso-
citation with her would be SO delightful
If only she had a grain of that common
sense, the lacking of which converts
friendship from a thing of peace and rest
into a bowling wilderness that the bold
est does well to fee. You are never safe
with her. She takes offense where none is
meant. She is always on the lookout
for sights. She bristles with feelings as
a pOrcupine does with quilts and it is
Impossible to get within speaking dis
lance of her without hurting her. Ms
matter how small your dining room, or
What the circumstance, you dare not
entertain anybody without inviting her.
She gets huffy If you don't patronize her
doctor and dressmaker and il is a mortal
insult If you refuse to take up her fads
and prejudices and quarrels. 1t is OBJ
serVable that the women who are most
loved, are what is called commonplace.
This is always set down to feminine jeal-
ousy but ii Is a mistake. 1t Is simply
self preservation. When it comes down
10 real friendship we want the solid, sub
stantial good sense on which we can
rely, even if it isn't particularly exciting.
The meteoric briliancy that is liable 10
60 off at any sort OF tangent is diverting,
but ii isn't thing that is safe to tie to.
As a wife the woman who lis smart
without having sense with it is a Mrs.
JeEaby, who goes off after causes, and
leaves her own affairs TO run themselves.
She wants to reform the world but she
doesn't undertake to reform the abuses
in her own kitchen. She belongs to uni
Versity extension courses, and gives money
TO advance the cause of higher education,
but she doesn't see that her own little
Johnny learns his lessons. She terrorizss
on the influence of the home, and makes
her own home so uncomfortable that her
husband takes refuge from it in his club
or the corner saloon. She believes in
W0man's mission 10 uplft the world, but
she goes through life without ever find
ing out that she is living refutaton of
the gospel she is preaching, and that in
every single case woman's influence has
got to be an individual lever with which
she prizes up the individual spot on which
she is standing. No woman who hasn't
got sense enough to manage her own home
successfully will ever convince anybody by
brilliant talking that she is capable or
managing affairs of state.
1t is, likewise, the lack of sense and
not ability, that is at the bottom of the
failures SO many workingwomen make
They are intelligent, and Industrious, and
they ought to succeed, IL only they would
use some reason and Judgment in the
way OF managing their affairs and getting
along with other people. Sometimes they
refuse to see that business must be done
on business lines and in a business way
Sometime it is just merely lack of tact
They step on other peoples toes, and
bunder against everybodys prejudices
They offend customers, and irritate their
sLperiors, and then they wonder that
their services are not in demand The
most competent steuographer l know car
never keep place. She is splendidy
educated. and expert in her business.
hut she is one of those unfortunate peo-
pie who always knows everything and
argue everything to a finish. She never
stops until she has silenced her employer
and lost her situation. Talent is good
and smartness is not to be despised. bur
when it come to making ones way in the
world there's nothing like liberal en-
dowment, Of good, hard horse sense that
keeps ones eyes from being blinded by
prejudice, and ones reason from being
swamped by anger. and prevents one from
throwing away in a moment OF pioue
the opportunity they would give their
lives almost to recall. Across the broken
door OF many man and woman of genius
might be written the fatal legend: Failed.
through lack of sense"
r5one,essnoss .-lt4t.
If | could go 90 you, my love,
And say how large a part a
You occupy, unconsciously,
In my poor, aching heart.
What would you say? Would YOU be
kind?
Wouldst dry my burning tears?
Wouldst say: Come, dear, and hand in
hand
Wen journey through the years;
And in my heart o dearest one,
You, too. have held place
Since first we met; and now / see
The love-light in your face;
And I will strive to be to you
just what you are to me;
You shall be mine, / will be yours,
Through all eternityr
All, no, my own You cannot know.
A woman must conceal
Her love, and never dare to give
To voice what she NAV faaI