Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-02
SUNDAY
READING
Lillian HartmanJohnson Re-
gales Readers With a
Few Pointers
On Pure Society in Which
Good Society" Plays
a Part.
Good societyi"

Good society,""
Now, let us see what Is meant by
this murdered and robbed term
This Is where we wish our daugh-
ter to debut as soon as she is out OF
school and short dresses. This frail
craft is launched from a crystal lake
of innocence and artlessness into a
dark and surging ocean of treachery
and doubtful purity, and If lost in
the Charabdys. she is condemned be
yond reparation; If she break the law,
the decision is irrevocable. final. says
good society" and there lies no ap-
peal except to her God
God, is it true. then. that she is so
much more vile than he who robbed
her of her girlhood's bloom?
Good society" at the present writ
ing signifies a gathering where all
men. all good women and all women
who have not been found out are
made welcome. A woman of doubt
ful morals may be a member of good
society under the condition that she
may occupy place of leadership
that would be difficult to All without
causing scandal in her set, which
Is desirable to be avoided--at least to
her set, no matter how hungry the
newspapers are for a sensation, or
how well its exposition might serve
as menace to future evil doers
This class of impostors are entitled
to less consideration than their sis.
ters in sin. who make no claims on
society. for they are more pernic-
ipnG oil "a
dangerous example to the weak.
Every woman who gives an enter.
tainment should be able to place
upon her cards of invitation Refer
ences,' and these references should
apply to her men as well as women
guests.
Under the present condition OF
good society the conduct of the fe.
male members of the family deter
mines its social standing If the
mother and daughters be qualified,
this gives entree to the father and
son regardless of moral merit. II
son err, he is excusable on various
grounds, chiefly because society. gov
erned by the prejudicial law OF Gus
tom, does not choose to hold him ac.
countable.
But If sister wander from the
paths of rectitude, she is an outcast
from home, from friends and society
the moment her offence Is discovered
and not infrequently an innocent wo-
man sufferes the scorn of her sisters
and immoral brothers because she has
been nothing more than ignorantly or
innocently indiscreet.
This seems strange, an unjust a
monstrous discrimination and there
is no law, human or divine. that sane
tions this difference in the measure
ment Of the moral responsibility of
the sexes; and 1t has been wisely
said that Where law ends. tyranny
begins" The Twentieth century wo-
man of boasted intelligence hesitates
to rebel against this custom than
which none more revolving and unjust
has existed since God said Let there
be light''-hesitates, because with all
her progress during the last half oeD
tury she has not awakened to real
iZation that 1t is only selfish social
edict that requires her to tolerate
this injustice, and this preroga1ive oi
mans to sin against the moral law
and 20 unpunished is SO sanctised by
| time that she stops and question, hei
right to deny it him. Some hesitate
10 attack II because OF the character
OF the subject and its attendan crit
icism. But those who fear for this
reason are numbered with that class
Of women who can sit with a gentle
man escort and complacently witness
the dramas of 'Zaza" and THE De
generates" which class of plays is
now so popular with good society"
The social mart is drugged with this
class of modesty.
How can we kill a custom SO old ?
When mothers refuse to harbor men
of Immoral character In their homes
and daughters decline to give their
time to men skilled only In hattery
deceit and dissipation, the standard
Of morals among men will soon rise
and with close adherence to this pre-
scription there would be little or nc
fluctuation in the moral conduct o
man.
Let women commence the purify
ing process which shall create this
term pure society" by wedding theiI