The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-16
SOCIETY WOMEN'S MISSION
ANALYSTS FORGET THAT THET
 SERVE
Useful Purpose and Would Be se-
 riousIy MIssed.

riousIy NIissed'
 There is praise enough, and to spare . lavished upon the homely variety Of housewife-she who administers the practicalities of the home on an humble scale; but what hears one of the chatelaine of the larger establishments whose sphere of operations is very con- siderably bigger? She is often charac- terized as extravagant and pleasure loving; and, when sensational neWspa- pers or sensational clergymen find themselves run short of scandal to serve up to the public, harsher things still are said of the society woman. But did ever one hear teacher of sociology or an analyst of the life of the times proclaim that the world is under obli- gations to the heads of large domestic establishments?
 There is not a class, and hardly an individual, who renders valuable public service but meets with publicly express ed appreciation; but here is class which. at great cost of endurance and anxiety, embelishes life, adds to the sum of human enjoyment creates so- cial atmosphere, stimulates and keeps alive many lines of trade and com merce, but whose virtues and achieve ments are left unsung.
 It cannot be denied that, were it not for the efforts of leisure-class women, the social side of life would largely cease to exist, since men, as sex have neither the time nor the inclination to keep society going, although they are prompt to avail themselves of the so- cial enjoyments originated and admins tered by women. The amount of energy and invention needed to successfully conduct the complex formal society of the day Is enormous (especially in a republic. where there is no court circle or a King Edward to set and regulate the pace). but the pleasure seeking aspect of the lives of fashionable Wo- men--of course, the most obvious aspect .-obscure the fact of their real industry and strenuousness in maintaining the social side of living
 Some idea of the great social service rendered by women may be arrived at by imagining a world in which the wo- men should come to pay as little atten- tion to this phase of life as men do. Life would there be shorn of it's ele- gances, bald utility taking the place of
 
 sentiment that brighten and embellish human intercourse.
 It is a very easy and very cheap form of wit to sheer at pink teas, but that function and similar ones stand for more than gatherings of dress-lov- ing. gossiping women. A little refec- tion will convince even the least dis corning that commerce, industry, civili-
 i1, this instance according to it's proper sig nificance), as well IS the finer things of the spirit, are vitally concerned in these afternoon functions which appear so frivolous. Even women themselves are largely unconscious of the import ance of the work they carry on, their social impulse, with it's far-reaching conseauences, being largely instinctive But the fact that they are most delb- erately helpful to the world at large in no wise diminishes the importance of the work they accomplish.
 They are at infinite pains to preserve the traditions of social etiquette, pune tilious in regard to social obsarvances, l and at great cost of anxiety, time and patience and fatigue, they engineer functions of ambitious proportions which furnish enjoyment, and better still, opportunity to others. so that in way, the hostess is a philanthropist. The qualities necessary for the success ful conduct of social amenities are such as would secure their possessors re- spectful recognition in any other pro- fession, but the peculiarly sheltered manner of their exercise in the domestic | realm stands in the way of their being | realized to be superior, smooth-run- ming domestic establishments being re- garded by most persons as largely au- tomatic.
 Occasionally the ability requisite to properly administer an establishment | receives appreciative notice, as in F, | Benson's "Scarlet and Hyssop," where | is to be found a short account of fash 1 ionable woman's masterful direction of | the preliminares for a Saturday-to- | Monday party at her country house; | but for the most part the enterprise, invention and executive ability neces- sary for the management of an estab- 1ishment are beyond the comprehension Of most persons. If but one person is persuaded by the little apprecia tion to regard the activities of the woman of fashion as not wholly frivolous and un- worthy, then will the paper not have been written in vain.-From Vogue HTT,DREN'S pRTNCFJY INCOME