The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-21
influence of women's Clubs.

New York Tribune.
"One good thing about clubs" said the
clever woman. t%houghtfully. lis that they
stimulate courtesy in women"
Women don't need it," said the social
woman, plaintively. But 1 should be
thankful to know of anything that would
stimulate courtesy in men,"
That's strange" ~ said the clever woman.
Evidently it all depends on the point of
view-like other matters. In so much as
courtesy is concerned 1 would prefer to
have business dealings with twenty men
in a day than with one woman"
Well, in society" observed the other, ST
would prefer to deal with fifty women than
with one man. Take a young girl, for ex-
ample-the merest bud, just emerged from
the calyX or the nursery. I'm trying not
to mix my m~etaphOrs.) Well, she may
have her little airs and vanities and
naughty ways, but if she has been taught
anything you can depend upon her to do
the correct thing; TO answer your invitation
promptly and prettily, to arrive on time,
and to do her share of anything that is
expected in the way of dancing, talking,
music; in short. to help her hostess by
making herself as agreeable as possible
OF course, some few are shy or Incapable.
but you can see that they make an effort,
in most cases. And a woman who is ac-
customed to social life will immolate her
self to any extent on the altar of proprietV
She may snub impossible people. or what
the English call 'detrimentals. or she may
even be lacking in the sort of courtesy
which means kindness of heart: but she
will never do the objectionable things-sulk
in corners, neglect the ordinary conven-
tionalities, refuse to dance when she is
invited for that purpose-all those things.
you know, which drive a hostess crazy"
And you find that men in society do
those things?'
My dear, it IS one of the chief difficulties
of entertaining, especially with the younger
men. Some of them even fail Ia realize
the sanctity of a dinner engagement. They
Will Keep you waiting for a reply until il
is too late to find a substitute. or possibly
accept your invitation and "disappoint YOU
at the last moment. l assure Won that
young Van BOOram was asked to he a
woman's guest at a club breakfast. 81 a
cover, and, after accepting, broke the an
pointment by that mornings mail"
Did she cut him.
mo; that's the troublei Young men are
too much needed in society to be treated as
they deserve. At a dance the hostess *
nervous every moment lest her most popu-
lar men should fall victims to extreme
fatigue. and stand looking on languidIv
while the girls sit without partners. And
if a man does not get the partner he wants
for a cOtillOn-Or at dinner-pOsitivelv Won
can do nothing with him.
1T is simply an aggravated form of self
ishness.' said the clever woman. "or a
constitutional lack Of conscience. The dis
AtA 1AA - f1ANAN - &AA u al III
ferent type. Apart from the street-car
fiends of both sexes. | find that il is in the
business world that women sin the most
against sweetness and light"
"Oh, in business they get tired and
nervous
ITS not that altogether. Women have
not yet OutgrOwn the sense of novelty in
business life, and they take on a pose, They
try 10 be SO very businesslike that they're
afraid 10 be humah. They think il is ouite
the right thins 10 be just a little brutal
The other day | found a young girl CRYING
over a note from a woman exchange com
mittee. She explained that what hurt her
was not so much their rejection of her knit
shawl and her peanut candy as the cold.
abrupt manner of the communication. She
felt as if her things had been kicked out.
Afterward l hOwed her a declined with
thanks letter from an editor. and she said
il must be almost a pleasure TO be turned
down by such a polite mani
All. yesi' said the social woman. s'it's
the manner that counts. / remember spend
ing some days at a big woman's dormftory
at the - exposition. The women in the
office were like SO many Gorgons. They
looked at you With a stony glare. and
when they wanted 10 find out whether YOU
were a stakeholder or a transient guest.
the way they snapped out stock or tran
sient?' made you feel as If YOU were In
reality a mere homeless tramp asking for