The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-09
A Social Problem.

Baltimore American.
What becomes of all the debutantes?'
asked the woman the other day Of her
friend. not because she wanted to know, but
merely chat she wished an opportunity to
state her opinion upon the subject.
why. they marry. of course, like all good
girls should do answered the man, mean
ing TO be pleasant.
Not at all she said, severely. Think
Of the girls who come out year after year,
who so very important the season that
they are presented, but who are soon laid
upon the shelf of fOrgetfulness. Where are
these girlS2 Indeed. one never even hears
of many of them again until their cards are
sent out for their weddings. Then we say,
oh. So-and-So is 10 be married. she came
Just what I remarked" declared the
man. determined TO be correct; they al
ways marry.
VERY few of them compared with the
long list who made their first bow at the
germans or who were introduced at some
big reception" insisted the woman. But
even if they marry later on, where
they in the meantime? One or two years al
best in society and then they are never
seen again. for they retire so completely
from the world No wonder stranger vis-
fling here recently said: i have met your
beautiful debutantes and your interesting
married women, but where are the girls
over twenty Do they never go anywhere
at early date%
1T is queer" admitted the man. 'I never
thought of it before, but do you think that
the fault possibly lies with the men?"
Il am proud TO have you admit as fault
in. your sex, which l have always insisted
upon was the reason why girls go out so lit
tie after their first year, until they enter
the ranks of society as e matrOn, or later
on, the mother Of the reigning debu-
tante- The true difficulty is the way you
men act, for no girls like to be wall flowers.
even If they will never see their twenties
a gain. Men, as a rule, seem to care for two
types OF wOmankind only-One is the dear,
silly debutante. with her airs, her graces,
her foolish ideas Of life and her little snOb-
bshness: the other is the older woman
married widowed, who is supposed 10 I'M
derstand man in all his shades of character.
who IS always ready TO amuse or entertain
him. and who invariably sympathizes with
mis- lordship I'm a way TO promote both his
vanity and his peace Of mind But surely
the girls who have been out while have no
right 10 give UP society so entirely either to
debutantes or married women. True, they
have less experience than the matrons, still
they should know life enough to be broad in
their ideas, and they should be able to keep
men as their friends. even If they do not
want them or cannot get them their
lovers. They should have the advantage,
indeed of both youth and old age, and IL is
q shame that some OF our brightest girls
never appear at the coullons or any large
functions Just because they feel too old TO
contend with the debutantes and too young
10 be placed with the married and middle
entertainments.
But the remedy demanded the man;
surely YOU wouldn't be so cruel to en-
large upon the disease without mentioning
the CuTe2
Yes" said the woman, there Is a rem
edv-vOu men must ask these older girls for
the cotillons; visit them and see that they
have a good time in society. Do not neg
lect them for a younger face and more
sprightly manners or possibly, for the
more spiced society of the dame. Show
these girls that life is not ended for them
merely because they were not presented a
year OF so agO Then in little while we
will have these clever, interesting girls
again i'm the front ranks.
'sT0 hear is 10 obey" murmured the man,
politely. ''HeucefOrth my partners for fu-
ture ,OtillCns are the girls who have had
a twenty-ffth birthday at least, and next
winter 4 will go back into the past for my
friends and my partners
And T. added the woman, magnani-
mousIy. will give a dinner before the first
COtiuon and invite only girls who have been
out at least seven years. If they Will prom
ise that ever after they viii go TO the ger
mans and wherever they are invited
And the listener made no further COM
ment. but has been wondering ever since
Il the plan would be a success.