The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-25
FOR FEMININE READERS
SWEET OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ONE
OF THE BEST OF wOMANLY GIFTS.
Why women Order Queer Lunchcons
Mt Hotels - The Mother I'm Law
PrObIem-Here and There.

The most precious gift nature can bestow
upon a girl is TO endOw her with the art
OF being companionable. says a writer in
the Cooking Club. Beauty is desirable, but
people tire OF the woman who Is nothing
but a living picture. Wit and cleverness
are well enough, but no one wants an I'M
interrupted round OF bright salIies any
more than they would want 10 make three
meals day on sailed almonds and biscuits
gIace- But the woman who is companion
able. who can fit into any picture Join in
any chorus. blend into any mood of others.
has that indestructible charm that will
stand the and tear of Hfe and of
which we can never have enough. And
then there IS the more serious one OF the
lack of companionableness among women.
and that makes friendship a hollow mock
cry. We all know women whom we re-
spect for their intelligence and culture, re-
we're their virtues and love their amiable
qualities. but how many Of US know two
with whom We would voluntarily elect to
live2
There's Mary Brown, for instance, who is
a saint if there is one on earth.t but she Is
a continuous performance preacher who
asylum There's Susan Jones. who is so
clever that she scintllates. but is as full of
angles a right-angled triangle and life is
full enough OF trouble without having to be
perpetualIy lodging somebody's peculiari-
tics. There's Flora Smythe. noble and
sweet. and whose good qualities we admire
so much from a distance but Flora has
ways" which is another way Of express
ing adamantine selfishness There's Jennie
Black. whose conversation IS like a dash of
tabasco sauce 1t can liven up any dinner
but heaven defend Us from having to live
under the roof with a woman who is always
behind time-always has TO have things
just so.
And SO the list goes. and then you think
or one woman who has none of the start
nns attractions OF the others. who is
neither oveTwise. nor witty, nor pretty.
but who has that indefinable quality that
makes you always want to have her about
and grip her to your heart with hooks of
steel.
She may not say anything worth repeat
ing. but she falls into the moods of those
about her, laughs with those who laugh
ana weepS with those who weep. She is in
terested in other peoples affairs, and is
willing TO listen TO your hopes and plans in
stead OF always discOursing about her own
II she Is highly educated. her knowledge
sits lightly On her. and she isn't forever cor
recting everybody else's history and gram
mar and pronunciation. If she visits you
she doesn't give you Overmuch of her So
ciety. IL she travels she doesn't expect to
mOnOpolize the best scat and run the itin-
erary. She recognizes that other people
may have preferences for certain things as
well as herself If she is a girl she doesn't
try to make every man fall I'm love with
her, and IL she is a married woman she
isn't always finging her husband. as if hers
were a personal triumph, into every other
WOman'S teeth.
The woman who is companionable. who
is simply comfortable to live with is so rare
that il is cause for speculation why girls
do not think ii worth their while TO Guilt
waite this fine art of being agreeable.