Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-06-20

daughters OF noo!enltn not DeloW the Idllk
oi earl and is given by courtesy TO the
wives OF knights.
Let that pass for ngiand, bat what q!
hdyShip III America, where no sueh sharp
divisional lines arr drawn by tae pencil oil
authority? Here. thank God, we have ,
Iuch worthier definition OF the word ana
more satisfactory Interpretation OF tho
thing. Ladyship, under democracy;
means and can mean only one thins'
womanhood at its best Not all woman
hood is womanhood AT its best any more
than all manhood is maj cod at ITS best
woald that it were. And what are the
characteristics OF womanhood at its best:
What are the tokens by which 1t is au.
thenticated: We cannot greatly differ III
opinion upon this point. Surely OF these
characteristics dignity Is one gentleness IS
another iortitude IS third and SYM
pathy completes the cluster. 1t were un.
reasonable OF course. 10 expect the full
ness OF each one OF these tour traits IN
any single personality, no matter how rich.
~ endowed by inner lance or carefully
matured by training. And yet IL is beyond
question that some tincturc OF each one
must be found present in 4 woman before,
under democratic conditions. her claim to
lddy>hip can be accounted valid.
Dgnity-there are a thousand imita.
tionS OF 1t. coIntcr:eits beyond number,
but how wholly admirable Is the genuine
article. what AN excellent thing in WON.
an Not ny ap,ng dignity do we become
dignhcd. AooIness is not dignity hau.
tour Is not dignity. stiffness is not dignity
= pompous manner and hrocaded sty.s
oil speccl-thesc are nos dignity. true dig.
nifty Is not OF ice. it is OF flame. 4 certain
delicate and fiery nmhus which circles the
sanctuary OF personality to safeguard il
from intrusion and entertainment. Their
GlgnitY. e::claimS an Old Hebrew pre-.
phet, giving MS the who.e thing in a nus
II cl.r.l = 4i,a,,
se.ves. Dignity IS reconci,ab.e with all
forms OF occupation. even the most men.
tai. IL consorts with many qualities, al.
though with vanity it is reluctant to walk,
and with lmmodesty ii will have nothing
to do. lmmodcsty IS the sin against pro
portion, Its very name 80 sgnifync. and
rs the philosophic emperor remarks in hi:
meIltations. There Is a proper dignity
end proportion to be deserved in the per.
Torrance OF every act OF life Hence to
do ANYTHING oIt Of measure and in excess
IS undi2nihed.
Then as 70 gentlencss. our second attri.
bate of womanhood nj its Best. what sinai;
we say of genteness. Can we saw any.
thing better or truer than that it is the
child, the direct offspring OF dignity. The
truly dignihed can scarcely be thought OF
as the ungentle. for here again tina: ques.
ton OF proportion comes in, and rough
ways and boisterous talk stand sc.f-con.
afford To spare oat 81 the daily intercourse
OF HE as womans Gen;lcncss. And this is
only the more true the Eoisier the world
becomes. With lie panctuatci for us by
the. shricks OF steam whistles the rattle
OF the charo.s OF iron and the strokes q.
I'll manner of sonSS. how res,ful. how
heaithtui. how reinvieoratlEg are the nc.
cents of gentlencss, All my dear young
friends, whatever els you forget to be
remember to be gentle. An anxious fear
IN the hearts OF many thoughtful reoplc. a
fear which personally | do not share. but
OF which II Is Just as well TO take note il
that out OF all this contemporary struggle
OF woman for complete independence,
this duplication on her part of as much OF
man work as is imitab.e. there may come
eventually an impairment of the world!
total stock OF gentleness. Let us be mser:
here. The tide of this sweet grace is never
ct the food. There is no peril OF any over.
flow. We need to treasure every drop
there is.
As to fo-titudc, chose the word with
care. wishing TO mark off from courage in
general that special form OF thi, virtue
winch has ioand frequent and splendid il.
lustration in the annals OF womanhood.
Courage of the sor: which qualities one ITO
drink delight CT bate to head stormin.
parties and 10 volunteer on iororn hopes
Is not expected OF women, and. for that
matter. * no. 50 common among men as
men would Ike TO have il thought bit al
that other and more praiseworthy fearless.
ness. which. without the excitement OF con.
fiict, Is able patiently TO suffer, persistent.
~ TO endure. in this Chris;likc virtue it il
possible-it has ten thousand times been
shown to be possible that women sno"ld
excel. With the aroma OF this virtue
wholly absent no womans character even
so much as approximates perfection.
But it is not enough to be able uncom
49, A
suffer with! That is wha, sympathy means
suffering with remember that svmpa
thy won the last OF the four blossoms We
set out to twine into our wreath. 1t does
not matter how well bred a woman may
he IN other respects. It does not matter
how varied her accomplishments intellect
ia! n artistic. If tender heartedness. the
power to enter quickly and deeply into the
feeling OF others. If this be wholly absent
II Is id.e to tax about charm" it simply
Is not there. 1t Is this insistence upon
sympathy. as a necessary ingredient of
true womanhooi that renders the Chris
tan type infinitely superior TO the old
classic type whether or maid or matron.
That woman can look on composediy at
bull fight Is the oprrobrium OF Spanish
civilization, but there was time when
not III one corner % the Mediterranean
exclusively. but al over the Latin world
women called ladies could both tolerate
OF innocent blood.
What has changed all this? Oalv one
answer TO that question i possible Jesus
Christ has changed all this. To Him we
owe 1t that to-day not Only dignity and
iortltude (stoic virtues - well as Chris
tianl not only dignity and fo.titude. but
also .gentleness and sympathy are rccog.
med rs necessary features OF all true
ladyship.
Bat who is sufficient Tor these things?
With the standard set so high, the tests
thade 80 severe, vino snail pass?
All. my young friends. how glad | am
that this i WhitSunday. the feast day OF
the Hoy Ghost. for Whitsunday points us
to the secret OF power. and hands over to
lis the taisman OF success. IL is by the
strength OF God that womanhood struggles
upward to its perfection. The ages of
chiva.ry gave to the Virgin Mary the title
of ''our lady Judged by some standards
OF ladyship nothing could seem more in.
approximate. but Judged by the true stand
ard nothing could be more Just
And Mary said. Behold the handmade
OF the Lord, he it unto me according to
Thy word Catch that spirit, and it shall
he granted unto each one OF you, Young
women. to, become "a lady forever" yes,
forever and ever.