New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-01
LITTLE REAL THOUGHT.
An Investigator Who Delved Into the Mys-
teries of Women's Minds.

The trouble with most of is that we simply
don't think" said certain lecturer one day. we
let minds wander about almlessly over past,
present and future in a fashion that. were it
demonstrable to the eye. would appear much as DO
the shambling revolving movements Of an idiots
limbs.
Especially is this true of women" continued
the speaker, relentlesSy, though more than nan OF
his audience OF feminine persuasion. II the
mentality of the majority Of women could be pct
ured in process, there wouldn't be one straight
clear cut line in the whole hazy mass. Ihought Is
power. No material thing circumstance can
long withstand the persistent concentrated force
OF tntelligently directed thought, and the reason
don't get anywhere In lives is that none
OF thinking is purposeful, but shambling and
leaky."
Nobody protested auIibly at the time. and the
inference was that the majority OF the audience
found the cap Of less snug tit. But one
listener determined put these sweeping state
ments a statistical test Whereupon she fell into
the way of asking feminine friends whom she met
the street and elsewhere of what they were
thinking. Most OF them required some seconds
Ito remember" collect their thoughts. Out
OF eighty-fve thus questioned twenty-seVen were
thinking what good (or bad or indlnerenp unle
they had had such and such an occasion; nine
teep were wondering what they would DO II such
and such a thing should happen; the minds or
twerty-one were occupied with shopping, although
they all convicted on the spot of having well
made lists with them, and the remaining elgh-
teen were mot thinking about anything A chliu
OF five six. gazing out of the window with a
dreamy look her face, asked the same ques-
ton. After a seconds reflection the answer was
Nothing" oh but you must have been thinking
Of something she urged. Your mind couldn't
have been quite empty, YOU know Then' IN all
seriousness, the earnest reply, wei, deed II
l was didn't know It."
Out of ten men questioned two were planning
deal" studying how TO get even" with
some one who had got the better of him. and the
rest answered average with the women Ihe
statisticaIly inclined member of the audience then
compared notes with the aforesaid lecturer.
And then people complain that fate Is against
them, that they can't overcome circumstances. and
things are unevenly divided in this world" he
brains what their hands may build They are car
rying their earnings in pocket full OF holes; Ot
mental conception, the brick and mortar house
is first built in the architects BRAN, ana II Is not
difficult to see why people accomplish so little when
practically they think-detnite clear, constructive
thinkng-not at all Why II hall even OF the
creative thinking the progress of the next twenty
five years would eclipse the last century or two.
sewing woman, intelligent, refined person.
tho1sbts had been bnsied With a sigh and
smile she replied Il going over again the nice
which was harmless and restfui but she was forty
Ave and still only sewing woman. mother OF
growing family, whose eyes and fingers mad been
busy with the mending basket for some time,
questioned. II was just thinking % how nice Nettie
will look in her graduation gown. with the flowers
ali be- suppose I've pictured it to myself a dozen
times, and yet I'm afraid theren he some hitch,
a an9 1t won't happen the way We i'osu l0' '''''
hurried harassed looking individual with the
centre seam of her skirt an inch and a half to one
side, and the front tab of her colarette some
where in the region OF her left ear, was besought
to her thoughts at the moment of encounter.
why, Sally's gone off on the excursion and left
ngG declare rye not been able to think
of anything else the whole way down in the car