The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-01
The +. T.. d.


There was mysterious perhaps an
ominous, meeting in st. Louis last week;
the annual meeting of the Missouri
Chapter of the p. +. o. Sisterhood. What
is the p. +. o? The proceedings of the
Roman Cha pter of the Sisterhood of the
Bona Dea before the escapade OF the
Hon. PUBLlUs CLoDIUs PULCHER, whose
behavior was not as pretty as his looks.
were not so wrapped in silence and old
Night as the P. +. o. is. The Modern
Daughters of Rebecca, the Grand Con-
catenated Order of Hoo Hoos and many
other associations are imposing of name
and dark to the uniluminated, But p.
+. o, is not evena name. 1t is a conun-
drum, riddle, Sphinx that can't be
driven to suicide. We remember the
P. l.. l.. of thirtyfve years ago, but that
was band of men and easily interpreted
as Personal Liberty League. But when
women get together, pick on, three pieces
of the alphabet and go into secret ses-
sions, what is the world coming to and
WneIe iS IL III!
The p f. o. held one open session, +"
a blind, or lure to curiosity and an in
human device to lengthen the cervical
caoutchouc of Mere Man, who is de-
veloping into giraffe rapidly enough
already. One formal. tantalizing public
session, and after that the dark. Procul,
o, procm este, profdni' Keep off, you
swearing men folks. The p f. o. is
drinking black tea and keeping dark
secret.
We're not going to treat the crowd to
dish of warmed-over commonplace
about the inability of woman to hold her
own counsel and keep a secret Every.
body of sense has secrets; domestic life is
a compromise; and it is not always neces-
sary to blurt out the whole truth. Women
can keep secrets at least as we'll as the
other fellows; and they have conspicu-
GUS advantage in not being prone to those
bursts of more or less alcoholic conf
dence in which so many stuffed masculine
bosoms unbosom themselves. The phil
osopher il born under Libra. He never
gets of his balance. He wears face of
exasperating imperturbability and in
difference. There is no surer provoca-
tive Of condolences.
A st. Louis correspondent informs us
/" in secluded confidence that P. E. O.
stands for Order Of Pretty Elicibles.
A poor guess. if we have any knaok Of
guessing. 1t is impudent to try to tear
Al. Ill 80 IL L
o. loves to wear the domino, whose bust
ness is it? Still reasons Of self preserva-
ton prompt us to print the following
note. anonymous though it be:
TO THE EDITOR op THE SrS-,str: You may
he interested to know that the P, L. o.. womens
secret society Of Missouri, Kansas. Nebraska and
other States in the West and Southwest and, think
In the Northwest, too, means business. | don't
profess to know what r. L. o. means and doubt
II 1t means anything. happened to see my
wfcs dressing table this morning little brooch
with the letters p. H o. have been married for
nearly seventeen years and know when 10 shut up
but p. H. O.. must be the inner circle o. p. F.
o. III live long enough and escape divorce, shall
md out what P. II. o. means. Ny wife wants to
90 to the seashore this summer You sec hold the
key to the secret
"A FOE TO FEMALE SECRET SocIErIEe.
st. LOUIS. May %.
Hang a man that is brute enough to
try to brihe his wife! Besides, the sup
posed cryptogram ia as simple as this
st. Louis letterwriter. P. H. o."
being interpreted, is: Put Him Out"
The movement begun in Kansas year
or two ago for the Abolition OF Man con-
tinues to move Bad news. but to be
heard with resignation. Mere Man is
documentary; he must go. We hope it's
not conceited to tell the women who are
active in this agitation that the time
will come as Prosecuted Virtue in the
melodrama seldom omits to say, when
they will be sorry that they didn't pre-
serve instead of destroying. Men will
be missed, even in Kansas.