The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-26


cdenta Features-st. Paul Women
Hope to Follow Their Example Be-
( fore Many Years.
The news of the formation of wom-
ans athletic club in the smart set OF
New York seems, for some reason or
other to have made a sensation. Just
Why this should be it is difficult to I'M
derstand, for physical culture is by no
means a novelty among women. nor
are athletes something new.
This athletic club which is contem-
plated in New York, however. will be
novelty in so far as it is proposed
TO model it according to the best of the
mems clubs Of like character to have
Il club house thoroughly equipped with
the latest gymnastic appliances, with
reading rooms, bathrooms and restau-
rant attached, where interesting little
luncheon parties can be given after a
morning spent in physical exercise.
Perhaps just such a club has never
been organized anywhere. more be-
cause the women who have taken up
athletics have not had the means to
inaugurate such an enterprise than be-
cause they did not approve Of it. 1t is
proposed by these wealthy New York
women to build or obtain such club
and equip it properly and make the
membership fee a stiff one. thereby
keeping it among, if not the best, at
least among the mOneyed class.
There is no reason why women
should not have such club, and the
smart set have certainly spent their
money more foOlishly than they would
if they carry through this project.
Physical culture is an excellent thing
for women, especially for the class Of
women who are given to late and
hearty winners, if only to ward off flesh
which is the bugbear of so many Wom-
en-.
St. Paul has never yet essayed a
club of this kind, but it has patronized
many opponents of physical culture,
and only during the past winter taken
art who claimed for his system every
thing but raising the dead.
Then there are classes of women
connected with the Y. NJ G. A. which
are fiourishing and well filled, and it
would be well for those women who
desire TO continue the good work to
bestir themselves and see that there
will be room for them in the proposed
new building ST. Paul women hope
before many years to have a club
house of their own. but it is doubtful
whether there would be in it any
equipment for physical culture.
women, even those who have been in
society a reasonably long time. do not
seem to know how to answer invita-
lions. and many st. Paul hOstesses
have suffered from this very thing.
More often invitations are not ac-
knOwledged at all. AS a rule, the only
invitations that 1t is safe to leave UNI
answered are those to church we'd
dings or to an afternoon tea. 1t has
come to be the custom here for those
who are not going to a tea to send
their cards on the day of the affair,
although this is open. to objection as
the hostess never knows how many to
prepare for in the matter of refresh
ments.
q But it would be hard to introduce
n change in this regard in st. Paul
now. as it has been an unwritten law
so long. Then, of course, at church
weddings it is not supposed to make
much difference to the mother of the
bride whether the church is we'll filed
or. not, but at the house reception fol-
lowing it, those invited are certainly
expected to let their hostess know
whether or kaatsthey intend to go. But
this is Often overlooked in ST Paul,
and many who accept do not seem to
know how to word their answers.
1t is never good form to send your
card with the word regrets" or &C
ceptance" written upon it, and yet that
us quite a common practice here. 1t
lis too brief and shows too little cour-
tesy to the one who has paid you the
compliment of sending you a polite
and we'll WOrded invitation. Books Of
etiquette are not always safe guides
in these matters, and any we'll bred
woman Will-Or should-know instinct
lively how to be courteous. For, after
all pOliteness is largely a matter of
the heart. 1t comes from within, and
a surface courtesy or that obtained
from reading rules for guidance in
matters social is easily detected and
does not ring true.
Many and many a st. Paul hostess
has mourned over the laxity of per-
sons of this city in regard to invita-
tons, and many a time has the day of
her entertainment arrived without her
having the slightest idea of how many
she must provide for. A very excel
lent Lenten resolution would be to
promise ones self reform in this df-
rectiOn and thereby add to the sum of
good manners, which is not so tremen-
dous as it might be.
One of the most important things
done by woman in recent time is the
writing of an opera, and not a comic
one either which was staged lately
in New York and sung by the MEM
bers of the Metropolitan Opera COM
pany. The composer and writer is
Miss Smythe, an English woman who
is now visiting in this country and who
was given an ovation on the night of
the first American production of her
work.
Her opera has already been pre-
scented in England, where it was en-
Enthusiastically applauded, and III Ger
many, where it was much censured.
The theme is poetic and romantic, and
the music. according to a critic is
good, harmonious. but not dramatic
nor passionate. But it Is the ref1ec-
ton that it was all done by d woman
that makes the thing of interest.
1t is one proof that there seems to
be no line Of endeavor closed to wom-
en- at this time, and 1t was noticeable
that in the accounts of this opera and
It's presentation no one said lit was
good for a woman" or 1T was good
considering" but it was criticised as
calmly and dispassionately as though
its writer had been a man. And this
IS what Women-or some women-haye
been struggling for.
- If they do their work as we'll as
men they are entitled to just as much
credit There are women who never
fail TO take advantage of their sex
and If they are not quite as faithful,
quite as capable, they know they wifi
be excused on the ground Of sex. But
there are others who contend that in
brains and ability there is no sex and
that II they are as capable as men thew