Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-03-10
Dorothy Dlx.)

dorothy Dix
II is to be feared that this is a
,inioue age that takes ite Lent lightly.
Nowadays when we don our sackcloth
n is silk lined, and all our ashes are
ashes of roses; nevertheless, Lent is
4 time when the thoughts of even the
most worldly turn to righteousness
land thus we are enabled to observe
one of the most remarkable phenom'
ena of the feminine temperament
woman'es ability to be good by proxy,
This is a distinctly feminine accom-
pnshment. When a man thinks about
being good he begins with himself
He stops drinking. or swearing, or
playing poker or whatever his par.
tlcular vice was. When a woman de.
cldes on leading the higher life she
Turns the batteries of her noble reso-
buttons and directs her reform against
somebody else She doesn't even con-
template giving up gossiping, or
bridge, or bargain sales, or the thing
that was her besetting sin. On the
contrary, she contrives to enjoy her
own little vices in peace and content.
but she devotes all her energy and
zeal to trying to make her husband
quit smoking or give up his modest
glass of beer, and she feels that she
is entitled to a higher place among
those who have performed works of
supererogation II she can harass him
into reslgning from his club
Anxiety for Her Brothers Soul.
II further proof were wanted OF wo-
mans noble and altruistic nature II
could be found in the fact that all the
great reforms inaugurated by women
have had the suppression of the vices
Of men for their object. and this, too,
when there was plenty of need OF her
looking to her own fence. Il has
never yet occurred TO the woman re
former to tackle the vices OF her own
sex. All Of women's anti-societles deal
with the things that they are opposed
to men doing. You never hear of the
Woman Temperance Talking union,
or the Mothers League for Suppress
Ing Bad Children, or the Anti-Gadding
society, yet the abuse OF the tongue
has done as much harm in the world
as the abuse of liquor, and thfre
are no other wrongs comparable with
the crime Of raising up bad and
spoiled children. and maintaining an
illkept home.
It is soothing and unselfish idea
that our brothers souls need our at.
tention more than our own, and so,
during Lent, when all of the feminine
ethical societies get busy, we are
treated to the amusing spectacle OF
nordes Of reformers who are enjoy;
Ing all Of the sacred pleasures Of be
Ing reformed without any of the pen
alues of giving anything up that they
wanted to do, and who are filled with
feeling Of self-righteous virtue be-
cause they have formed league to
abolish betting in poolrooms, or chew
ing tobacco, or something that they
never did anyway
Give Man Credit for Home Life.
NOT is this ability of woman TO be
sooa by proxy confined to her public
ACTS Every woman who is married to
man who lets her henpeck him con-
"oers herself a good wife and con.
s'a'ulates her husband upon having
married such a domestic treasure. The
'smlnlne idea of wifely duty is getting
a'0ns smoothly with a man who
uoesnt dare TO contradict you and
VINO never interferes with the house
Neeping. His humble attitude Of ac.
qu'esesnee never counts, though in real
'V MS wife may be only amiable be-
'alse she is never crossed.
Likewise, a woman always con
''uefs herself a good mother when
ne' children happen to be born with
-'al'hy constitutions. and are lucky
.A'1sh not to take the measels, while
e feminine definition OF a good
---a-.-....-la-ulu.