The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-20
THE VALUE OF BEAUTY.

really enjoy contemplating her refiec-
ton in the mirror must find life a
perpetual picnic for which there can be
no money equivalent Neither is the
solid inward satisfaction one derives
from being gazed at wherever one
goes by admiring eyes to be estimated
in dollars and cents, but apart from the
qualification to her own vanity what is
womans beauty worth in cold, hard
cash?
A Chicago working woman, employ
ed in a factory, whose face was cut by
an exploding bottle so that it required
five stitches from a surgeon to sew up
the wound, has sued her employer for
$4,000 for alleged damages to her good
looks.
Is this amount excessive, or is it
only a fair reoompense for the loss the
lady has sustained?
This is a matter of vital moment to
women, for in deciding this important
question the jury before whom the case
is tried, will not only have to take in
to consideration this individual wom-
ans appearance before the accident
and afterwards. and estimate the loss
that she sustained in an impaired conf
plexion, or a damaged profile. They
will, in a way, pass upon the value
that beauty is to the entire feminine
sex, and this raises most interesting
problem-how much does a Woman's
looks, really, and actually, affect her
success in life?
Beauty has always been considered a
more valuable asset with women than
with men, and the girl who, like the
nilkmaid can say my face is my
fortune" has ever been considered to
have sufficient dowry. This is particu-
larly true in America, where, instead
of saving up their money to provide
their daughter with a dot in order to
marry her off, parents of modern
means invariably spend their income in
dressing the girl so as to enhance her
beauty, and the girls looks are de-
pended upon to do the rest and pro-
vide for her in live. Thus crudely do we
express the conviction that beauty is
all the working capital a woman needs.
Presupposing-wh is quite true
that matrimony is the career that APP
peals most strongly to women and
that almost all of them would follow il
given suitable opportunity, the first
question that presents itself in con-
sidering this subject is how much does
IL
match depend upon her looks? One is
inclined to say, offhand, entirely, for
beauty draws men by a single hair
whether 1t is false or natural, peroxid-
ed or not When a man hears of a
woman for the first time he does not
ask is she intelligent? Is she amiabe?
Is she good?" But rs she pretty?"
That is enough She may be as dull
as a meat ak. He can listen en-
If9nCp0 IN YAIa
lips that utter them are the shape of
Cuplds bow. She may be a spitefu
little cat and as sordidiy selfish and
greedy as they make them No man
ever suspects a woman with a pink
and white complexion of being any
thing but an angel. With men, beau
~ IN women is a satisfactory substi-
tute for brains and heart, and the
girl who has perfect profile has a
hundred times as much chance to
catch good husband as the girl who
is perfect model of all the virtues.
1t is true that men do fall IN love
with ugly women, and marry them,
but this is only when the homely
woman had all the odds in her favor,
and got about mile the start of the
good locker. In anything like an even
race for a mans affections the pretty
woman always wins out.
Nor are men alone hypnotized by
beauty Women are slaves to 1t in
their own sex, and the woman who
wants the backing and support of 9TH
er women can have no such valuable
quality as good looks. This is strange
and illogical, but true. By what pro-
cess of involuntary selection do we
women choose proteges? BY their ap-
pearance solely. 1t is the pretty girl
to whom some rich woman gives
frocks and frills. 1t is the pretty girl
rafc To cfnt - 60
we get up concerts to which we force
our friends to contribute and buy
tickets. IL is the pretty girl in need
of work for whom we bestir ourselves
to secure a situation. None of us
ever know how really sympathetic
we are until we behold beauty in dis
tress, and it is an actual fact that
when we see a pretty woman crying
we all, whether we are men or women
have an impulse to ask her to weep
upon our breast. while we tell an ugly
woman not to make a fool of herself
There is, naturally, no more reason
why pretty woman should be helped
than an ugly one-only we do it. There
is an instructive feeling in us that the
homely sister can scuffie for herself.
and we let her do II while we strew
the path with roses for q probably
less deserving woman for no reason
on earth except that heaven has
blessed her with peachy cheeks, and
golden hair, and large lustnous eyes.
In this way good looks have a tangi-
Bile, practical value, that really
amounts to what politicians call "a
pulp with society.
In business woman's looks are a
most important factor in her success.
Leaving out Of the discussion profess
sions like the stage where beauty is
a requisite even above talent, or call
ings like that of the cloak and dress
model. where a twenty-inch waist and
a thirty-six inch bust measure and
a general air OF style are imperatively
demanded by the advertisements, II is
true that in a just ordinary, every day
avocation, a pretty face is a wom-
ans best letter Of recommendation
when she applies for a job. Men deny
that they are influenced by a woman 8
looks in employing her, but neverthe-
less II is almost impossible for an ell
Derby ugly woman, no matter how
competent she Is, to get a situation I'm
an Office or store. II IL doubtless a CO.
incidence as married men are always
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