Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-02-03
THE MEDDLER.


III lie coal fts yen PIT IL on"
Don't you think there are any Ia
dies among our friends of the othe
sex?" said a man to The Meddler TN
other day He was referring to lie
former item which said that the mem
bers of an organization and larg'
number Of their women friends" hat
attended certain social gathering
The Meddler informed the truth seek
er that 1t was the custom of this pa
per In common with many others L
speak of females In general as womer
instead of ladies, but this explana'
ton didn't seem to satisfy. The mar
couldn't see why they couldn't be
other reason. To The Meddler the
word lady as 1t Is commonly used
brings visions of dance posters which
read Gents 25 cents, ladies' free" OF
of advertisements to the effect that
wash ladies" are willing to work out
for so much an hour.
As a matter of fact the word has
so many different meanings that II
should not be used indiscriminate4y
1t may mean the female head of n
household, woman having proprie-
tary rights or authority, a sweetheart,
woman of social distinction or posi-
ton, or simply, a woman of refined or
gentle manners. In England a lady Is
one whose father is a nobleman OF
not less rank than an earl, or the wife
of man of not less rank than ba-
ron. In this country the word is made
to refer to any female whether of high
position, low position or no position
at ALL Speak of the gentler sex as
women and you are doing them no in
justice. nor are you treating them
with disrespect To be called a man
means more by far that to have the
title of gentleman. And isn't 1t IF
equally greater worth to be known
as woman than simply as a lady?
In this connection The Meddler is re-
minded of the story of the American
who asked his English cousin what
he meant by calling a man a gentle
man. Upon being told that a gentle
man was one who did not have to
work the American replied 1--WE have
that kind at home but we call 'em
hoboes."
Is 1t good policy for an organiza-
ton which is supposed to work along
such broad lines as the Y. M. c. A.,
to take the attitude which the local
secretary of the association does when
he exects from basketball posters
those portions which refer to the
dances which follow the games?
Doesn't 1t SAVIOR Just bit of the old
time bigotry which can be seen In
some of the old blue laws, and which
is giving away to a broader view of
what's right and what's wrong as
time goes on? The Meddler believes
that it does. If the
statement that a basketball game Cor
any other athletic contest for that
matter) viii be followed by a dance
is so Ubiquitous that 1t cannot have
place in the Y. NJ. c.. A. rooms then
ought not the poster of the game to be |
entirely waste basketed?" The youth /
Of our town, the men of tomorrow" as |
we like to call them cannot spend all of /
their time in an atmosphere so fill |
tered that nothing but scriptural |
quotations meet their ears and ex-
posters their eyes I'm |
they are obliged to attend .
school and occasionally go home to |
meals. to come in contact with the
,ruel world and learn that there is
such a thing as evil. or else how
would they know enough to shun it? |,
The members of Hose Company No Il
have rightfully requested that The Il
deddler correct a statement he made
asst week about their being forbidden
o connect with the High street hy-
rant at the time of the fire in the
setting block. 1t seems that No. 6 did
onnect with the hydrant in question
nd was ready with a stream of water
efore Elliot 10 put in appearance.
he Meddler is exceedingly glad 10
i've the members of No 6 all the
redit which is their due, and he had 1
o intention in his remark of last
eek of casting any reflection on their
bility as firemen. AS a matter of |
,ct it's first come first serve in re-
ard to the hydrants, and it is pleas
re to note that the custom was not |
lwarted The point The Meddler in
nded to emphasize was the foolish
ess of anyone's attempting to do
ieh a thing.
The Greenfield board of trade has
|opted a commendable idea for adj
,rtising the advantages of that town,
D every manufacturer it furnishes =
FPS on which are printed a list of
cts about the town, such as its rail-
ny facilities, its trolley connections,
educational advantages and so
nth. One of these slips is enclosed 4
every letter that the manufacturer =
nds out of town, and in this way
eenfield is advertised far and near
a green field for business an ideal
me and delightful resort" This
an example of one of the ways in
itch a board of trade can make it
f useful to town. If there were
more CO. operation among the bust >,
IS men of Brattleboro such an or ri
niZation might profitably be kept .
We here.
The Meddler.