The Tupelo journal., 1905-04-14
THE SENSE OF HONOR
ARE WOMEN LACKING TN TRUE
MEANING OF TERMP
Yesdict o. Time Is "No," But Do Not
Facts Belle ItP-Have the Women
of Your Acquaintance This Sense of
.HonorP-Are They Deficient in
Truth Tellingp-Do Women Break
Engagements More Frequently
Than MenP
BY KATE UPsoN CLARK.

BY KATE UPSON CLARK.
Copyright. 1906. by Joseph b. Bowles.)
In a recent article in this series
various reasons were given for the
breaking of engagements. Now a cor
respondent informs us that the CHIEF
reason for broken engagements is q
lack of "honor" among women. He
insists that far more engagements are
broken by the woman in the case than
by the man, and that the reason In
many, or most, of the instances Is
the absolute lack of a sense of honor
in the female breast.
Women cannot see why, simply
because they have pledged their word
they should have to keep a promise
when any trifiing cause stands in the
way. Under the influence of Their
emotions, they will break any sort OF
a promise, or lie or steal. or worse
And l do not mean,' pursues this
"misogynic" critic, women in the
humber or the discredited classes.
mean our college and society girls and
women. The great lack of the fe-
male character to-day is any sort OF
an adequate sense of honor"
Montague, whom Emerson calls
"the great skGptic," shares the opin-
ion of this cynical correspondent
| Speaking of marriage. he says, 1.-THE
ordinary talent of women is such that
they do not appear to be endowed with
constancy of mind, to endure the
| pinch of so hard and durable a knot
Yet statistics in this age and coun-
try prove that the overwhelming ma
| jority of cases of desertion of n or
another partner in matrimony is OF
men. Have things changed since
of the sixteenth century? Have
women grown more constant. or have
men grown less so? Is the argument
of mother-love a reason for the SUI
perior s~teadfastness of women? Or
was the astute monseigneur, ger
tons?
In another essay Montaigne tells
of a woman who stole from her hus-
band in order, as she says, "to give
does not believe that her il!-gotten
gains ever found their way INTO the
sacred Golfers. This clever and anus
ing old genius never fails to give
women a smart rap whenever he has
a chance; and yet he repeatedly
rroicac ora CnocioI u,np,ap ov whom
he tells Nine. DEstissac, with the
most evident sincerity, that she is a
pattern of coas.ancy, steadiness and
prudence" and all excellent quail
ties"
While it ill becomes our sex to
parade its superior virtues, it may be
modestly mentioned that a habit
which is illustrated in the Essays of
Montague, the Conversations" of
DR.. Johnson, and, in fact, nearly all
literature, of belittling femininity in
every respect, may have been founded
upon peculiarities which, during the
lapse of ages, may have become much
modified, or may have ceased to exist.
AS it was with Montague, so it often
is with our modern men, when they
come down to particulars.
Thus not long ago, in a conversation
which was overheard between a man
and a woman, the man retreated be-
fore the onslaught of cold facts, when
discussing this very subject.
He had laid down a paper, in which
the derelictions of certain won had
been described, with the remark:
singular, isn't it, how lacking wom-
en- are in any sense of honor!"
Nov, do you really think they
are?" demanded this woman, who
happened to be his sister. isn't that
a way of speaking which has come
down to us from former generations?
For instance, have you ever known
me to display a lack of conscience, a
denseness regarding affairs of honor?"
Good heavens, no! l should as
soon think of accusing the Angel
Gabriel"
well, there is Margaret W.
Helen c., Florence l." she
unused on, adding. before he could in
terpose, and yet t%houghtfully and de-
liberately, the names of a dozen
girls and women among their init
mate family circle. would you hesi-
tate to trust any Of them with money,
or secrets, or would you doubt their
word?"
NO" he admitted candidiy, after
a moments consideration. 81 believe
every woman you have mentioned has
a keen sense of honor, and having
given her word would keep it to the
end"
"Then why do you make such hui
initiating charges against US"
ooh, but those are all exceptional
women"
81 venture to deny it." she asserted,
with some feeling. II believe that in
the lower walks of life,' so called, the
women. will keep their word quite as
often and as rigidly as the men of the
same class. l would make this ex-
ception, though am net sure even
of this: When a woman's husband or
children are concerned-their lives or
their welfare-she might lie or steal
but so would an equally good man.
I believe that women, being by ma
ture deputed, as it were, to train in
fancy and early childhood, have nat
urally a keener ethical sense and .
stronger love for Righteousness than
men. The fact that there are enor'
mously fewer women than men in our