Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-04-28
The Common" Woman.

The Common" Woman.
There is scarcely any slight which SO
ouIS 4 woman of sensibility as to be
called common.
What sort of person is Mrs. So
aud-so:'
Ola nice enough woman-but rath-
or common.
The duestioner feels that Mrs. So
apd-So is hencefortn impossible. She
resolves t, be anything herself rather
,bqn common" Such an accusation
SINGS more keenly rh?n any lash.
inst what is meant ny tins biting and
crnshug term cannot tuily be defined.
I;ut it may be worm While to search out
y TOW of the main characteristics which
distinguish the common" woman. one,
~ even two or three, OF these qualities,
If combined with others that are high
and noble, will not necessarily blight one
VJh this terrible adjective. But 1t Will
probably be agreed by every reader that
each OF the following marks, III so 1ar as
II exists. indicates "cOmmonnesS.
FIRST, the common woman talks and
laughs loudly in public places. Many
excellent women. OF general refinement,
do this hut it is a blot upon them.
Second. the common" woman lacks
dignity in her intercourse with others.
She has an unpleasant freedom OF man
utr upon short acquaintance, and touches
and addresses others with familiarity.
~ba asks you: And how is Grace!
Then she may have met you but once
and has really no right to call your
daughter or sister by her given" name
Third, she uses abbreyiatons too
much Scholarly people sometimes tax
Of wiring" and ''phoning,' but with
strangers, or mere acquaintance, use
no authorizations. The woman who en-
pIoys them in her letters, unless to men,
ours of her family, or very dear and III
innate friends, stamps herself rs com
mon. She says: Saw Mr. Smith at
Dayton. Was glad to hear the news
rom Boston" There is Il commercial
air about such authorizations which ut
tyry vulgarizes Il social document.
Fourth, the common woman talks
too much. Loquacity is failing Of many
genuine ladies', but it is one which
brings upon its possessor ever and al
ways Il charge of weakness and foolish
ness The power to talk well and just
enough, yet not too much, is a gift grant
ed 10 few.
Fifth, the common woman is more
OF less untidy as to her person, and
"d0Wdy' as to her dress. Absolute neat
Less goes far toward redeeming even the
worst traits in anybody. 1t is the next
best thing to distinguished beauty or
grace. In fact. who among us would not
rather see u plain woman who is scru
putouSly neat, than Il beauty who is not?
Yet many wealthy women offend by
careeSsly kept or crookedly worn cloth
ng
Even when they have maids to at
t1uB them potIyp dapr, vitI- IN, tI,i.
Spect will out" Few maids will live
mp to high standards unless they are
strictly insisted upon.
Sixth, the nasal or harsh voice is n
marx OF commences. DenScneSs of
hind regarding our own voice is a usual
American characteristic. We pitch them
too high we use insiucere and affected
tones generally in an attempt to show
mat we are not common which are
recognized by everyone to be unnatural:
3nu we are almost universally nasal.
auitS OF the voice should be corrected
III childho0d; they may become incurable.
our normal schools and colleges should
pay special attention to this matter: but
>'lie OF the worst offenders in tone and
''l'e are graduates from our higher in
SuiutlonS of learning
seventh, the common woman who
~ prosperous is likely to Over-dress. Sucb
d woman should consult some friend of
GSte and Judgment before preparing her
wardrobe, Or, she may find some pro
t1gg>Siohai modiste who can advise her
SShe is likely 10 cyer-furnish her home
likewise "'ii''
Inc hauting of wealth in ones apparel
VI one home IS the climax of vugarjty.
NohqIty, simplicity and quietness are the
e..'el qualities which indicate good taste
among the very rich.
t'TFrl-f
r,. Elshtn' bad grammar and 4 sIovenly
enumeration bring upon one the con
equation Of ''cOmmonness
re cliPplng of ones "g's." the elision
UI S{llabieS. the wrong use of words
N"lgh sound alike-these are done by
-'pu people; but they thus stamp them
w. re9 beyond redemption
ne celebrated lady is loved and hon
''13 VINO uttered the following sentence
0a.' aIaS; she is universally laughed at
common. She said The first
time l saw linn was at a fancy dress
I-t' ana he was in the garbage of
."'ah' And again, He wanted to
.4'N' bust of IN" hand" Mrs Maia-
t',.t' may be IN many ways a charming
t'Noh' uut she viii forever lack the
l>tieft round" of distinction
f'lti' the common woman is alive
'-lt curiosity. She wants to know your
g. Your income, your family skeleton.
H.a3 even ask you openly upon first
l'"IAtaHce the price of your new bon
't whether your husband is inclined
NJ ~ S'iugy or quarrelsome or dissipated.
e. us classification applies only to the
'H'A good women, whose small vulgari-
may not shock our moral sense. but
"uo simply CRATE upon wholesome and
3d. Fehnement.-KateU Epson Clark in
HlaGelphia Leader.