The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-08-18
Modern Woman
Where Men Are Independent.
Some Mistaken Sympathy-Light
on Old English Law Regarding
Women - Where Women Rule.

Miss Marie Corelli has been sending
another bomb into the camp of the
masculine sex. This is what she says:
THE majority of the men of the pres
ent day want women to keep them.
There is more but that is the text
from which she breaches. Now. Miss
COreli is English. and we judge from
the tenor of her remarks that she Is
not acquainted with the mettle of our
independent American men. One OF
the foreign critics chief accusations
against them is the AFFECT attitude
they take where women are concerned.
OF them it may truly be said that they
are slaves to the women of their fam
ily The average American man wor-
ships them, waits upon them and
slaves for them in Office or factory
even to the death If he can get mil
lions it is for his women folk. of whom
it may be said that they seldom half
. appreciate his devotion. No. indeed.
our American men are not as Miss Co
relli sees them When she preached
her little sermon she must have had
in mind some of her own f1abby Eng
lsh noblemen who are always so anx-
ious to play tame cats to our heiresSes.
Sympathy is a good deal OverdOne.
OF course there are times when
word of sympathy may mean souls
salvation but these occasions are rarer
than we have been led to believe. To
get much sympathy is eneryating. II
not absolutely harmful. Take the wo-
man who has just quarreled with her
dearest friend The trouble is prOba-
bly, due to some trivialitv. and if let
alone the two would soon kiss and
make up AS it is. some well meaning
but misguided third person steps in
with sympathy Now. an exploited
grievance is unlike rolling Stone-lt
gathers volume in its travels. The lit
tie rift in the lutte if too much discuss
ed from the Sympathe standpoint IS
so magnified that the object of the mis-
placed compassion fancieS herself a
much wronsed person. and what was
originally a tiny tiff becomes life
long estrangament All. yes, sympathy
is a dangerous thing to play with
-
Miss Mary Bateson, the English
historical writer. in newly published
book has made some interesting dis
closures in regard TO woman's position
under the medieval common law. In
many old English towns women were
allowed to hold lands in their OWL
right and to dispose OF them by Will
as they pleased. Women in business
were governed by special liberal regu-
lations. the law recognizing no differ
ence between man and woman i'll
this respect. Indeed. there is much
in these old town laws that is Ell
tightening and helpful to the new
woman seeking legal rights Although
many Il male jurist has delved as
deeply into the ancient documents as
Miss Eateson. it is characteristic that
it should he a woman who brought
these facts TO light. In solving the
woman question it seems quite neces
sary to make a practical application
of Miles Standish's advice. IF you
want thing we'll done do it your
SELF
=
Women boss the town of PlOna. il
the canton Of st. Gall, Switzerland
Recently the men Of the place petition
ed that cafe might be opened in the
town. The women said no: they did
{ not want the men of their famfliec
getting into the bad habit of staying
out late o nights. The masculine pol-
ton Of the population held secret i'll
dignation meetings and decided to
get even. One and all made Il point oi
posting off each evening to the near.
est village where there was cafe
They arrived home in the wee sma
hours and met their wrathful women
folk with the calm assurance that wheI
the essential cafe was established
nearer home they. would be able tc
keep better hours. The women finally
weakened. and the Plona cafe was IL
censed under the condition that il
should be closed by certain hour.
Time for school to open! With what
regret the small boy admits it: with
what joyful satisfaction the harassed
mother welcomes it! Johnny is neal
enough six to get into the school. and
his tender parent knowing his I'M
tanned spirit. rejoices. She has little
ones enough to look after and. some
way, when a boy reaches the fatal
age of six. he outgrows the restric.
tons of home. He needs a less af
fectionate and partial Overseer than
mother. and his school associates are
just the ones to take the nonsense out
of him. even if they do work havoc
with the painfully acquired lacquer OF
manners taken on under the fond ma,
ternal direction.
Miss Helen Gould's latest philanthro