The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-07
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW

We need not cry out against the lack
Of chivalry In men when we are the cause
Of it. and expect sympathy. / am begin
ming TO believe that we are getting just
what we deserve. in a most unpleasant
form. for the young men are surprising
their elders I'm Aippancy and rudeaess
toward the sex which ought T. clanl-and
deserve-their respect and courtesy. We
have no real right to resent the treat
ment, more's the pity.
In a crowded car. the other evening. q
woman with sour visage found no sea
and every man in the car felt her resent
ment. They evidently hardened their souls
against il. for nobody offered the woman
"a seat for fully ten minutes. Then
working man. with more conscience than
his passengers. jumped to his feet
and asked her TO take his seat. With a
whitening look she declined. remarking
that she could stand during the rest of
the journey as she had become used to il.
The mans face REDEEMED as he sat down
again. and the faces of all the other men
showed supreme satisfaction that they
had been spared the humiliation.
DO you imagine. for one minute. that
those men are going to forget the Incl
dent and use other women courteousiy?
Not much Only feminine relatives AMI
fr1ii5:dS can move them 70 acts of cou-
tesy in the future and We, who belong
tc neither class. will receive the punish
ment Of that WOman's nasty exhibition of
temper Looking at the matter from "A
practical standpoint she was a loser. be
cause a seat for fractional part Of a
Journey is better than no seat at all and
the pleasure of giving vent to sOita was
not Il compensation for ten or fifteen aiu-
utes' Of strap-hanging in a crowded car.
Nothing is ever gained by a loss Of tent
Ter.
At the theater. one evening, in the
slow-moving crowd toward the exits was
pretty, soft-looking woman with snow
/ hair, the personifcation Of geHtleuess Of
outward appearance. And that woman
was the most obnoxious elbowing. pushing
creature I ever saw. She made TO more
/ progress by her methods. but she succeed
ed admirably in adding TO the discomfort
/ Of everybody In her vicinity. so l suppose
she was satisfied. There are wOmCn. il is
said. who would rather attract u1favOrd-
bic notice than remain in Obscuri-y and
possibly this one was Of the number.
/
If women would only learn that the
natural inclination Of manhood is to pro-
tect and admire the gentler sex there
would be no occasion to cry out against
the lack of chivairy. There would always
be the occasional bOOr. of c0urs -, but
Re would not count for much in the great
majority OF courteous men. l fancy that
the women who go through life expecting
politeness get il just rs sunny-Hatured
persons find the bright SPOTS, by the .aw
of attraction. At least, il seems Il rea-
souable way Of accounting for the be-
ba.ior accorded them.
I watched a beautiful child in a street
car, yesterday, child who fearlessly
made friends with everybody within
reach. and smiled upon the others. She
did not meet with one rebuff. simply be
cause she gave the impression of a su-
preme confidence in the good will of her
neighbOTs There were surly faces in the
lot. and it was lovely 70 see them soften
smile or little acts and words OF friendli-
ness If that child carries her fearless
ness and confidence into wOmanhOod she
will find plenty of men-and wOmen--to
make her path easy.
BETTY BRADEBN.
I