The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
BE s EM E R DEP A R T N E N T
HONOR AMONG WOMB N

I mean that small personal honor in everyday relations which governs the business world of men, without which business could not go on on the same basis 1t now does throughout the coun- tries of the civilized world, says Mary Heaton Verse in Appletons for March.
 There is an unwritten code which pre- scribes that a man shall keep his word: that having been told anything under the sea of confidence, his word shall be per manently binding; that the property and letters of another person are not to be scrutinized with curious eye These are some of the elementary forms of honor, on which Is built an elaborate structure of a thousand niceties of conduct. Tho list of things that are not done by ger.- tleman is a long one; the list of things that mere common or garden variety Of man doesn't do is a long one, though perhaps not quite so subtle in it's varia- tions.
 Until little while ago, if I had been asked the question: Have women a sense of honor?" ] should have replied unhes- itatingly; Why, of course they have!" If l had been asked further: AS great a sense of personal honor as men?" without stopping to think l should have replied: Why, more.''
 There came to my notice a little series of events which made me pause then as my interest in the subject grew, 1t broad ened out more and more. l observed among the people about me so many de- tails which, though all of them insignii- cant in themselves, piled up into fairly large sum of evidence.
 There is a general concensus of opinion that women are, as a sex, nobler, more moral, and better than men, finer arti- cle in every way. Without going into the matter much l had vaguely agreed with the popular theory. 1 know that every little while a scientific book is written which shows one that the scales don't tip so heavily towards the balance of wo- mans virtue Every little while We have it brought to our notice again that We have never counted in the world of art or invention: but had always. as I said, had an unthought-out belief that in q number of larger virtues and in many of the minor ones-honor, for instance-we deserve the crown
 
 l sorted out my evidence. It was a pretty long list of indictments l had been brought to see women grating for benevolent purposes. perjuring themselves for the sake of justice, using what we emphatically call ''the feminine appeal'' for gaining their ends in politics and in business. using unscrupulously their in f1uence or position to further their own ,dc nf fhofr fr-ar adS.- and all with a beautiful simplicity. l had tc admit their lack of honor in regard to letters, and now I came to think of 1t, there were other things l had to admit. It had happened to me many times in my life that I had had friends come to me, religious women of exalted piety who had betrayed the trust that their friends had placed in them, and repeated things they should not have repeated, because they felt that it was their duty to let me know what was going on. In the man world as I have seen it, if a man gives his promise to another man to keep his confidence on a certain subject, this prom ise Is considered binding beyond the time of friendship. There are women who will keep their friends secrets. but let tha friendship cease and the secrets given to their trust are, anyone's property.
 I recalled only too clearly little fam fly tragedy of which happened to be the witness. The brother had told his sister certain facts of his life He wanted her advice. They quarreled and the sister im- mediately told the mother and father all . about it. She had long felt it her duty to do so. she said: in fact, she seemed to think that her better nature had struggled with her all along to make her tell the scrapes the boy was getting into. AS soon as they quarreled the better nature triumphed and she told everything and made a great deal of trouble doing 1t.
 I know many women who automatically pump their servants who come from some friends home. They do it without know ing what they have done. If one were to accuse them of gossipng with the ser wants. they would deny 1t indignantly. I have had woman take down tele- phone receiver and listen unperturbed in my presence. Many a woman who will