The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-07-03
OUR WOMEN OF FIFTY
EUROPEAN CRITICS CLAIM THEY
TAKE A BACK SEAT.
She May DO Much to Make Herself
Charming I'm Dress and Manner
should Not Resort to Articles to
Disguise Age.

Our European critics are fond OF
saying that American society ii
dominated entirely by the young
person. This used to be pretty
nearly true, but It IL true no longer.
On the contrary. 1t may be claimed,
and unanswerable arguments a6-
vanced to prove 1t. that the woman
OF fifty holds the controlling social
hand In most American communities.
Probably no one who has not
studied the work of the women's
clubs and patriotic and philan-
thropic societies has any Idea OF the
extent to which they have increased
the capacity and the happiness OF the
middle-aged woman. One of Will
liam Morris most striking lines is
this:
The happy are the masters of the
earth.
In China. the older woman be-
comes the happier she is. The same
thing is gradually becoming true,
as It ought to be, In this country
And when you become happy, you
become powerful.
The woman Of fifty among us
might as we'll appreciate the fact;
She is now chief factor In the
higher civilization, and 1t behooves
her to seize her scepter and make
the most Of her position.
To this end. let her beware of the
ways Of the kitten. They may do
for the maiden Of seventeen, but
they become ridiculous when mated
with gray hairs. Cooing and frisk-
Ing and giggling are not for the wo-
man Of fifty, except In the retirement
OF her own home. Even II she be
incurably light-minded she must
learn when in public to express her
frivolity in staid way. or be in
sufferable. AS the Duke of York
said of himself In the play, she must
have mot a thought but things on
dignity"
1t has been fashionable during
late years for elderly women to wear
delicate pinks. blues and layenders
and even rather violent shades OF
these colors, which is all very well
for the handsome ones but re-
member that these light tints make
one very conspicuous. You cannot
usually bear them, unless you are
good looking. ~
The woman OF fifty, II she amounts
to anything at all, will probably have
a Few wrinkles. By cultivating en-
bonpoint she can escape them. But,
since slenderness and delicacy OF fig-
ure are fashionable, the face must
share in this general meagerness--
and the thin face is bound to wrinkle
by the time the late forties are
reached.
Gray hair comes with wrinkles.
Fortunately, the old-time hair-dye
has largely disappeared among de-
cent people. Gray hair is often
disadvantage to those who work for
a living-but, for others II may be
desirable.
Women who try hard to rub out
their wrinkles and color their hair
forget this sound rule. Appropri-
ateness and consistency are great
perhaps the consideration
to keep in mind In matters OF this
kind. Wrinkles and gray hair and
certain unmistakable angles, and Pc
OF figure go with adyanc-
Ing years. A sense OF offensive ar
lihciality marks any case in which
the usual Accomplishments of par
hcular times OF life are wanting.
There are, as 1t were. anachronisms.
The qualities do not compare" and
The artistic eye Is shocked.
II Is well enough for the woman of
hfty to use certain amount OF
'cerate" on her face (though II is
useless and Will only make
It downy; TO be careful when sh,
sleeps, that the flesh OF her cheek
IS pulled up, and not down; to take
massage and physical culture" and
to devote attention to the
liceties of dress, being careful not
% overdo 1t. But she must remem-
Der that she has reached "a certain
however she may de.
)lure the fact and determine to con |
zeal 1t, 1t win not.
There Is something contemplate
n trying to hide ones age--unless. |
perhaps. ones living depends upon
Z. In most instances, all such |
'norts are useless. There are vague. |
put sure, indications, which, to the |
observing eye. number your years, O |
Toman!-and the most undignified |
hing which you can do Is to try to |
ieceive the matter.
In short, the main effort should |
'e. let us say. to make ones appear |
,nce symphony. as 1t were, OF |
xhich ones age Ia the keynote and
EahcA