The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-11-20
THE PAGE FOR WOMEN
Evolution Of What Was Once Consid.
cred . Startling Idea.


There was a time. however difiicult
II may be TO realize, when women did
not read newspapers, when in the ma
jority OF cases the daily journal was
regarded by them az an insidious
enemy OF the household; when the
guide housewife" began her busy day
opposite an autocrat, who in disdain-
ful silence delayed the savory break
fast too satisfy his curiosity regard
ing the antics OF bull and bear" and
when the youthful members OF the
family. unable to repress their bub-
bling spirits. brought forth ebulli-
tions Of paternal wrath from the
cleaner OF the stock market. In the
evening the same conditions pre-
vailed. My lord must needs retire
behind the well-flled sheet, digest
its contents and steal forty winks be-
fore becoming properly attuned to
wifely condolences, and womankind,
perforce from long years Of expert
ence, accepted in a matter OF fact
Gel of cOnjugal life.
BY and by there loomed upon the
horizon an editor with an idea, one
who said to himself. "Once a week
shall run story with feminine inter-
est; the women may like It," And
like it they did. Nay. more, they
proved their appreciation by booming
the circulation of that particular
journal, and so gladdened the heart
OF the astute editor. Other papers
took up the good work. following
closely in the footsteps OF the cour-
ageous pioneer, and thus IL came to
pass that, like the flashings OF me-
teOr, paragraphs began TO scintillate
in the leading newspapers through
out the land, concise, TO be sure. but
unmistakable in their tendency to
please women.
Then came a day big with fate,
when valiant editor. throwing eau
tion to the four quarters OF the globe.
gave space 10 women writer's on
womanly subjects. and thus evolved
the "Woman's Page" The effect
was instantaneous. widespread and
beneficial The mind OF woman
broadened as she read, and. not con-
tent with the restricted sphere Of
fashions, recipes and beauty talks.
she stepped over the borderland into
the very domain Of man, into the
world OF science and politics: grap-
pling and treating the policies Of the
day with so rare an Intelligence, SO
fpg tot
only wonder and exclaim at what
they termed-phenomen To-day
the Woman's Page Is a fixture. No
longer does the feminine end OF the
household await in trembling silence
behind the coffee urn .he pleasure OF
her life-partner. She has become the
oracle which decides the choice OF
journal in her particular province.
So powerful a factor is the woman
editor and so far-reaching her infiu-
ence that even the masculine element
seeks the benefit OF her services. Nay,
more. IL has been known to consult
this authority on the delicate sprout-
ing OF a microscopic mustache or
plead for a suggestion In the adjust
ment of complex love affair. To
be sure. in this wise old world. there
are still many doubling Thomases
sphere-the kitchen-whose dulled
intellects deny the benefit accruin &
from the feminine atmosphere In
journalism. who sneeringly suggest
that fashions alone are ladled forth
20 its many readers and who wilfully
close their eyes to the growing In
fiuence OF women. These may be
graphically classed under the genus
Crank. and with whom there is little
sympathy. The spirit OF comradeship
is abroad I'm the land, and to-day men
and women. hand in hand. traverse
the paths OF knowledge. What inter-
ests one is bound to please the other.
The Woman's Page. silently and
unostentatiously. crept into the home
life and is there the accepted coun-
sellor, ameliorator and all-round con-
fdante of its many readers. IL Is
made the arbiter of style and fashion,
the authority on epicurean conc~-
tions. n guidebook by land and sea,
the healer of bodily Ills. an adjuster
OF domestic cstaclysms, the Black
stone of legal wrangles, the mouth
piece OF woman's emancipation. the
restorer OF fading loveliness. and
finally. the sympathetic receptacle in
to which are poured the tribulations
miseries and heartburnings Of every
day commonplace humanity.-Ne"
York Evening Sun.