The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-02-20
TRUE ROLE OF WOMEN
IN MODERN SOCIETY
(By Cocile Sorel. in the North Ameri-
CAM

(By CCCile Sorel. in the North Amer1-
CAM
CThe noted actress of the Coincide
Franchise. who is looked on as the ar
bitter of fashion in Paris)
"A girl. A woman, All, how beauti-
full how interesting, are those words!''
This exalted exclamation of Beaumar-
chais' Cherubin We all, from the girl
who aWakes TO love to the woman who
has reached the decline of her beauty,
we all could make it the conviction of
men. in whatever rank of society they
may happen to occupy, when we have
learned to be really women.
But our sex is passing through a dan
gerous crisis, and if we do not take
care, femininism VIII kill femininity.
What a strange conception it is of
cur mission in this world. TO try TO min
gle with man, to copy his manners, to
adapt his attire. to practice his profess
sions. to dream of governing nations
TO mix with political struggles.
Thanks be to heaven. our role in life
Is more beautiful, If we will only put
into practice the creating power that
Is in the humblest among US.
Goethe has written: Every man
bears in him sacred spark, which. If
it is not fed and revived daily, becomes
buried under the ashes of necessity or
Of Indifference" This spark we alone
can bring forth; we alone are capa BILE
Of revtving this fire when the ashes are
almost about to stife it,
Do YOU know of q more fascinating
role than that? Only. as with all roles,
it cannot be played with success with
out long preparation.
Real Charm.
To adorn ones body is quite right
but do not think. mesdames, that your
task is accomplished because you have
spent a few hours in trying on a be-
coming gown or in discovering an orig
inal hat. These. in truth, will augment
your charm: but to retain. to hold those
rho are dear to US, especially in the
hour when they feel the imperious need
Of comfort it is the mind that must be
embellished.
Therefore enrich your brain; refine,
eXalt, ennoble your sensibility.
The effort to be made is great, that I
do not conceal, at the point to which
we have fallen Only listen to
those women of the people gathered in
= circle round some gossip when re
turning from the market. then mingle
in the talk that goes on in a society
drawing. room. Below or above the So
cial ladder it is the same insignificant
talk. the same fruitless chatter, the
same fultility, when it is not the same
f0olishness. The expressions themselves
are hardly different: in it all there is
emptiness and nothingness.
A servant or a doll, such is what
many men consider the woman Of to-
day.
1t is for US to react against this, and
for this ! viii say to begin with: Ed
ucate yourself And how? BY impreg-
mating yourself with all that in your
surroundings merits to attract and re-
tain your attention.
From whence comes the irresistible
force Of fascination of the actress?
From her continual association with
the works, and often with the master
pieces. Of the human mind.
Woman Creator.
Beauty is all around US Look for il
at the theatre, in the museums, in the
churches: look for it in nature especial
~. Gather honey from all flowers. To
know how to see to know how to feel,
was the secret of those women whose
influence was so much felt in the
eighteenth century-of Lespinasse, OF
Clarion and many others. When one
has felt strongly, how easy it is to ex-
press it
Endeayor to become penetrated, con-
stantly and deeply. with all that is
grand. artistic and human: then allow
all YOU have imbibed to terminate and
blossom forth in your own home. Then
you viii see with what q brilliant light
your whole person will shine while the
one who is dear to you, sharing your
feelings, will feel his activity double
and treble, lifted up with enthusiasm
at the contact of that generous flame.
The mother creates the child; the
woman creates the man.
A Sacred Spark.
And when you have become thor
oughly acquainted with that role, new
to many of you, then, like Socrates,
who eXclaims:
".Allez done au theatre apprentice des
poetes.
Comment dams I'm pays grand par les
revers
Les bellies actions reminiscent des beaux
vsrs,''
YOU can say to those whom the brutal /
struggle for life has wounded, or only
wearied. Core close to your compan-