Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-05-19
A Widow
Wordalogue
BY Helen Rowland.
BY Helen Rowland.

iOiJ udillH6 SusplClOuSly.
THE latest triumph of whalebone
and steel, responded the Widow, wa
wing her violet parasol dramatically
as she gently pushed him toward the
hanson. THE newest things in figures
and fashions. I'm going to the dress
makers convention"
"Rut | don't want to be shocked, "
complained the Bachelor, squirming
in his side of the hanson. And I'm
not interested in inquisitions, nor in,
struments of torture, nor human sui
fering, nor memoranda, nor"
In what Mr.. Traverse"
In the ridiculous fashions of WON
en-, explained the Bachelor, bluntly.
IT'S the ridiculous taste of men that
inspires them" retorted the Widow,
tartly
"Nonsense!" protested the Bachelor.
NO man admires human work of
art, nor forest of false hair, nor a
figure that works on springs, nor"
"Of course you don't put the Wild
Ow alphabetically ION principle
theoretically, you don't approve of
rouge, nor dyed hair, nor peek-a-boo
waists, nor sheath gowns, mormon Sa-
lone; but when it comes to practice
it's always the girl with the pink chin
and the butter-colored hair and the
openwork stockings and the hand
made figure that you turn around in
the street to stare after"
Il don't" declared the Bachelor
And the woman who rustles like a
windstorm and leaves path of patch
Gull behind her TO whom you are pin
ing for an introduction"
It's false!" cried the Bachelor, in
dignantly.
"Of course it's false" acquieored the
Widow, quite unrufTied, but it's femi-
nine. Rufies and curls and lace and
perfumes are the insignia Of feminini-
ty, and it's a womans femininity, not
her strength of mind and breadth of
character, that attracts a man. The.
oretically you admire fiat heels and
physical culture and sweet simplicity
and beauties of the soul, and dote on
girl with high ideals and principles,
but that isn't the kind a woman hest
tates to Introduce her husband to; it's
the kind with high heels and straight
front figure and Paquin gowns"
And yet" sighed the Bachelor, Il
don't know a $40 hat from a four dol.
lar one, nor chiffon from calico print"
NO man does" agreed the Widow,
soothingly. mo man knows what
woman has on any more than he
knows what an artist has put into a
painting, but he can tell well-dressed
woman from a trump as quickly as he
can tell real picture from a daub. Do
you fancy women powder their noses
and peroxide their hair merely for the
pleasure OF dabbling In chemicals? Do
you imagine they wear tight corsets
and French heels merely becaue they
are pining for indigestion and a pain
IN the side? Do you suppose"
Il hadn't supposed anything about
t." broke in the Bachelor, desperately.
But II you make early Christian mar.
yrs OF yourselves in order to fascinate
rs. you are wasting your time. A
man doesn't respect nor admire a
woman that Is gotten up like the third
lct OF comic opera chorus"
Who wants to be respected and ad-
nired and left at home" demanded
he Widow. scornfully. WHO wants
o be modest violet, when all the
nen are around the corner chasing
'hrysanthemums and orchids? II WON.
IN are frivolous and artificial and use.
ess, it's men who have made them 30.
70 woman Is going to spend her days
n the pursuit of virtue and economy
md the cook book while you are
pending yours in the pursuit OF some
oolish little thing who doesn't know
broom from an egg-beater and
know what to do with
cripple II she had one, but who knows
low to wear her hats and"
"Oh, WE'LL" broke in the Bachelor.
desperately: IF we men are that kind,
Why do you care"
You're the only kind there is"
ighed the Widow. "And-and here
We are!"
Where are they% demanded the
glancing eagerly around, an
he Widow led him into a room full OF
wire mannikins draped in imported
owns.
Where are what, Mr.. Travers?
''The-the inventionsT"
Il don't know what you are talking
bout"
THE triumphs in whalebone and
teel"
The Widow wrinkled her brows
THE models" explained the Bach.
lor. "The live ones"
Billy Travers!" exclaimed the
Widow. Did you think l would bring
'ou here when there was a demonstra-
ion going on? Did you think you
we're going to see live models?"
Il knew was going to be shocked"
.rumbled the Bachelor, bitterly, but
idn't know it would be such a
hook"
"A shock?" inquired the Widow
"Of disappointment" sighed the
Bachelor as he disentangled himself