Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-21

do not know how other people feel
about the matter, but il does seem TO me
that we. as womenkind. have gone back
to the barbaric age IN a craze for jew
els. Hardly a day passes that we do not
see where some rich woman has lost
her jeweIs-or has had them stolen from
her or she has been suspected OF beat
ing the government out OF the duty on
her jewels. Only last night the papers
were filed with disquieting accounts
which were published about searching
some Savannah ladies on board ship
because the custom house people felt
they were secreting gems upon which
the duty had not been paid. That is pay
ing dear for the display OF jewels, in my
opinion
Perhaps I am not the proper person ts
discuss this matter. as / have spent lit
tie or no money on gems or gewgaws-
The war desoIated US when was young
er and when perhaps 1 might have been
vain enough to have sold colored slave
and invested the money in diamonds. but
life has been so serious TO me and money
has been needed for so many things es-
santial that / could spare gems better
than something TO eat. or must pay for
other things And do not see why even
vain women must wear their gems In
places where the pickpockets are known
TO congregate- These pickpockets make
a business OF snatching yaluables- I
never carry but little money around in
hand satchels. because i feel satisfied my
pockesbook could be taken and could
know nothing about the thief. 1 did have
my purse stolen once, as 1 was stepping
on the train in Atlanta, and l am sure
I never saw or felt the thief. And if /
had splendid gems think ! should not
wear them on steamships of fling them
around in hotel bath rooms. and II is the
easiest thing in the world to suspect peo-
pie wrongfaIlys
Perhaps 1 am duh on that line, but
rarely wear q ring or any jewel adorn-
menf- I have seen poor little hands
strutted into rings one packed on an
other. that would have made il uncom-
Portable II not impossible for such as me
10 pull on close-htting gloves.
Perhaps the display Of glittering germs
Is made TO advertise the wearer's wealth;
but il would be easier for the owners 10
put a notice in the paper telling OF the
quantity or the price. or do something
even better hire a show window. en-
gage uniformed detectives and set aside
one day in the week when these rich and
expensive adOrnments could be seen and
where, the interested people could ex-
anime critically and no risks taken
notice that one rich women on a
steamship or ocean liner flung around
$500 00 worth in her ztateroom. and then
complained that her jewels were stolen.
Maybe there was rude search among
the passengers 10 get these gems Of
snobbery. and somebody's feelings justly
grfeved BY a search that was no search
at al. but another shrewd advertise
ment that she did have a big fortune
tied up in finger rings and bracelets. and
that her way was the expert way OF
telling everybody that she owned such
briIIiants
1 guess the world will be on uptoe
when King George and his wife are
crowned in London, a short time hence
and We shall have many chapters writ
ten OF so-and-so-s jewels. and the crowd
viii cape and stare 10 see how many
and how costly these gems are. and the
policemen win be close by in plain
clothes with some steel wristiets in their
pockets TO snap on some miserable
wretch who Is anxious 70 snatch the
gems
OH Vanity OF vanitiesi And nobody
can wear the gems IN the grave or show
them TO anybody as a nice decoration
when Death makes his CALI
Do. II you have spent your money IN
frinkets and bracelets and ropes OF