The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-21
TWO KINDS OF WOMEN.
= - . . = ~~~~~.

In these days every girl is called
upon to make a choice of the kind Of
woman she will be. We have not the
fixed ideals of former times, when
to be a lady meant just one thing
refined womanhood.
Today our ladies are of two kinds
those who insist upon their right to
certain class am eheSe who are the
real thing"
In so-called high circles certain
women clAogse tc make themselves
conspicuous and shrug their should
erS 1t criticism. They feel that by
btgsh and position their right to the
THE Of lady" is secure Whatever
they do will not alter it.
In direct contrast to these are the
women of the so-called lower class, -
who, in spite of poverty, in spite of
limited education, have by their dig
nif1ed acceptance of hard conditions,
their self-respect, independence and
their real gentle manners won their
right to a title which was not theirs
by inheritance. Kipling says: Judy
O'Grady and the captains lady are
sisters under their skins" Yet when
we set side by side some of the paint
ed dolls of society with the honest
wives and mothers of the plain peo-
pie" we are tempted to ask whether
they belong to a common sisterhood.
We are all aware of a wide differ
ence between the women one meets.
This is largely a difference of ex-
ternals; one woman aims for a quiet
distinction of manner, another woman
for bold effects in millinery and
gowning which shall attract the eye
by their conspicuousness.
And as it is with gowns, so 1t is
with character. A girl must choose
between real distinction of manner
and the resulting fineness of morals,
or TIE smart set affectations, which
so often lead to degeneracy and to
the selling of womanly birthright.
/ know that in these days there
are great temptations to depart from
the ideals of sweetness and gracious
ness which formerly attained. Yet,
except in youth, few women are real
ly attractive who strive for con-
spicuous effects.
There is nothing more pathetic
than the old maid or middle-aged
married woman or grandmother who
ors is parody upon the youth to
which she aspires.
The real gentlewoman is never I'M
attractive Her charm of manner
supplements any other charms which
she may possess. Her distinction of
carriage is far in excess of any forced
juvenility. She grows old sweetly,
and never under any circumstances
becomes ridiculous.
This kind of woman is the one
whom men love and all the world re-
speets. The other kind blazes UP
brilliantly for little while, then her
light goes out in utter darkness. Her
life is full of terrors, because she has
dreaded old age, and her fear has I'M
| fitted her to enjoy it's privileges.
/ sometimes wish that we might
hear the last chapters in the lives of
some of the women who have shone
spectacularly before the public
| women whose claim to notoriety has
been due to their power to attract
some titled weak-headed youth or
some old man with millions. Hung
with jewels, draped with silks and
satins, wrapped in priceless furs, they
smile at US from the pages of daily
and weekly and monthly publica-
| tons.
But when youth leaves them and
beauty, what then? VIII they then
envy the existence of the other kind
| Of woman, who, true to the best that
is in her, holds to her ideals of dig
nifty and Of graciousness, and whose
light does not go out in utter dark
ness, but shines like star with ever
increasing radiance?