The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-30
Modern Women
V.-SOCIETY WOMEN.
BY Frederic j. Haskin.

There is no harder part for the mod
ern woman to play in the great drama
of life than that which frequently
falls to the lot of the society
Despite all assertions to the contrary,
the modern society woman in most
instances is a sane, clever person with
generous impulses and many serious
ideals instead of the vain, giddy, use
less creature critics would have us
believe. She is usually fully alive
to the responsibilities of her position
and sincere in her desire to fulfill
them properly. The term 'noblesse
oblige' is ever before her, although in
her very efforts to fulfill that obliga-
ton she is often misunderstood and
harshly criticised. These criticisms
must pass unnoticed because an ex-
PLANTATION might injure the feelings
of the very person she desired to help.
1T is harder for me to know what
Is right to do than it would be if I
were earning my own living said a
New York heiress recently. Last
month l met the sweetest girl artist
who is working her own wa through
art school. She would have been
hurt if | had offered her money, but
h paints 50 ~cleverly I persuaded her
to paint me special favors for my
musicale last week. Each of them
contained a little portrait of a musi-
clan. She is specializing in minia-
ture work and her work was so en-
quisite l felt that I was giving her
nothing more thar her just dues when
paid IS apiece for them, or $3.50 for
the two dozen | ordered. Aunt Olivia
has found it out and has lectured me
terribly, saying that I am setting a
bad example to the whole city by my
extravaganza. The little girl would
nave had to give up her lessons if I
had not ordered them and I did not
think anyone need know about it. All
of my guests seemed pleased with
them, but suppose it would have been
better if l had ordered good printed
souvenirs at about IS a dozen and
oun some other way to help fhe ar
tist.' Her voice showed genuine con-
Germ.
The extravaganza of society women
always will furnish a text for clergy
'''>AA t'S III toiISS tll S1loIl, Dul
how many eve stop to consider that
every bit of extravaganza caused by
a changing style or an elaborate dec
GRAFTON, gives to some poo worker
employment which he otherwise might
miss. A Philadelphia woman of
Quaker ancestry, with a taste for fine
a and also for plain speaking, or
dered a lace dress made for herself
during a stay in Ireland. 1t was to
cost a thousand dollars and it's pur-
chase was Well heralded in the news
papers. Upon her return home she
a large reception wearing her
gown.
While the entertainment was in pro-
gress an old friend distantly related to
her family, managed to set his foot
down upon her train, tearing a large
hole in the lace. The lady, Who did
not lack in temper, turned upon him
sharply for his awkwardness. Il
offer thee no apology, Deborah, said
the old man severely. "On the con-
trary, I regret that l cannot teal from
thy shoulders the whole garment. Thee
should be ashamed to present myself
to thy friends in public, wearing a
gown the extravaganza of which is a
to all Womankind. Thy ia
TIERS memory should reprove thee
AT least l will not permit thee to
reprove me- retorted the lady indig-
nantly. want thee to understand
that l have no shame in having paid
a thousand dollars for this dress. Does
thee know that it took three women
six months to produce it and that
during that six months they were
able from the money I paid to them
to provide foo for themselves and
their families for Il whole year. BY
the dress which thee has
torn. and for the mending of which
I shall send thee a bill, l did more
good for the relief of the suffer-
ing poor than thee has done in the
whole of thy life by the distribution
free meal tickets to dissolute men
are too lazy to earn their susie
nance. If no woman gave herself the
pleasure of wearing lac the poor
would starve and it is bet