The Washington herald., 1913-04-18
INTERESTING PAGE FOR WOMAN AND THE HOME
One. W0man's VIEWPOINT
ny FRANCES sHAFFER.

There are some women in the world
who. mournfully look into the future
and see themselves defrauded of their
age-osd privileges. and. worse than that,
left bitterly lamenting the flight Of de-
ference, chivalry, and all the nameless
things very dear to womankind.
In one breath they declare that SO
long as women have the sweet protec-
ton vouchsafed by chivalry and its
gracious handmaidens, they may rest
content In sthe assurance that all's we'll
And scarcely have their words died away
when we hear them say that once out
in the world of cruel competition, where
only the fittest win. once fully sharing
the work and the responsibilities of life
as it runs on the outside, women would
be buffeted and knocked about, would
lose all their heaven-born grace-and in
the end, would go down in the struggle.
Their birthright sold fer just a mess
of pottege,
Manner Warrants No Fear.
One cannot assume to speak for the
men in the world or to know how they
interpret such reasoning. She cannot
guess whether they like the implica-
ton put upon them, and whether they
count II just-but she hardly believes
they do. Indeed. she does not believe
ing the women against whom they brush
in business and professional life gives
not the slightest warrant for the selfish
~ foolish fear.
But one can speak for herself IL she
likes, and she speaks from the fullness
of her heart when she says that she
counts IT rather fair and true to measure
the future by the present and to judge
the way men will act in the coming
years by the way they act today.
And as for her, she has not one word
to say prophetic OF the fight of chivalry
and the falling upon evil days, because
she has found the courtesy of American
manhood alive and alert i'm the halls of
business no less than in the retirement
of home or in other sheltered spots.
Unwise and Unfair.
Now. everybody who reads this little
contribution at all knows that at least
one woman deems il unwise and very
9nfar to place too much value upon
chivalry, Difference and the like. be-
cause ii takes for granted things not al
ways to be depended upon.
But as for chivalry as it runs in the
world-and ii runs many times in ex-
quiste measure-it is only fair to courte-
ous' manhood TO say that that delicate
growth is still beautifully in evidence
and gives no sign of fading from view,
ing working tools hitherto handled by
men alone.
I is possible that men in business,
closely associated with women whom the
eXitencies of life have forced into the
fhe1s of remunerative work. do not real
ize the far-reaching effects of their little
courtesies, which have no bearing at all
upon dollars and cents.
One may say and say il truly, that
mans courtesy and mans Difference, IL
you like, are born in the heart and
should be able to stand the simple test
of association with women in the prac-
teal fields of labor. But it is far pleas |
anter to say, and also to say IL truly
they have stood it we'll For whatever |
nay be said of the prejudice, the bias |
and possibly the willing blindness that /
have Influenced men to cling pretty tena-
ciously to what they count ~prerogatives, /
women gladly, appreciatively recognize |
their unfailing courtesy. For. once |
closed doors swung open, they graciously |
dotted their hats. and were no less cour- |
teous in places of business than they had |
been anywhere else.
Came by Way of Nature.
And one would say to the fearsome |
women who are prophesying direful hap |
penings, they may set aside their fears |
those meaningful fears that imply far |
more of rebuke than Of compliment, for. |
from the day laborer, with much of
the knight in his heart. to the gentle |
man born and bred, their measure of |
woman difference came by way of ma
ture, and will not lightly be dispelled. /
even though they see women side by
side with them in the busy world. They |
may not like it so very well, may openly |
try TO stem the onrushing tide; but |
in the main, their courtesy
Will not be brushed aside.
Chivalry and all the rest of the pleas
ant things reach only the niceties of
is. for the average man and
the average woman. So If they continue
TO doff their hats and to extend the little
that somehow have way of
beautifully Frightening the days, with
out costing overmuch in effort, there is
nothing more to ask. Ard il has always
seemed to woman that for every cour-
tesy received she has been able to give
something back again-she hopes the
belief is not wrong.
Gets Her Due.
And the reminder should also go to
the worried ones that no amount Of
association with matters OF business, or