Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-14
Useful
Hints
prudence and Prudery"
Be Peach, But Best Hangs Highest
on Tree
by DOROTHY DIX.

problem that confronts every cir
mt some time or other is where to draw
the line between prudcry and prudence
in her dealings with men. She doesn't
want TO be prunes and prisms sort
of a girl. one OF the kind who is always
on the lookout for a shock, and who
takes hold of n mans arm as II she
would prefer to use the tongs In touch
ing II. She wants TO he free. and frank,
and fearless, and yet her maidcnliness
shrinks from any familiarity from ono
of the opposite sex. and SO the question
OF how TO maintain n thuS-far and no
further attitude toward men becomes Il
very difficult one FOR I; young girl and
inexperienced girl.
The difficulty is further enhanced by
the fact that every normal girl de-
sires TO be admired and 10 receive at
tentions from men. and she sees that
the popular girls-the girls who have
hosts OF bcaux and are oVerrun with
invitations for theaters and parties and
every amusement--are the frce-and-
easy girls who permit little liberties
and In whose presence Il man does not
need to put much restraint upon either
his tongue or his manners.
Men Inconsistent.
An older woman could tell such a
girl that she was taking short view
OF the subject. and that while the fast
woman will always get the most ser
vice, admiration and attention from
men, she Is seldom the woman that
they marry. They like to be with her
when they want an hours amusement,
for she Is jolly and amusing and easy
TO talk to. and they have to make no
effort to change their mental attitude
in her presence, but when a man thinks
of woman as n companion for a life
time. and not day, he wants some
thing better. purcr, more womanly, and
one for whom he has moro respect.
Mon are cruelty inconsistent in their
dealing with women. They amuse
themselves with one type of woman,
and then they marry another. \ man
will teach girl TO drink cocktails and
then refuse to marry her because she
does It. He Will spend weeks persuad-
ing her TO kiss him, and then be sus-
picious OF her because she does it. He
Will persuade n girl TO go TO see prob
lem play and then condemn her because
she went.
No girl need ever be afraid that she
hurts herself In mans opinion by
womanly reserve and dignity. He may
laugh at her n bit for a little Puritan
IL she won't go TO restaurants with him
without a chaperon, and If the very
suggestion OF an ofr-colorcd story dyes
her innocent cheek with scarlet, but
in his heart he respects her for it, She
Is the kind of girl that he would like
his sister TO be, and that he hunts UP
for himself when he marries
Man Loves tho Chase.
II you will notice you will see that
the gay, brilliant good fellow, much
admired belle of n season. who was n
connoisseur in mixed drinks and double
entendre stories. and an expert at cards
seldom marries as we'll as the shy littl,
girl whose only attraction was the
white halo OF her innocence, and ig,
norance, and purity.
Another very practical argument 70,
mnidcnly reserve may be found in the
fact that mans leading passion is tho
passion for the chase. and that tn,
harder the thing is TO get the more he
wants II and the more determined he
Is to have IT, No man cares to kiss
the lips that are within his reach /,
Is the ones that are denied him for
which he hunEcrs and thirsts and
which he spends his life trying to win,
No girl could have more potent
charm for men than TO diffuse about
herself an intangible -atmosphcrc of
aloofness-of heing guarded by a NAL
denly delicacy that would take alarm
at the slightest approach 10 familiar
ity.
Every man worthy of the name
honors the girl who honors herself
and II there are any others who are
driven away from her because she will
not permit liberties from them, she
should bless heaven that a danger has
been removed from her path This does
not mean that she should lie a prud.
She can he 'rr!endlE without being IN
milar and she should never forpet
that while every girl should bo =
peach, the ripest peach and the most
desired hangs highest on the tree