The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-24
Music Hath Harms.
Evening Chat
n Foolish Pose.
BY RUTH CAMERON.


To pretend to like picture, a. piece
of music or a book because others like
it and because you know it is a classic
and you ought to like it is an affecta-
ton. Nevertheless it sometimes has
it's root in a genuine desire to i'm
prove ones taste and to like the best
things.
But to pretend to dislike, or per-
suade oneself to dislike, anything SIM
ply because many others like it is an
affectation, which, to my mind at
least, has no excuse at all.
Some one spoke of hearing Schu-
bert's Serenade beautifully played the
other day. The ultra cultured lady
listened with carefully bored air to
the enthusiasm of several music low
ers. NO" she admitted, II can't say
I'm very fond of it. It's so awfully
common, you know.
The effect of her superior boredom
was, as she desired. to make the Sim
pie folks who rhad1 been expressing
their enjoyment suddenly sound crude
and uncultured to themselves.
Now Schubertss Serenades is a piece
of music which to the real music lover
can never be worn. out, and the rem
dition that afternoon had been espe-
cially fine. Which, then. do you think
was the truer culture. that which was
able to enjoy that beautiful thing or
haps actually was, bored by it?
The other day I asked woman of
this type if she did not like Tenny-
sons Lady of Shalott.'' NO. she
said, ''to tell the truth I don't. You
know 1 never do like anything any
one else likes" she concluded with a
superiority conscious tone.
I never knew but one girl who didn't
like Little Women" Perhaps she
was genuine in her dislike. but it
seemed scarcely possible to me, and
as she afterwards grew into the type
of person who makes it a rule never
to like what everyone else likes, 1
suspect her scorn of that simplest,
sweetest of books was the beginning
of the pose she afterwards adopted.
Of course you can't like everything
that everyone else likes, and of course
this would be a monotonous world if
everyone thought alike. But ask your
self these questions, madam of the
ultra culture and the taste for some
thing different: Wouldn't you like
these same things if others didn't like
them? Isn't your desire to be differ
ent making you unnatural? If you can
give an honest, from the bottom of
your heart NO to these questions,
ing about you. Otherwise you do.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Question-My husband and I have
been having discussion as to what
a woman'S clothes should cost in pro-
portion to a mans. We want to ap-
portion our income for our various ex-
penses. Now should the apportfon-
ment for clothes be equal or should
the woman's be more?
Answer-If your husband wants
you to appear as we'll dressed as he,
should say you would certainly have
to have more money. In good bust
ness suit a man is properly attired
not only for business but for a lunch
con gathering, for the matinee or to
drop in at an afternoon tea. More
over, the average man wears a bust
ness suit to restaurant dinner, to the
theater or to an informal evening
gathering. What man would be salts
fed if his wife appeared in the house
gown, which she wears at her bust
ness, on all these occasions? Further
more, a woman's underwear and small
appointments cost much more. I
should say woman needed at least
twice as much money as her husband.
What do my reader friends think?