The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-07-10
"A Change Has Come Over Women's Hearts
as Result of Emancipation. The American
Womans Changed View Has Made Divorce
Necessity" Says Nine. Catulle Mendes French
Poetess, Feminist and Social Philosopher

him. became more and more numerous and
important.
There Is another important point. The idea
that men had In ancient times OF love became.
as centuries passed. modified. less animal. less
brutal. more tender.
recall a referendum which a French femi.
mist Journal planned some years ago for the
purpose OF finding out the modern feminine
sentiment regarding love. II placed the prob
lem before the women IN the form OF par
able which my American readers viii reeoS
nice a variation OF Frank r. StOckton's
story The Lady or the Tiger" a story which
has never been familiar to French people.
An Eastern king. so the story went discov-
cred that his daughter was madly In love
with a man OF low condition. The father felt
very angry. but he concealed his rage because
he was aware OF the obstinate temper OF his
daughter. There was arena IN his country
where combats between wild beasts and be
tween gladiators we're held. At these spec
tacles the daughter was always present by
the side OF her father. The next time one OF
these entertainments was held. the king
turned to his daughter and said:
Il have learned OF your fondness for a man
who Is not worthy OF you. Understand that
I shall never permit you 20 marry him. This
very moment you will have opportunity 10
decide his fate. lie will come into the arena
without arms. Do you see those two closed
doors before you? Behind one there Is
hungry lion thirsting for human blood. Behind
the other there Is young woman OF remark
able beauty Choose now which door shall
be opened In the first case. he whom you
love will be devoured by the Wild beast and
can belong 10 no one else. although he cannot
be yours. In the second case, he VIII live
happy with a beautiful young woman who 10
as much in love with him as you are yourself
The young girl implored her father In vain
for mercy. He remained inheXible.
The feminist review asked its women read
ers which door they would have opened
Out OF twelve hundred answers received
one admitted that she would open the door
behind which the wild beast was concealed.
Eleven hundred and nine women said that
they would choose for their lover happiness
with another woman, although they would
suffer all the torments OF Jealousy. The ninety
one remaining answers gave a more uneK-
pected solution Of the problem. They said
that the princess. having only the choice be-
tween her unhappiness and that OF her
lover. should have killed herself and thus
avoided making any choice.
With the answers the review stated the
shoice which. according to ancient chroniclers.
the princess OF the old legend had actually
made. She had preferred TO see her lover
devoured by the lion rather than 10 know him
happy with another woman while she was
whitening away and growing old In solitude.
The modern solutions OF this old story show
that no longer does anybody believe that a
person one loves Is ones own property and
that one can condemn her or him 20 death for
the sake OF ones own desires. The modern
heart rises In Mortified revolt at this idea. and