El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-02


M trades of life. To succeed a
man must specialize. 1t is
enough for him if he thoroughly mas
tiers one business or profession, but for
a woman to succeed as a woman-and
being a woman is a profession in itself
she must know something about
everything. and have half a dozen diff
ferent arts and trades at her fingers
ends.
We don't hear the old fashioned
phrase, IAN accomplished girl" very Of
ten nowadays, but there's just as much
need for her as there ever was, and this
brings up the question Of what an &C
cOmplished girl should know.
First, 1 think, that an accomplished
girl should know how to read-nOt elO-
cute. Heaven protect US all from the
young woman who arises in company
and reOitesl There are few greater
pests in the world than she but on the
other hand, there is-nothing more de-
hghtful than the companionship of one
who is able to read aloud to you intel
lgently, and sympatheticaly a passage
from some book, or a news story from
a paper. This accomplishment is a very
rare one. Not one woman in a hundred
can read aloud so that you can under
stand what she is reading about. She
doesn't understand it herself. and that's
why so few have the reading habit.
Teach Interesting Letter Writing.
Second, an accomplished girl should
know how to write. She should be
taught to write a legible hand and an
interesting letter. Nothing else in the
world does more to predispose us in a
Woman's favor than for her to be a
ready letter writer, one who sends us a
line of congratulation when good for
tune comes our way, or a word of SYM
pathy when sorrow knocks at our door:
who writes us a graceful little note of
thanks for any courtesy, and who shows
that she keeps our memory green when
letter.
Most people are guilty of silences
that are nothing less than brutal lust
because they have never been taught
how to write letter, or skilled in the
gentle art of notes No attention is paid
to this in the ordinary school, and yet
how to write letter is one of the most
important things that a woman can
know.
An accomplished girl should know
how to talk. Her voice should first
be sand papered and maniCured, or
whatever is necessary to make it agree
able to the ear. She should be taught
how to laugh instead of giggle, and
then she should be taught how to talk.
OF course, in its highest essence, con-
yersatiOn is as much an inspiration as
poetry; there are two or three great
that any girl can master that
will make her an interesting and agree
able companion.
Don't Talk About Yourself.
She can be taught not to talk about
herself, her family, her little amuse-
ments, the places she has been, and to
always talk to other people about
themselves and their amusements, and
their families and their interests. Be |
tween talking about my own golf score |
and your golf record is the difference |
between being bore and a brilliant |
She can also be taught to listen in |
diligently, and to think before she !
speaks, so that she will keep off OF !
)ther peoples pet cOrns, and will not |
with a divorce about matri- /
nOnial infelicity, or ask a one legged /
nan if he dances the fox trot.
An accomplished girl should know |
enough music to be able to play and !
sing sufficiently well for parlOr con- |
which isn't highbrOwed in
spite Of all that we pretend to the con-
rary. She should also know how to
)lay a good game of cards, so that she /
will not be the despair of hostesses, or
ncite murder in the breast of her part
Ter when she has to fill in at a table !
If bridge. Talleyrand said long ago /
hat every one should learn to play
good game of whist in their youth, so
hat they might not pass a miserable 4