The Washington herald., 1918-03-02


modern life is the decay of senti-
ment among women. Women are
fast becoming the practical sex, and
it begins to look as IL the old-fash-
ioned woman who lived only in her
emotions and who viewed the world
through a pink veil of romance
would soon be as extinct as the dodo
A thousand little proofs of the
decadence of sentiment in women
force themselves on ones attention.
Take novels. for instance. Novels
are written mostly for women and
by women. and they reflect women's
point of view at every period.
Compare the heroines of the old
school of fiction-the BeIindas. and
Amelias, who simply exude sentiment
at every pore. with the strenuous
heroine of the modern novel. and you
will have a standard by which to
guage how far women have gotten
away from the mushy ideals of other
days.
No novelist now would dare to rep
resent his heroine as nursing a bro
ken heart, or pining away and dying
OF blighted affections, or even suffer
ing and being strong, because women
wouldn't have her at any price. They
are ont Of sympathy with that state
of mind. They would regard that
sort of woman as fiabby. spineless'
weak-minded chump, who wasn't
worth even reading about.
What interests women. in fiction Is
a heroine who sees things fairly and
sCIarely. and even unconventionally
who grapples with problems Of real
life, and who makes something out OF
her life. even IL It has had the mis-
fortune to be married in places. There
must be a love story. OF course. but
the love story is a side issue. not the
vital thing.
The theater which is also largely
supported by women. shows the same
Indifference to sentiment. The most
successful plays of late years have
been the problem plays. and plays Of
action, not those that depended who'll
ly on sentiment. Women are the most
enthusiastic Shawifes and 1bsenites
whose appeal is always to the intel
lect and not to the heart.
The other straws that show which
way the winds of feminine tempera'
ment blow are the fact that women
have ceased to swoon, and almost
ceased to weep. The sweet Alice Ber
Bolts who wept with delight when
you gave them a smile, and trembled
with fear at your frown" left no pro-
geny behind them. The days wher
this emotionalism was thought inter
esting are passed. A woman who
can't control herself now considers
herself the victim of hysteria. and
hustles of to the nearest nerve spe-
cialist for treatment, because she real
ICES that she's an object Of derisior
with other womens
Women have Just as many causes
to weep and to be happy as they ever
had. At this particular period of the
worlds history they have more cause
for tears than they ever had before,
God pity them, but everywhere they
have met a tragic situation with hero
ism.
They have packed up their trou-
bles in their old kit bag" and sent
their men away with smiles. And
they have gone about their daily af'
fairs with quiet bravery, instead of
posing as martyrs, as the overly-senti-
mental women of the past did when
she had anything hard to endure.
One of the interesting phases of this
fall off and decline of sentiment
among women. as Mr.. Wegg would
say. is that 1t makes them take a to-
tally different view Of men and matrt-
mony.
The poet who wrote that Love was
of mans life a thing apart tis wom-
ans whole existence expressed the
condition of affairs at a time when
women lived only in their sentiments
IL he were writing now he would
have a different story to tell. Love
isn't the whole of the modern wom-
ans existence by a long shot. 1t is q
beautiful annex, but 1t isn't the entire
structure. IL love comes to her she
Is glad of it. but II Cupid fails tC
knock at the door, she can get alone
very comfortably without it, thanh
you.
Probably all girls still look forward
to getting married. and every woman
would prefer to marry IL she could
find her ideal, but they are in nc
hurry about doing IT.
Nothing is more common than tc
hear even young girls speak Of dread
ing to get married, even when they
are In love, because they hate TO give
up their personal, liberty. Working
women. in especial. WHO earn goot
salaries, acknowledge that they have
no inclination whatever towards mat
rimony.
What could a husband give ms