Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-04


disdain for her own sex.
"All my friends are men," is the
formula she uses. Women don't in
terest me-" Her dearest ambition is
to be known as a mans woman"
She has plying contempt for those
of her sisters who accept other
women as friends.
From her point of view, the mere
recognition of woman friend $ a
confession of failure. It's accept
ing a substitute for the man you
didn't succeed in attracting.
This perverse human being is rot,
of course, to be confounded for a
moment with the woman who is call
ed "mannish," the woman who is
happiest in a business life; who
makes a point of Wearing tailor
clothes on all occasions and who
honestly scorns all feminine "trip
peries.
On the contrary, the mans
woman" clings to all the traditional
vanities. Nobody's heels are as high
as hers, nobody's hats are as studied
ly seductive. Her clothes alone,
however, would not Distinguish her.
It's her manner that sets her apart.
Upon the broad highways of the
world, in the houses of well-mean-
ing people, it is not possible to avoid
other women. But it is quite pos
sible to be uncivil to them, to drag
out merely a reluctant monosyllable
in response to another womans
friendly greeting, to become gloom
lily absorbed in a book If there are
only women in the room, to present
dropping eyelids and a long suffer-
ing mouth until at last a mans voice
is heard outside the door. And that
is of course like the sound of a
clarion. It's the signal for complete
transformation.
Her own Ideas
In an instant the bored, silent,
creature is all animation and chatter
For it doesn't make the slightest
difference who the man is. On the
mere ground of his masculinity he is
worth talking to and smiling on; lie
alone justifies her in being as charm
ing and agreeable as she can.
Such a woman as this has to have
of course. a pretty strong belief in
her own attractiveness. She believes
also that she recommends helself
further to men by keeping aloof from
women, that this makes her a strik-
ing and interesting figure. She
thinks 1t helps her in forming a sort
of tacit conspiracy with the whole
male sex, a conspiracy whose object
is the suppression of other women.
You've heard good deal about
the weakness and pettiness of
women" is what she practically says
to men. Il assure you it's all true.
And it bores me quite as much as it
can bore you. You see, I'm not that
commonplace sort of woman. I'm a
woman who really understands men.
nd fn1 70
thing you like and I'll listen to you
and fatter you as long as you can
stand it,"
But of course it is a pose, and a
pose of the most eXtravagant sort.
A woman who poses to this extent
| really can't have any legitimate
| occupation. Living up to the charc-
| ter she has invented for herself alb
serbs all her time and energy. You
may be sure that she works at it
diligently seven days a week. You
never find her off her guard.
1t seems an absurd and pitiful
| procedure. And yet there is always
chance that some young girl with
a dramatic sense may seize upon
| this pose with the impulse to initiate
it. Before that happens 1 wish she
would let me tell her what it all
| amounts to
| Companionship with men is an ex-
cellent, wholesome thing for any
woman, if it comes about spontane-
ously, naturally. But friendship, If
| 1t can be called friendship, that's
| obtained by seizure so to speak, ana
that's combined with a treacherous
attitude toward all other women, IS
by no means worth having.
If a woman sacrifices everything
else in order to make herself anus
ing and entertaining and sympa-
thetie to men, 1 admit that men will
allow themselves to be amused and
entertained and sympathized with.
won't be deceived for a moment.
They can't help understanding the
tactics of the mans woman" for
these are so obviously displayed.
And in their hearts they secretly
despise her for not being true and
loyal and square.
What She Loses
So that companionship with people
who despise you, who think you are
false and unreal. is hardly a thing
to give up your life to, even if super
ficially it does seem to place you in a
temporary social spotlight even if it
does help you to seem different and
mysterious and dramatically effec-
tive. A pretty poor thing, on the
whole. for a girl to strive for.
But this is not the whole story.