The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-26
Listening In On Eve
The Wednesday Club

The Wednesday Club Y WAS a bit sentimental and roman. \ tic, much more 50 than my sisters. l announced Carrie Burke in the half hour of discussion that usually follows Wednesday club bridge. Tt told pc something about Tom that have been waiting to find out-a thing that has really and truly worried me, that I've lain awake nights over, and simply could not understand. I'll never forget the first time it happened. We were in a. restaurant. It was when we were engaged, and in those days gentlemen didn't smoke when they were with you in a public place without asking per mission" "a
 Heavens and earth" murmured Marjorie Dayis,s round-eyed with won- der. Have you been married that long, Kit?"
 T have-sauce box! And when I remember what an unbearable little prig I was, it seems like another life. I wonder Tom ever thought he wanted to marry me. But he seemed to-in spite of some fixed ideas I had on etiquette. I intended to begin right with Tom, so when the waiter lit a match and held it to Toms cigarette, and Tom raised an eyebrow carelessly at me and asked Mind if I smoker" answered him gently but firmly, I'd a little rather you wouldn't, dear And waited"
 "Well?' chorused the Wednesday club, when it became evident that Car rie was lost in her memory. She came back with start
 ''He lit it. And he smoked three or four puffs-just until that waiter had moved away. And then, of course, he put it out. But didn't speak to him for three days"
 "oh, I dol" SaIlie Kendall, born and raised in Virginia, took this problem seriously. 'Why, if Pete did that to me I'd just die. Don't you see, it sim ply meant that Tom cared more about the waiter than he did about Carrie !"
 That was the way looked at it." Carrie admitted. T cried all night, and can't say I've ever forgotten, though we finally made it up. But this article in the Pacific-you must read it that's all. It's called The Bashful Sex It says men are naturally dread fully shy, that they suffer agonies when we make them conspicuous, that they are horribly self-conscious and are frightened out of their wits when we make them walk down long aisle to a front seat-though they'd die rather than admit it, of course. After read it came to the conclusion that Tom didn't really care more for that walters opinion than he did for mine. He was just plain scared of him r
 Silently, the Wednesday club assimi- lated this idea, Then
 "Perhaps that's why they hate carry ing packages and bundles. It calls attention to them," unused Bertha Cor don.
 And why they simply will not ask a policeman or anybody else the way to anywhere" said Kate Pratt, bitterly. ''Sam would walk in the wrong direc- tion until his feet dropped off, and drag me with him, before he'd ring door bell or stop a stranger and ask which way to go."
 But Stella Van was unconvinced.
 If that's all true," she demanded. ''how do you explain these parades that fraternal orders and brotherhoods are always getting up? Would any man who was shy and timid put on, of his own free fill, fancy dress ball hat with  self in times of peace, tie on dinky little apron, or cover his bald spot with blue stocking cap and march through the street? He would not. Not one could ever make me believe it."
 Perhaps that's their sense of duty" Kate surmised. ''They have one, you know. It's terrible thing"
 "Not much. It's simply because they adore being looked at. And it just nat urally contradicts every word you've been saying"
 Maybe it's a complex" suggested Marjorie-but cautiously, with a look at Carrie. "All their suppressions com ing out in one grand jamboree."
 But Carrie was too absorbed to be drawn into debate. T guess we'll have to leave it at that" she sighed. Men are queer, anyway. suppose we never will really understand them."
 "I hope not, I'm sure" reflected Sallie Kendall. ''WOuldn't it be deadly if we did? Half the fun would be gone from life. can think of just one thing worse-for them really to understand us."
 "oh, but they never could" said Mar jorie Davis,