T. LOUIS. Ignoring senti
ment and considering tho
question totally without re
gard to tho position woman
occupies by reason of her
sex, can It ho said she la
less honest than man? it's a subject
calling for raro diplomacy.
Several years ago a St. Louis law
yer, at tho time holding ofllco, made so
bold as to publish a statement In the
nfllrmntlvo. Ho made a cold, dispassionate-
analysis of the character of
woman nnd gave what purported to be
proofs In substantiation of his asser
tion. Ho was burled under a storm
of protest and Anally receded from his
position.
More recently a Cleveland judgo
sought to show that men possessed
more inherent honesty thnn women.
Forthwith ho was swept from his feet
by a wnvo of popular indignation. Do
nunclatlons wore heaped upon him in
every section of tho country nnd at
last, in despair, ho denied in toto all
ho had said.
Tho question of a woman's honesty
as compared to that of a man is ono
which has puzzled philosophers for
ages. In every civilized country it has
been argued pro and con and never
has any definite conclusion been
reached. Tho agitation started by tho
Cleveland judgo culminated in Paris,
where, after devoting columns to tho
subject, It was decided by ono of tho
papers that women wore not less hon
est. An English publication in passing
judgment declared mun was the more
honest of the two sexes. Opinion Is
wjdely diversified. And so, too. Is tho
question. It must bo considered from
every anglo, doclaros a writor in the
St. Louis Republic.
It would bo uttor foolishness to ques
tion tho honesty of a woman of culture
nnd refinement, In a comparative
sonso, with a sot whoso few romalning
faculties wore occupied with the solo
idea of how to got tho next drink.
And the samo would apply between a
woman who had reached the bottom
of tho social scale and a man known
to bo of sterling honesty and integ
rity. Test Must Be a Fair One.
To rondor an opinion which would
stand dissection it would bo necessary
to choose with great caro two sub
jects whoso mental and social qualifi
cations aro on a par. Then, with due
allowance for tho constitutional differ
ences between tho two sexes, they
should bo studied, and, unknown to
thonibelvcs, put to tho test. Such a
proceeding would entail much time
and oven then might bo fruitless, so,
in an endeavor to got some Idea of
how tho question Is icgnrded in St.
Louis, a number of men whoso dally
life brings them In contact with both
sexes were asked for their views.
Tho majority of the men approached
proved ardent chnmplons of the weak
.or sex and were Inclined to look upon
digressions more in the light of In
consistencies and vagaries rather than
anything having to do with tholr hon
esty. It was acknowledged that thoy
were prone to draw upon their imag
inations and probably In the courso of
a dny told many what aro known in
common parlnnco as libs or white- lies.
Hut, it was pointed out, thoy did so In
many Instances In order to spare the
feelings of friends. Stress was laid
4j
on tho fact that the plain, unvarnished
truth between women In their inter
course with ono another would lead to
much unhappincss nnd ill feeling.
It Is little to bo wondered at that
men in St. Louis throw up their hands
at the idea of their opinions being ex
ploited. Even when assured thoy
would not bo quoted, several judges,
Inclining to tho stand taken by tho
Cleveland jurist, were most guarded
In their statements. Said ono:
Woman's Superior Imagination.
"Tho nvcrage woman is a bundlo of
nerves and full of latent enthusiasm.
Sho has great powers of Imagination,
and when the occasion demands does
not hesltato to draw upon them. Lovo
also has much to do with her rolegat
lag tho truth to the rear. With liberty
or welfare of tho object of her affec
tions at stake, there is no sacrllco sho
will not make, nlid tho perverting of
the truth becomes a petty matter.
"Why." ho exclaimed, "I have hoard
women mako statements on tho wit
ness stand which to my own certain
knowlcdgo r knew to bo falBe. Of
courso, tho samo Is true of mon, to
somo extent, but Is confined to a class,
as a rule, of which nothing bettor
could bo expected. With women, how
over, It npplles to the sex as a whole.
Education, brooding nnd refinement
mako Httlo difference. Swayed by
love, affection or her emotions, a worn
nn will stop nt nothing. When under
control of her feelings bIio takes llttlo
heed of tho consequences which nro
likely to ensuo as a result of her ac
tions. "No man," ho said in conclusion,
"has a higher respect for women than
mysolf. Upon her, in a largo measure,
rests the welfare of the nntlon. and
each day her inlluonco In business,
politics and tho affairs of tho country
Is making Itself moro apparent. That
such is tho caso Is a matter for con
gratulatlon. Hut her temperament In
mattors wherein her heart and affec
tions piny a part will over preclude her
having the same degree of honesty ns
man."
Opinion of a Revivalist.
Tho next man sought for an opinion
was Olpsy Smith, in conducting his re
vivals ho has come In contact with
women of every walk of life, and It
was judged from his wide exporlenco
ho would bo ablo to mako n compari
son, with sharply drawn lines. Such
proved to bo tho case. Ho did not
hesltato a second In saying:
"I do not think women loss honest
than mon. Woman, when sho is good,
is nn nngel. .lust as tho hlghost moun
tains have tho deepest valleys, so tho
grentest possibilities for good may
become tho greatost possibilities for
evil.
"Woman is differently constituted
from man. Her emotions nro moro
easily aroused, nnd at times, whon un
dor their control, she does things .that
later sho may regret. As to hor hon
esty, as compared with that of man,
thoro can bo no question."
Tho mnnagor of a dopartmont storo
did not show tho same faith. Ho do
clared women made n prnctlco of toll
ing dollbornto falsehoods with no other
Idea in vlow than porhaps mnklng a
good bargain. It was a common oc
currence, ho said, for a woman to ask
to bo shown goods and when informed
of tho price have her say: "Why, 1
can got exactly the samo thing at
ninnk & Ulnnk's for hnlf tho price,"
when sho wns well awaro that such n
thing wns impossible. Ho stntod that
much of tho shrewdness attributed to
womon in mnklhg a bnrgaln was duo
in largo part to their ability to sub
serve the truth.
Ho said ho did not draw his conclu
sions from his experionco with men,
ns ho fully realized thnt his own sox
in n department Btoro wore as much
out of place as tho proverbial "bull In
a chlnn shop," and In tho strugglo to
get out would buy nt any price. In de
tecting thloves, whoso operations mnko
constant vlgllanco necessary In a largo
store, ho declared he would' rather deal
with six men than ono woman. Their
guile, oven when caught rodhnnded,
he declared, was often the means of
their escaping punishment.
License Clerk's Testimony.
0. II. Ruodl, who hns acted In tho
capacity of marriage llcenso clerk nt
tho city hall for bIx years, aligned
himself on tho women's side. InnB
much as ho has to ask overy appli
cant for his or her ngo, this would al
most seem to put an end to further
discussion. If there is ono subject
upon which a woman is tender, It is
her age. From time Immemorial sho
hns considered it hor special prlvllogo
to make use of a sliding scalo In this
respect. As n schoolgirl sho dollghts
in nddlng on one or two yenrs, and
when tho scoro and ten mark Is
reached sho s.topB counting altogether.
Mr. Ruodl wns unqualified In his as
sertion that women are moro honest
thnn men. His groat trouble, ho de
clared, was with young girls under
age who wore obsessed with lovo's
young dream. They did not seem to
have any scruples, ho said, about add
ing a year or two to their ugos when
it was palpable they had not reached
tho ago of discretion established by
statute.
It will bo a surprise to many to
lenrn that men nro not exempt from
weakness In regard to their ago. Mr.
Ruodl said ho frequently had cases
where men, In tho presence of friends
and neighbors, without tho lenst con
cern, deducted from live to ten yenrs
from the number of summers which
had passed over their heads.
.Tnmes H. Smith, chief of dotectlvos,
when nsked his opinion, quickly di
vided women with criminal tendencies
Into two classes. Into tho first ho put
tho woman who was brought boforo
him ns a result of her first vonturo be
yond tho pnlo of the law. As for tho
professional woman criminal ho
showed llttlo mercy. Ho stated that
mon, no matter how hardenod, when
they found tho evldonce so strong
ngninst thorn as to render their caso
hopeless, usually enme out witli tho
truth. With tho woman criminal the
department has to ovorcomo all tho
artifices which sho uses to bafllo tho
sleuths.
Says Women Are More Honest.
"As a rule," said Chief Smith, "tho
women that stoop to tho minor crimes
aro not in tho professional class, and
when confronted with proof of their
wrongdoing rendlly admit tholr guilt.
Tho Bamo can bo said of men, though
to a lesser degree. It Is my opinion
that under ordinary circumstances
women are much moro honest than
men.
"When It conies to professional crim
inals, however, women fnr outdistance
men In their dishonesty. They arc
more shrewd and crafty and exceed
ingly hard to bundle. They summon
to tholr aid overy artifice to squirm
out of a holo. Twisting and turning,
watching every loophole, It is almost
imposslblo to trap them. Thoy make
a travesty of truth, and It Is only by
constant vlgllnnco and tho surmount
ing of overwhelming odds that they
aro nt last brought to bay."
Have Not Will Power of Men.
It is generally acknowledged that
man has a bettor control of his feel
ings In time of trouble or excitement,
allowing always for the invariable ox
coption, thnn hns a wopian. Two mon
can engage in a bitter argument nnd
Hay each other with biting snrcnsm
nnd yet on the surfaco display not tho
least emotion. Curbed by such an ox
orclso of will power, thoy aro loss like
ly to veor very far from tho truth.
On tho other hand, let two women be
come Involved In a controversy, and
ofttlmes at tho termination of tho dls
puto both parties are In tears, cut to
tho quick by tho merciless lash of ono
another's tongues. Many of the cruol
insinuations uttered nre probnbly in
vented on tho spur of tho moment,
with the sole object of hitting a tondor
spot In tho armor of the other.
Men ns a rule will come to blows
when the Insult In passed. It is not
tho nature of women to engage in fisti
cuffs, and, by way of getting repara
tion, tho soiling of nn enemy's roputa
lion is often tho modus operandi. Such
n practice in much to bo deplored, and
many women, in fact, tho mnjorlty,
scorn to use such tactics. Llttlo hesi
tation Is shown, however, by thoso of
tho female persuasion In giving vent
to their spleen by cutting remnrks nnd
unjust criticisms which might Just as
well remain unsaid.
Of course, tho Hnmc is true to nn
extent nmong mon, but it cannot bo
said to be us prevalent. Men nro re
luctant to undermine another's stand-
Ing unless they have good and sulll
clent proof to back up their nssortlon.
Thoro is always looming up in tho
background tho fact thut some day
thoro will be un accounting, and un
less thoy enn mako good tho state
ments, thoy uro llkoly to suffer a
thrashing or even worse.
Question of the Affections.
Then there enters Into tho question
a woman's temperament. Sho is given
to violent prejudices, and is equally
as ardent in her affoctions.
No quotation from Shnkespearo Is
more familiar than "Hell hath no fury
like a woman scorned." Then In tho
Ulblo occurs this passage, "It is bettor
to live on tho housetops than In a pal-
aco with a brawling woman." These
passages, brlof though thoy may bo,
show that tho question was probnbly
thrashed out many n tlmo, not only in
the dim past, but also in the days of
tho bard of Avon.
Have you ever been at u friend's
houso and while thoro have your
host'H brother or husband become In
volved In nn argument with a bill col
lector or somo other unwolcomo vis
itor? Then you have wltnesBod tho
sistor or wifo sometimes go to the as
sistance of tho man. Did you ovor
notice how soon she Is taking part in
tho dispute, and how ready Bho Is to
back up any statement ho may mako?
Sho will boIzo every opportunity to aid
him and will enlarge upon tho truth
until it sometimes brings a smllo to
tho fncp of both mon.
Emotion Cuts Large Figure.
It is a common occurronco for a
man escorting a woman to unwittingly
bo n party to a disturbance, nnd when
the police appear and begin to ques
tion everyone who seems to know any
thing about It, who is It thnt chips in,
when tho first query is put to tho man,
nnd doclaros that they know nothing
of tho troublo? Did you ovor see a
man trying to answer a question in a
coherent manner, with an excltablo
woman on his nrm? Have you not felt
sorry for him, whllo ho was trying to
culm his companion, nnd provo at tho
same tlmo ho was innocent of any
wrong-doing?
It cannot be denied thnt under tho
stress of excitement or emotion, a
woman will not hesltato at a mere per
verting of tho truth. Sho is intensely
loyal to those she Iovoh, nnd when
thoy aro In danger or threnloned with
disgrace she will not let anything
stand In her way to ronder what aid
she may. Such a spirit may well bo
praised, rather than censured.
Would a man make bucIi sacrifices?
Even though ho professed to have an
undying affection for a woman will ho
deliberately Ho to get her out of
trouble? If he sees her in troublo In
public, where ho will havo to step Into
tho limelight If ho goes to hor assist
ance, will ho rush out arid valiantly in
vent some sort of yarn to got her out
of tho predicament? It Is very ques
tionable. It Is not probable that he refrains
from doing so on account of conscien
tious scruples, moro probably It is
through four of ridicule, but notwith
standing he has maintained u position
which u womnn would not. It cun
hardly bo said that ho deserves any
credit for his enforced nrthorenco to
tho truth, rather, ho should bo con
demned In many cubcb. These aro JuBt
u few instances that would tend to
provo that mun, through no effort of
his own, is more liable to be honest
than u woman.
The Story of Sarnantha
Ann and Eliza Alice
BY HIRAM RICE
j (OrlKlnal.)
The scheduled time for the nrrlvnls
of Snmnnthn Ann and Eliza Alice
were so near the samo that tho stork
took tho liberty of running n double
header, thus saving hlmrfelf an extra
trip.
Sarnantha. Ann and Eliza Alice cut
tholr tooth nt the sumo time, so their
mothers had llttlo opportunity to hang
over tho backyard fenco nnd com
pare notes; but when tho mud pie
period arrived they made up for loBt
time. The first coolness becnino no
ticeable during the Sunday school
epoch. Each mother endeavored to
dress her offspring better than tho
other, and It was remarked by tho
neighbors that Sarnantha Ann wns
a regular llttlo Indy, whllo Eliza Al
ice would go home with ono Blocking
down and the other nt half mnst, her
pig tnll ribbons streaming, nnd n tour
In tho now dimity gown thnt hor
mother hnd worked on till nearly mid
night to havo ready for Sunday.
Hy tho time the school period had
come there wns u trail of wlitto froBt
along tho top of tho backyard fonco
between the Smith nnd Jones lots.
Sumnntha Ann was developing Into
a pretty llttlo girl, whllo Eliza Allco
wns going the other way as fast as
Bho could. She hud enough red hair
to stuff a mattress, a turued-up noso
and CO freckles to each square Inch
of facial epidermis
A sudden change enmo over Eliza
Allco when sho wns about 14. Tho
clerk in tho vlllago store reported
to his wlfo that she had bought n
pair of corsets, nnd hor next now
dresB wns ankle length. Sho begun to
talk to tho other girls about her
figure, put hor hair up, and tenso her
father for money to buy freckle re
moving dope.
No ono could remember when she
hnd her first beau, because she wns
Took One Long Look at Her Faded
Face in the Mirror.
philandering around so much with tho
boys in a way that might or might not
count; but everybody recalled that
both girls wero 10 when Eliza Allco
engineered Samanthu Ann out of tho
church cholraftor hearing someona re
mnrk that Sarnantha Ann wns tho bet
tor singer. Of courso thut stirred up
an awful rumpus, nnd tho congrega
tion took Hides on tho matter which
resulted In tho prenchor hnndlng In
his resignation.
Tho next ono thoy hired wan a
young man Just out. of college. Ho
wns unmarried, and tho church trus
tees reasoned thut if ho called on
Eliza Allco oftoner than wns neccB
Hary to mako up a schodulo of tho
music for tho next Sunday thoy could
call In a Justice of tho peace, or somo
othor hitching artist, to make thorn
ono, nnd thus nvold tho talk that al
ways hurts tho church in tho eyes of
somo.
Tho young preacher didn't cotton
to Eliza Alice at first. Sarnantha Ann
hnd Just realized that sho was a young
lady, and when hor mother first ar
rayed her as such Bho was a dream
of Innocence, beauty, flowered organ
dlo and a strand of five-cent glass
beads. Tho young man escorted hor
homo ono evening from prayer meet
ing and Bat out on tho front porch
talking to her for over nn hour. Tho
next day all tho town wub talking
about what a fine couple they would
make all but Eliza Alice; sho pulled
Pa Jones' leg for tho price of a brand
new outfit, and for the next few duys
tho hum of the Bowing niuchlno was
heard In tho Jones home.
Tho noxt tlmo tho prenchor called
at tho Jones mansion to leave tho Blip
containing tho numbers of the hymns
for tho following Sunday, Eliza Allco
mot him at tho door, took his hat and
hung it up besldo dad's In tho hall,
seated him In tho easiest chair nnd
played rag time on tho piano until ho
began to drum with his fingers on tho
arm of his chnlr, after which she
switched to dreamy lovo songs. In
this manner sho got him keyed up just
right to land on the sofa, and thou
brought out tho family album ub an
oxcuso to got up real closo togother
and occasionally touch Ills hand with
hers; In about umpstcoii minutes sho
hnd him under perfect control, nnd ho
began to wonder If two could live on
his salary.
From that time on 'Smuutha Ami
was in tho discard; sho was a sort of
sedate sister nnyway, while Eliza
Alice was Just as provlous ns sho
found necessary. If the young man
should happen to look at any other
gum masticator Eliza Allco would
throw him a glnnco thnt would bring
him to the low stool beside tho throne.
Well, tho people thought it would bo
a good thing If sho did marry him; it
might cause hor to take a reef in her
Balls but thoy didn't know Eliza Al
lco ns well ns sho know herself. Sho
was only dallying with tho gospel ex
pounder because she know SamnnthiL
Ann would like to havo him, nnd also
because ho was the only thing In
sight.
Just whon the trustees bognn to
wonder If they would live with pa and
ma, or If Eliza Alico would Insist on
u parsonnge. an Unolo Tom's Cabin
troupe hit tho town. Eliza Allco hoard
somo ono sny that the girl who played
Topsy In tho show had got mud and
quit, nnd Hint tho manager wns in
quiring If thoro was nnyono In tho
town who could take tho part until ho
could got nnothor girl from tho city.
It wus a caso of sock no farther
right then and there. Eliza Allco
struck for the Job and got It.
Whon tho show wagons loft, that
night Eliza Alice's trunk wub in ono
of lliein, and sho was on tho payroll
nt $11 per week. Tho people did not
got through talking about hor sensa
tional depnrturo for at loast a month,
nnd then from time to tlmo her moth
er would drop nn1 occasional hint of
hor great success' on tho stage.
Nearly two years had passed when
Sim Hippie returned from a trip to
Chlcngo and brought n paper with a
glowing account of tho grent, success
of a new comic opera. An ontiro
pngo was given to describing tho tal
ent and beauty of the star or tho
opera, Miss Elza Alys, and in tho
many phntogrnphs old friends (and
enemies) hnd no troublo In distinguish
ing tho fentures of Eliza Allco, though
Bho was evidently a grndunto of some
bonuty parlor, nnd had gained by tho
courso of sproutB sho hnd undergone.
Sarnantha Ann was tho bright par
ticular Htar at a church festival that
was pulled off Just after Eliza Allcu
shook tho dust Of hoi' native town
from tho ruilles or hor skirt. Sho nbt
only played tho organ, sung a boIo and
helped wait on tho tables, but she did
most or tho elbow work In scrubbing
out. tho church nfter tho big event.
Tho young preacher wub completely
captivated with this display of her all
around ability, and fearing Bomothlng
might occur to switch him off ngnln,
ho Immediately began negotiations,
nnd before Snmnntha Anti could rea
lize It she found herself duly nuthor
Izcd by law to half-solo tho seat of tho
minister's trousers. It wns nil dono
so quickly that tho church trustees
suggested they Hvo with Pa nnd Ma
Smith awhile, and having thus side
tracked tho parsonngo talk promptly
forgot It.
In tho courso of a year Pa Smith
wub a grandpa, nnd tho next year ho
was another. Tho minister mndo a
dignified howl for an Incrouso In sal
ary, but the church people could not
sco why thoy should bo tnxed any
moro for salvation because his family
kept growing.
Snmnnthn. Ann might havo boon In
her early twenties, but tho bloonl was
gono from hor cheeks, thoro wub a
stoop to hor shoulders, and sho lookod
moro llko a woman in hor Into for
ties. Still, with all her drudgery nnd toll,
sho often thanked heaven that no ono
hnd over talked about hor ns thoy
hnd about Eliza Alice, .nnd sho was.
glad sho could walk ulong tho atrcot
with head high In tho air, knowing
that no ono wns going to say some
thing mean after her back was turned.
Snmanthu Ann was thus well satisfied
with her condition in Hfo until tho
town decided to hold a chntnuqun ono ,
yenr, nnd a deputation of lending cltl- '
zoiih wub sent to Chicago to get Eliza
Alico to sing nt tho doings in tho pnrk.
Shpjfngreed to conio, hut sho stung
them for ?2fiO for threo stingy songs.
Whllo sho was In town she avub on
tortnlned by tho locnl magnate's wife,
nnd tho pcoplo who used to play foot
ball with hor reputation ovory time
tliero wns tho slightest opportunity
quarroled with each other in tho effort
to heap her with attentions, oven tho
prenchor giving ovldonco by his ac
tions thut ho had forgotton that sho
had thrown him to ploy Topsy
Snmanthu Ann had never been
known to make a display of temper
but whon sho saw Eliza Allco so high
ly honored by tho Hammer club she
wont homo with a woll-dofined upwnrd
tilt to her nose. When she got thoro
sho took ono long look at her faded
faco in tho mirror and then sninshed
the reflector with tho rolling pin.
When the rest of tho folks cumo homo
they found hor rubbing somo color
into hor eheokB with u piece of chnni
ols, paying no heed to the baby, which
was lying on the floor and yelling llko
a small boy with too many green np
pies In his midst.
Having fixed her faco to suit, rear
ranged her hair In tho latest stylo,
added a bow of ribbon at her neck,
and otherwise rejuvenated hot appear
ance sho went out on tho front porch.
There thoy found her hulf an hour aft
erward talklns, to a good-looking trav
eling mun. II tv father nsked hor how
sho got acquainted with him, nnd sho
told him it was none of his business.