THE COURIER
OMAHA LETTER
Dear Eleanor:
If the lawmakers could only Hnd time
and inclination to concern themselves
bit with the unbridled, conscienceless
ton"iies so plentiful in the communities
of the land, they might spend a few
jays to the eternal benefit of a lot of
people.
It is no new thing to deplore the
frightful tendency toward gossip in our
generation. Yards and yards of space
have been covered by moral crusaders
ineighing against it. Sermons have
been preached and speeches delivered
with about as much effect as the irate
old gentleman had when he mopped
at the sea.
I5ut a nice compact little law which
would compel one to "stand for" all
the news so called which he dissem
inated, would undoubtedly render the
drawing-rooms of the rich and the
Km liens and the butler's pantry rather
Urj resorts for a time until we could
adjust our mental furniture to a new
older of things and Hnd some topic oth
er than our neighbor as a means of
w Idling away our leisure. Women are,
and from time immemorial have been,
supposed past mistresses at this de
itnerate art.
That they monopolize the talent in
this line Is a belief entitled to consider
ation simply because it is time-honoied.
My opinion leads me to think that gen
tlemen (?) who congregate at popular
cigar stores, who ornament the street
corners, or loll at afternoon teas, keep
up their end with a diligence worthy
a better occupation.
We are possibly no more ill-natured
or cruel than the common run of hu
man creatures, but on one or two oc
casions recently It has been forced In
upon me that we are liable to have a
great deal to answer for on the Day of
Judgment which will be embarrassing
to say the least, if evil is wrought by
want of thought as well as want of
heart.
I was spending the night at a friend's
house last week and during the evening
s-everal neighbors dropped in, informal
ly, and we talked. Oh! how we did
talk how altogether Interesting we
were. It hardly mattered that we
ripped reputation gaily away from a
few of our acquaintances. No one pro
tested. No one called attention to the
fact that we were wantonly a set of
murderers. "We were charmingly en
tertaining, much more thrilling than
if the singer had sung, the player
played or the literary woman told us
about the books she had recently been
lending.
A certain young married couple were
under discussion most of the time, nnd
they were promptly announced wretch
edly unhappy in spite of the fact that
their environments produce cheerful
ness and happiness.
Incidents were cited of the most per
sonal nature to prove the statement
that they were miserable. It was her
fault It was his fault It was the fault
of everybody connected with them.
"1 really cannot believe all of this,"
at length my friend ventured a tritie
apologetically. "I have seen her every
where lately and she looks the person
ification of good fortune."
"All put on, my dear," cheerfully re
sponded the well-informed visitor.
"She is wretched! Of course he does
not throw dishes or furniture at her,
but he does so and so and so and so
which is much worse you know. I
know for a fact what I am talking
about, for Mrs. Blank told me all about
it and although I am not personally
acquainted with them, she is very in
timate In the family."
Wasn't that a tierce commentary on
the modern Intimacy of womankind?
Would you not enjoy having a long
visiting list of intimate friends of that
kind?
Then a recent tragedy which had
occurred in our midst was talked over,
and this same encyclopedia of univers
al knowledge knew Just why the ter
ible thing was done. She knew things
no one else could possibly know unless
he could read the heart of the dead.
She reeled to a finish finally, and then
airily announced that she would really
have to go, as she had left the childten
alone and they ought to be in bed.
She Is not a unique specimen of hu
manity. On the contrary she repre
sents a large, a deplorably large class.
I went one afternoon not long ago to
call upon a woman of my acquaintance
whom I had not seen for some time.
She was at home and came down stairs
in a fetching house gown and greeted
me effusively. After we were comfort
ably seated, each with a cup of tea of
fragrant brew, my friend said, "Now,
what do you know, Penelope dear?"
"Nothing worth repeating. I am as
densely ignorant as ever."
"Nonsense!" she laughed. "After all
this while you ought to have some fine,
juicy bits of scandal with which to re
gale me!"
Now this woman is not a natural
gossip; she would not deliberately re
peat anything which might hurt an
other: and yet so has the leaven
worked that none of us seem quite
averse to a nice, sensational bit. No
one ever seems to be responsible for
these things. One can aever find the
originator. If you attempt to follow
the thread of one of these tales back,
the mirror maze is an open field com
pared to the labyrinth In which you
will find yourself.
So unless we can induce the law to
concern itself. I suppose there is very
little hope for us.
I have a new gown, Eleanor built by
the most approved artist In her line in
the city. I sat in the fitting room a
few days ago, waiting for the high
priestess to perform certain mysterious
rites and I had a glimpse into the long
room where these artistic gowns are
fashioned. Such rows of girls such a
bewilderment or materials and Imple
ments! I wondered that anything log
ical was ever evolved. The manager
was Hitting nervously about and I
could hear an occasional scrap of con
versation, "How are you getting along
with the Burt waist?" stopping before
a dummy over whose shoulders was
stretched a Huffy looking black waist.
I could not hear what the girl bending
over the work said, but she looked pale
and tired. "You'll have to hurry that
Jocelyn skirt up It must be out by two
o'clock" and so on from one drooping
worker to another. We need not ex
pect any particular deference to our
titles here where the tinsel is put on
we are just plain Burt, or Jocelyn or
Mayfalr verily no man Is a huro to
his valet.
I was out driving yesterday north of
Florence. We came home just at sun
bet, and it seemed to me we might
have challenged comparison with the
world, so beautiful was the scene.
Away up and down the river blue
reaches of mist hung ashore, away to
the west where the sun dropped in
magnificent state to a veritable sea of
tire. Here and there autumn has
dashed her colors recklessly. She has
painted the hill-sides in vivid reds and
touched the leaves with royal gold. Oc
casionally a Held defying time shows
still a tender spread of green. We
drew rein on the brow of a hill. It
was quiet so very quiet we fancied we
heard our hearts beat. Away to the
south the smoke of numberless chim
neys climbed straight into the evening
sky. I breathed deeply In full, quiet
appreciation of all the tender vanish
ing loveliness.
"Doesn't It make you feel half glad
and half sad, such a scene as this?"
I asked my companion, who seemed
as fully absorbed as I. "Well, I hardly
know whether I would express It quite
that way, but I feel it, believe me."
"How would you express the feeling
this still beauty and quiet evening ves
per hour has upon you?"
"To be candid," he replied, turning
a half fearful eye on me, "to be quite
honest. It makes me feel as if it must
be blamed near supper time." I shall
never believe in a man again because
he has a musical voice and soulful
eyes. Such things are a snare to the
unwary.
Why do you not write to me?
Yours,
PENELOrrc.
Omaha. Neb., Oct. 22. 1001.
? y 9
Many a lobster loses bis greenness in
Tenderloin. It's easy to get into hot
water there. Town Topics.
"What is this grandfather clauso in
the new constitution of some southern
states?" asked Cumeo.
"It provides that no one can vote
whose grandfather has baen lynched,"
replied Cawker. Town Topics.
WISE
LANDLORD
Gets the best talent that can be
secured in placing his order for
inside decorations for his houses.
He desires the best matcril used,
and something that will stand the
wear and tear of the tenant. My
experience of twenty-eight years
has taught me how, when, and
where to use economy. My prices
are reasonable. Estimates cheer
fully furnished.
CARL MYRER,
Browell Buildingr,
2612 o St.
Phono 6232.
IT
THE -
1111
M
W
... of LINCOLN, NEBR
j J J
Capital $ 200,000.00
Surplus and Profits . 54,255.03
Deposits .... 2,480,252.18
Jt J Jt
S. H. Burnham, A. T. Sawyer,
President. Vice President.
H.S. Freeman, Cashier,
H. B.Evans, Frank Parks,
Ass't Cashier. Ass't Cashier.
UNIJED STAfESDEJ0SlT0FY.
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