worldly ways and byways-第24章

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nor　is　her　strength　great　enough；　for　the　thousand　and　one　duties　

and　obligations　imposed　upon　her。　　〃If；〃　she　says；　〃a　woman　has　

friends　and　a　small　place　in　the　world　…　and　who　has　not　in　these　

days？　…　she　must　golf　or　'bike'　or　skate　a　bit；　of　a　morning；　then　

she　is　apt　to　lunch　out；　or　have　a　friend　or　two　in；　to　that　meal。　　

After　luncheon　there　is　sure　to　be　a　'class'　of　some　kind　that　she　

has　foolishly　joined；　or　a　charity　meeting；　matinee；　or　reception；　

but　above　all；　there　are　her　'duty'　calls。　　She　must　be　home　at　

five　to　make　tea；　that　she　has　promised　her　men　friends；　and　they　

will　not　leave　until　it　is　time　for　her　to　dress　for　dinner；　'out'　

or　at　home；　with　often　the　opera；　a　supper；　or　a　ball　to　follow。　　

It　is　quite　impossible；〃　she　adds；　〃under　these　circumstances　to　

apply　one's　self　to　anything　serious；　to　read　a　book　or　even　open　a　

periodical。　　The　most　one　can　accomplish　is　a　glance　at　a　paper。〃



Indeed；　it　would　require　an　exceptional　constitution　to　carry　out　

the　above　programme；　not　to　mention　the　attention　that　a　woman　must　

（however　reluctantly）　give　to　her　house　and　her　family。　　Where　are　

the　quiet　hours　to　be　found　for　self…culture；　the　perusal　of　a　

favorite　author；　or；　perhaps；　a　little　timid　〃writing〃　on　her　own　

account？　　Nor　does　this　treadmill　round　fill　a　few　months　only　of　

her　life。　　With　slight　variations　of　scene　and　costume；　it　

continues　through　the　year。



A　painter；　I　know；　was　fortunate　enough　to　receive；　a　year　or　two　

ago；　the　commission　to　paint　a　well…known　beauty。　　He　was　delighted　

with　the　idea　and　convinced　that　he　could　make　her　portrait　the　

best　work　of　his　life；　one　that　would　be　the　stepping…stone　to　fame　

and　fortune。　　This　was　in　the　spring。　　He　was　naturally　burning　to　

begin　at　once；　but　found　to　his　dismay　that　the　lady　was　just　about　

starting　for　Europe。　　So　he　waited；　and　at　her　suggestion　installed　

himself　a　couple　of　months　later　at　the　seaside　city　where　she　had　

a　cottage。　　No　one　could　be　more　charming　than　she　was；　inviting　

him　to　dine　and　drive　daily；　but　when　he　broached　the　subject　of　

〃sitting；〃　was　〃too　busy　just　that　day。〃　　Later　in　the　autumn　she　

would　be　quite　at　his　disposal。　　In　the　autumn；　however；　she　was　

visiting；　never　ten　days　in　the　same　place。　　Early　winter　found　her　

〃getting　her　house　in　order；〃　a　mysterious　rite　apparently　attended　

with　vast　worry　and　fatigue。　　With　cooling　enthusiasm；　the　painter　

called　and　coaxed　and　waited。　　November　brought　the　opera　and　the　

full　swing　of　a　New　York　season。　　So　far　she　has　given　him　half　a　

dozen　sittings；　squeezed　in　between　a　luncheon；　which　made　her　

〃unavoidably　late；〃　for　which　she　is　charmingly　〃sorry；〃　and　a　

reception　that　she　was　forced　to　attend；　although　〃it　breaks　my　

heart　to　leave　just　as　you　are　beginning　to　work　so　well；　but　I　

really　must；　or　the　tiresome　old　cat　who　is　giving　the　tea　will　be　

saying　all　sorts　of　unpleasant　things　about　me。〃　　So　she　flits　off；　

leaving　the　poor；　disillusioned　painter　before　his　canvas；　knowing　

now　that　his　dream　is　over；　that　in　a　month　or　two　his　pretty　

sitter　will　be　off　again　to　New　Orleans　for　the　carnival；　or　

abroad；　and　that　his　weary　round　of　waiting　will　recommence。　　He　

will　be　fortunate　if　some　day　it　does　not　float　back　to　him；　in　the　

mysterious　way　disagreeable　things　do　come　to　one；　that　she　has　

been　heard　to　say；　〃I　fear　dear　Mr。　Palette　is　not　very　clever；　for　

I　have　been　sitting　to　him　for　over　a　year；　and　he　has　really　done　

nothing　yet。〃



He　has　been　simply　the　victim　of　a　state　of　affairs　that　neither　of　

them　were　strong　enough　to　break　through。　　It　never　entered　into　

Beauty's　head　that　she　could　lead　a　life　different　from　her　

friends。　　She　was　honestly　anxious　to　have　a　successful　portrait　of　

herself；　but　the　sacrifice　of　any　of　her　habits　was　more　than　she　

could　make。



Who　among　my　readers　（and　I　am　tempted　to　believe　they　are　all　more　

sensible　than　the　above　young　woman）　has　not；　during　a　summer　

passed　with　agreeable　friends；　made　a　thousand　pleasant　little　

plans　with　them　for　the　ensuing　winter；　…　the　books　they　were　to　

read　at　the　same　time；　the　〃exhibitions〃　they　were　to　see；　the　

visits　to　our　wonderful　collections　in　the　Metropolitan　Museum　or　

private　galleries；　cosy　little　dinners；　etc。？　　And　who　has　not　

found；　as　the　winter　slips　away；　that　few　of　these　charming　plans　

have　been　carried　out？　　He　and　his　friends　have　unconsciously　

fallen　back　into　their　ruts　of　former　years；　and　the　pleasant　

things　projected　have　been　brushed　aside　by　that　strongest　of　

tyrants；　habit。



I　once　asked　a　very　great　lady；　whose　gracious　manner　was　never　

disturbed；　who　floated　through　the　endless　complications　of　her　

life　with　smiling　serenity；　how　she　achieved　this　Olympian　calm。　　

She　was　good　enough　to　explain。　　〃I　make　a　list　of　what　I　want　to　

do　each　day。　　Then；　as　I　find　my　day　passing；　or　I　get　behind；　or　

tired；　I　throw　over　every　other　engagement。　　I　could　have　done　them　

all　with　hurry　and　fatigue。　　I　prefer　to　do　one…half　and　enjoy　what　

I　do。　　If　I　go　to　a　house；　it　is　to　remain　and　appreciate　whatever　

entertainment　has　been　prepared　for　me。　　I　never　offer　to　any　

hostess　the　slight　of　a　hurried；　DISTRAIT　'call；'　with　glances　at　

my　watch；　and　an　'on…the…wing'　manner。　　It　is　much　easier　not　to　

go；　or　to　send　a　card。〃



This　brings　me　around　to　a　subject　which　I　believe　is　one　of　the　

causes　of　my　correspondent's　dilemma。　　I　fear　that　she　never　can　

refuse　anything。　　It　is　a　peculiar　trait　of　people　who　go　about　to　

amuse　themselves；　that　they　are　always　sure　the　particular　

entertainment　they　have　been　asked　to　last　is　going　to　〃be　

amusing。〃　　It　rarely　is　different　from　the　others；　but　these　people　

are　convinced；　that　to　stay　away　would　be　to　miss　something。　　A　

weary…looking　girl　about　1　A。M。　（at　a　house…party）　when　asked　why　

she　did　not　go　to　bed　if　she　was　so　tired；　answered；　〃the　nights　I　

go　to　bed　early；　they　always　seem　to　do　something　jolly；　and　then　I　

miss　it。〃



There　is　no　greater　proof　of　how　much　this　weary　round　wears　on　

women　than　the　acts　of　the　few　who　feel　themselves　strong　enough　in　

their　position　to　defy　custom。　　They　have　thrown　off　the　yoke　（at　

least　the　younger　ones　have）　doubtless　backed　up　by　their　husbands；　

for　men　are　much　quicker　to　see　the　aimlessness　of　this　stupid　

social　routine。　　First　they　broke　down　the　great　New…Year…call　

〃grind。〃　　Men　over　forty　doubtless　recall　with　a　shudder；　that　

awful　custom　which　compelled　a　man　to　get　into　his　dress　clothes　at　

ten　A。M。；　and　pass　his　day　rushing　about　from　house　to　house　like　a　

postman。　　Out…of…town　clubs　and　sport　helped　to　do　away　with　that　

remnant　of　New　Amsterdam。　　Next　came　the　male　revolt　from　the　

afternoon　〃tea〃　or　〃musical。〃　　A　black　coat　is　rare　now　at　either　

of　these　functions；　or　if　seen　is　pretty　sure　to　be　on　a　back　over　

fifty。　　Next；　we　lords　of　creation　refused　to　call　at　all；　or　leave　

our　cards。　　A　married　woman　now　leaves　her　husband's　card　with　her　

own；　and　sisters　leave　the　〃pasteboard〃　of　their　brothers　and　often　

those　of　their　brothers'　friends。　　Any　combination　is　good　enough　

to　〃shoot　a　card。〃



In　London　the　men　have　gone　a　step　further。　　It　is　not　uncommon　to　

hear　a　young　man　boast　that　he　never　owned　a　visiting　card　or　made　

a　〃duty〃　call　in　his　life。　　Neither　there　nor　with　us　does　a　man　

count　as　a　〃call〃　a　quiet　cup　of　tea　with　a　woman　he　likes；　and　a　

cigarette　and　quiet　talk　until　dressing　time。　　Let　the　young　women　

have　courage　and　take　matters　into　their　own　hands。　　（The　older　

ones　are　hopeless　and　will　go　on　pushing　this　Juggernaut　car　over　

each　other's　weary　bodies；　until　the　end　of　the　chapter。）　　Let　them　

have　the　courage　occasionally　to　〃refuse〃　something；　to　keep　

themselves　free　from　aimless　engagements；　and　bring　this　paste…

board　war　to　a　close。　　If　a　woman　is　attractive；　she