GOOD WOMEN

Shannon News, 12 March 1929, Page 4

GOOD WOMEN

Ancient scriptures have assured us in no uncertain terms that the value of a gopd woman is far above rubics> says Edna Graham Macky in the New Zealand Herald. Writers and social reformers and preachers have re-iter-ated this truth for hundreds of years, yet from personal observation I fail to see'that really good women have ever, had a fair deal from the opposite sex.y I grant you that men often turn to. them in dire nee’d and in times of distress and even call them saints in brief:; noble woman have very little chance pense can be made, the claims .of the arc prosperous and adequate redom, moments of gratitude, but when affairs against, the seductive charms of her less honourable sister who specialises in pleasure. This is a very hard saying, an'd does not speak well for the masculine psychology. History teems with the names .of courtesans and so-called “unconventional ladies” who have ruled kings ,and controlled the destinies of nations.. There are practically no instances where good women have held such influential sway. The good woman usually has her followers and worshippers among the down and out classes, ,practically helpless themselves and therefore unable to bestow favours. Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell come quickly to the mind as examples of great and noble women whose lives were devoted to the care and succour of broken and desperate men. Neither of these good souls were ever married and we read of no lovers. If either of them had a love affair it most likely ended in their admirers being enticed away from thorn by less worthy individuals. ‘

I venture to claim that the majority of men find it difficult to passionately love good women. They admire them, no doubt, and even reverence them in spirit, but funnily enough their personal affection and attention, they consistently reserve for women, of inferior character. It is possible that men stand in awe of a really noble woman, that, indeed, they arc just a little bit afraid of her. It is likely, too, that men unconsciously realise how much they would suffer in comparison with women of the highest qualities, therefore their pride is safeguarded by an alliance with inferior clay. Another thing that militates against the popularity of good women is that they are eternally giving. There is no limit to the extent a loving, unselfish woman will give of herself, her possessions. She will not coheeal’ her abject devotion. She will slave, and: work for those she loves at the expense of her personal appearance and welfare. All these things, a good woman will do and never dream of a reward, but the woman who is selfish “knows her onions,” as the saying gees, and consequently gets more Consideration and an abundant share of this world’s comforts. It isn’t exactly fair, to say the least. Men love to be kept in suspense. They crave the clement of adventure and excitement. They possess, moreover, the primitive instinct to look \Jowh upon and regard as inferior .anyone who serves them or submissively waits upon them. Men desire to be the givers and benefactors. They like women to value what they find it difficult to procure in the markets —jewels, clothes, luxuries. A good woman, is satisfied with sentimental phrases, but the lady of easy virtue demands as her due nothing less than a rope of pearls or a fur coat.

There is absolutely no element of chance with a good woman. Her sense of duty acts as an anchor. She will stick to her man through thick and thin, and he, ungrateful wretch, naturally takes advantage of this knowledge. On the other hand, she of the fickle fancy is apt. to keep her lever on the qui vivo. These random observations are ;not in condemnation of the good woman, far be it from me to lessen her already diminishing influence, bjit it is rather a protest against man’s inhumanity to woman and his lack of appreciation of the finer types. It is to point out, also man’s tremendous responsibility in the shaping of his womenfolk’. Good women are beginning to realise that they are playing a losing game under their old banner of modesty and devotion and have taken to fighting the devil with his own fire 1 The most respect able members of the fair sex nowadays paint their faces and freely display dimpled knees in public on account of having been mercilessly forced into competition with the fascinating courtesan and the alluring ballet danepr, formerly the sole exponents of the lipstick and the abbreviated skirt. Men who complain of worthless, fickle wives deserve little sympathy, for women arc undoubtedly what men wish them to be. The ‘Sweet Alice’s” of oil Ben Bolt’s day have become extinct. They have been all killed off. by cruel neglect. Remember ‘' the slab of granite so grey” which goes to prove that men do not appreciate good women as they should^