Life — July 15, 1897 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

48 *LIFE: conservative dimensions, the trunks had to be stored in the stable, ecommodating Be very careful not to dress so as to attract attention. A true Ss gentlewoman always seeks to render herself unnoticeable, especially €a ~ to the sterner sex. And right here, dear girls, I feel in duty : Ser ent bound to caution you against one of the awfulest pitfalls to be : found in the summer—the male acquaintance! Thousands of sweet girls, as innocent as the pure blossoms of the weeping pine tree, who fail to take the Ladies’ Own Journal and ponder my words of wisdom, leave town without a thought of the dangers awaiting them; dangers that go about in blue serge, white duck, golf suits and tan shoes! Many a fair girl allows one of these summer young men to be introduced to her, and then— ah! but too often, in less than three weeks he is calling her by her first name, treating her to the deadly orange phosphate, and sitting on the piazza with her until nine, or even a quarter past nine o'clock at night. Some, perchance, may censure me for speaking thus plainly to budding womanhood of the dangers that lurk around the country buckboard and mud-scow; but I feel it my duty to those who will soon be among the nation’s ancestresses to speak plainly, so that they may avoid the base creature man, and become ultra-noblewomen of independentand broadened minds, . * * KNOW what temptations assail the girls at summer resorts, for twen—I mean a few years ago, while spend- to ask me to go with him ona straw-ride. I had my back to ing a week in the mountains, a young man had the audacity him as he approached me, and I instantly turned upon him with scornful eyes, from which a whole lot of little darts were shooting, I'm sure, and told him in freezing tones that he must have made some mistake. The moment that he saw my face he gasped an apology, and tried to make out that he had intended to ask someone else—but he couldn't pull the wool over my eyes. Sotake my terrible experience as an example and a warning, dear girls, and some day you may be able to keep the men at bay as well as I do now. But man, while the worst, is not the only danger to be avoided; so, that you may the more easily commit them to memory, I have tabulated a number of precepts that will serve you during your outings, and by their strict observance you will come back well and happy: Avoid late hours, When the sun sinks in the west, and nature begins to spread her black shawl over the earth, retire to your beds and sleep at once. Then you will be able to rise with the katydid in the morning, and do several squares of patchwork before breakfast. Avoid overeating, Your Aunt Rashmore invariably takes a spoonful of gruel, an egg, and a glass of milk (with two pinches of salt) for breakfast, a bit of something warm for dinner, and a morsel of dry bread and a cup of weak tea at night. Avoid mannishness. Such as driving faster than a walk, cycling, fishing, indulging in tennis, archery or golf, and playing the banjo. If you care for games, croquet and jack-straws will meet every requirement. Avoid frivolity. Do not be ever ready to laugh—life is serious. Do not waste time in mere enjoyment—minutes are precious. Be industrious and mindful of your health. Avoid so-called “ resting.” That is, living, even for one week out of the fifty-two, with no purpose save to have a “good time" and “take things easy.” “WAS YOUR MASTER STRAIGHT WHEN HE CAME HOME Last NiouT 2?" — Avotd aimless strotling. Mf you wish to walk about the country, “OH, VIS, MA'AML HE WAS THAT STRAIGHT I WAS AFRAID HE'D FALL See how many subscribers to the Ladies’ Own Journal you can OVER BACKWARDS,” secure. Wallace Dunbar Vincent,