day。　　That　ungrateful　task　I　leave　to　sterner　moralists；　and
  hopeful　souls　who　naively　imagine　they　can　stem　the　current　of　an
  epoch　with　the　barrier　of　their　eloquence；　or　sweep　back　an　ocean
  of　innovations　by　their　logic。　　I　should　like；　however；　to　ask　my
  sisters　one　question：　Are　they　quite　sure　that　women　gain　by　these
  changes？　　Do　they　imagine；　these　〃sporty〃　young　females　in　short…
  cut　skirts　and　mannish　shirts　and　ties；　that　it　is　seductive　to　a
  lover；　or　a　husband　to　see　his　idol　in　a　violent　perspiration；　her
  draggled　hair　blowing　across　a　sunburned　face；　panting　up　a　long
  hill　in　front　of　him　on　a　bicycle；　frantic　at　having　lost　her　race？
  Shade　of　gentle　William！　who　said
  A　woman　moved；　is　like　a　fountain　troubled；　…
  Muddy；　ill…seeming；　thick；　bereft　of　beauty。
  And　while　it　is　so；　none　so　dry　or　thirsty
  Will　deign　to　sip　or　touch　one　drop　of　it。
  Is　the　modern　girl　under　the　impression　that　men　will　be　contented
  with　poor　imitations　of　themselves；　to　share　their　homes　and　be　the
  mothers　of　their　children？　　She　is　throwing　away　the　substance　for
  the　shadow！
  The　moment　women　step　out　from　the　sanctuary　of　their　homes；　the
  glamour　that　girlhood　or　maternity　has　thrown　around　them　cast
  aside；　that　moment　will　they　cease　to　rule　mankind。　　Women　may
  agitate　until　they　have　obtained　political　recognition；　but　will
  awake　from　their　foolish　dream　of　power；　realizing　too　late　what
  they　have　sacrificed　to　obtain　it；　that　the　price　has　been　very
  heavy；　and　the　fruit　of　their　struggles　bitter　on　their　lips。
  There　are　few　men；　I　imagine；　of　my　generation　to　whom　the　words
  〃home〃　and　〃mother〃　have　not　a　penetrating　charm；　who　do　not　look
  back　with　softened　heart　and　tender　thoughts　to　fireside　scenes　of
  evening　readings　and　twilight　talks　at　a　mother's　knee；　realizing
  that　the　best　in　their　natures　owes　its　growth　to　these　influences。
  I　sometimes　look　about　me　and　wonder　what　the　word　〃mother〃　will
  mean　later；　to　modern　little　boys。　　It　will　evoke；　I　fear；　a
  confused　remembrance　of　some　centaur…like　being；　half　woman；　half
  wheel；　or　as　it　did　to　neglected　little　Rawdon　Crawley；　the　vision
  of　a　radiant　creature　in　gauze　and　jewels；　driving　away　to　endless
  FETES　…　FETES　followed　by　long　mornings；　when　he　was　told　not　to
  make　any　noise；　or　play　too　loudly；　〃as　poor　mamma　is　resting。〃
  What　other　memories　can　the　〃successful〃　woman　of　to…day　hope　to
  leave　in　the　minds　of　her　children？　　If　the　child　remembers　his
  mother　in　this　way；　will　not　the　man　who　has　known　and　perhaps
  loved　her；　feel　the　same　sensation　of　empty　futility　when　her　name
  is　mentioned？
  The　woman　who　proposes　a　game　of　cards　to　a　youth　who　comes　to　pass
  an　hour　in　her　society；　can　hardly　expect　him　to　carry　away　a
  particularly　tender　memory　of　her　as　he　leaves　the　house。　　The　girl
  who　has　rowed；　ridden；　or　raced　at　a　man's　side　for　days；　with　the
  object　of　getting　the　better　of　him　at　some　sport　or　pastime；
  cannot　reasonably　hope　to　be　connected　in　his　thoughts　with　ideas
  more　tender　or　more　elevated　than　〃odds〃　or　〃handicaps；〃　with　an
  undercurrent　of　pique　if　his　unsexed　companion　has　〃downed〃　him
  successfully。
  What　man；　unless　he　be　singularly　dissolute　or　unfortunate；　but
  turns　his　steps；　when　he　can；　towards　some　dainty　parlor　where　he
  is　sure　of　finding　a　smiling；　soft…voiced　woman；　whose　welcome　he
  knows　will　soothe　his　irritated　nerves　and　restore　the　even　balance
  of　his　temper；　whose　charm　will　work　its　subtle　way　into　his
  troubled　spirit？　　The　wife　he　loves；　or　the　friend　he　admires　and
  respects；　will　do　more　for　him　in　one　such　quiet　hour　when　two
  minds　commune；　coming　closer　to　the　real　man；　and　moving　him　to
  braver　efforts；　and　nobler　aims；　than　all　the　beauties　and　〃sporty〃
  acquaintances　of　a　lifetime。　　No　matter　what　a　man's　education　or
  taste　is；　none　are　insensible　to　such　an　atmosphere　or　to　the　grace
  and　witchery　a　woman　can　lend　to　the　simplest　surroundings。　　She
  need　not　be　beautiful　or　brilliant　to　hold　him　in　lifelong
  allegiance；　if　she　but　possess　this　magnetism。
  Madame　Recamier　was　a　beautiful；　but　not　a　brilliant　woman；　yet　she
  held　men　her　slaves　for　years。　　To　know　her　was　to　fall　under　her
  charm；　and　to　feel　it　once　was　to　remain　her　adorer　for　life。　　She
  will　go　down　to　history　as　the　type　of　a　fascinating　woman。　　Being
  asked　once　by　an　acquaintance　what　spell　she　worked　on　mankind　that
  enabled　her　to　hold　them　for　ever　at　her　feet；　she　laughingly
  answered：
  〃I　have　always　found　two　words　sufficient。　　When　a　visitor　comes
  into　my　salon；　I　say；　'ENFIN！'　and　when　he　gets　up　to　go　away；　I
  say；　'DEJA！'　〃
  〃What　is　this　wonderful　'charm'　he　is　writing　about？〃　　I　hear　some
  sprightly　maiden　inquire　as　she　reads　these　lines。　　My　dear　young
  lady；　if　you　ask　the　question；　you　have　judged　yourself　and　been
  found　wanting。　　But　to　satisfy　you　as　far　as　I　can；　I　will　try　and
  define　it　…　not　by　telling　you　what　it　is；　that　is　beyond　my　power
  …　but　by　negatives；　the　only　way　in　which　subtle　subjects　can　be
  approached。
  A　woman　of　charm　is　never　flustered　and　never　DISTRAITE。　　She　talks
  little；　and　rarely　of　herself；　remembering　that　bores　are　persons
  who　insist　on　talking　about　themselves。　　She　does　not　break　the
  thread　of　a　conversation　by　irrelevant　questions　or　confabulate　in
  an　undertone　with　the　servants。　　No　one　of　her　guests　receives　more
  of　her　attention　than　another　and　none　are　neglected。　　She　offers
  to　each　one　who　speaks　the　homage　of　her　entire　attention。　　She
  never　makes　an　effort　to　be　brilliant　or　entertain　with　her　wit。
  She　is　far　too　clever　for　that。　　Neither　does　she　volunteer
  information　nor　converse　about　her　troubles　or　her　ailments；　nor
  wander　off　into　details　about　people　you　do　not　know。
  She　is　all　things　…　to　each　man　she　likes；　in　the　best　sense　of
  that　phrase；　appreciating　his　qualities；　stimulating　him　to　better
  things。
  …　for　his　gayer　hours
  She　has　a　voice　of　gladness　and　a　smile　and　eloquence　of　beauty；
  and　she　glides
  Into　his　darker　musings　with　a　mild　and　healing　sympathy　that
  steals　away
  Their　sharpness　ere　he　is　aware。
  CHAPTER　2　…　The　Moth　and　the　Star
  THE　truth　of　the　saying　that　〃it　is　always　the　unexpected　that
  happens；〃　receives　in　this　country　a　confirmation　from　an　unlooked…
  for　quarter；　as　does　the　fact　of　human　nature　being　always；
  discouragingly；　the　same　in　spite　of　varied　surroundings。　　This
  sounds　like　a　paradox；　but　is　an　exceedingly　simple　statement
  easily　proved。
  That　the　great　mass　of　Americans；　drawn　as　they　are　from　such
  varied　sources；　should　take　any　interest　in　the　comings　and　goings
  or　social　doings　of　a　small　set　of　wealthy　and　fashionable　people；
  is　certainly　an　unexpected　development。　　That　to　read　of　the
  amusements　and　home　life　of　a　clique　of　people　with　whom　they　have
  little　in　common；　whose　whole　education　and　point　of　view　are
  different　from　their　own；　and　whom　they　have　rarely　seen　and　never
  expect　to　meet；　should　afford　the　average　citizen　any　amusement
  seems　little　short　of　impossible。
  One　accepts　as　a　natural　sequence　that　abroad　（where　an　hereditary
  nobility　have　ruled　for　centuries；　and　accustomed　the　people　to
  look　up　to　them　as　the　visible　embodiment　of　all　that　is　splendid
  and　unattainable　in　life）　such　interest　should　exist。　　That　the
  home…coming　of　an　English　or　French　nobleman　to　his　estates　should
  excite　the　enthusiasm　of　hundreds　more　or　less　dependent　upon　him
  for　their　amusement　or　more　material　advantages；　that　his　marriage
  to　an　heiress　…　meaning　to　them　the　re…opening　of　a　long…closed
  CHATEAU　and　the　beginning　of　a　period　of　prosperity　for　the
  district　…　should　excite　his　neighbors　is　not　to　be　wondered　at。
  It　is　well　known　that　whole　regions　have　been　made　prosperous　by
  the　residence　of　a　court；　witness　the　wealth　and　trade　brought　into
  Scotland　by　the　Queen's　preference　for　〃the　Land　of　Cakes；〃　and　the
  discontent　and　poverty　in　Ireland　from　absenteeism　and　persistent
  avoidance　of　that　country　by　the　court。　　But　in　this　land；　where
  every　reason　for　interesting　one　class　in　another　seems　lacking；
  that　thousands　of　well…to…do　people　（half　the　time　not　born　in　this
  hemisphere）；　should　delightedly　devour　columns　of　incorrect
  information　about　New　York　dances　and　Lenox　house…parties；　winter
  cruises；　or　Newport　coaching　parades；　strikes　the　observer　as　the
  〃unexpected〃　in　its　purest　form。
  That　this　interest　exists　is　absolutely　certain。　　During　a　trip　in
  the　West；　some　seasons　ago；　I　was　dumbfounded　to　find　that　the
  members　of　a　certain　New　York　set　were　familiarly　spoken　of　by
  their　first　names；　and　was　assailed　with　all　sorts　of　eager
  questions　when　it　was　discovered　that　I　knew　them。　　A　certain　young
  lady；　at　that　time　a　belle　in　New　York；　wa