FOR WOMEN ONLY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17159, 1 October 1923, Page 4

FOR WOMEN ONLY.

An American described to me tho °“ her fay the parties that are given by them for one sex, and she declared that they were a success (says an English writer). Not only picnics but also luncheon and dinner parties. * n . a ® maU country town like that of Mam Street,” where the women know ail the men and are each married to one oi them such parties might be pleasant. Ihe possibilities of fresh and living combination being exhausted the women might be thrown back on each other for companionship; but to give a successful dinner for women only in a big town is a difficult matter. In the first place, women do not herd together like men. They each stand at the centre of life, while man the wanderer adventures in little armies and sits afterwards—all that remains of him —by the camp-fires to tell over his fights.

In the second place, charming women like to meet men, for onlv men pay that tribute to their charm which is the proof that they possess it. Those things admitted, however, it i.-> possible to give a succesful party “ for women only ” even in England, but—goodness! how careful we have to b© m the selection of the guests. The interesting woman i 3 she who has done something, who can talk from a ripe experience, and who has lived—

not the woman who has only looked on and picked up her opinions and information from newspapers and books. The most terrible of all people to meet socially is the woman who thinks it the right thing to talk to an artist about art. She is almost alwavs un • critical, also she knows nothingof the matter from the inside, and the result for the poor artist is irritation bevond bearing with civility.

But if to the feast for women only women of affairs arc asked, these are likely to get as much pleasure out of the party as might the samo number of intelligent men.

I remember giving a dinner of this sort, and we all told of the days when we had not known where our next meal was to come from, of the shifts we had been put to and the way in which gradually wo had made good. It was a riotous party, lasting until serious and sober husbands came from their clubs to take their housemates away.

I wonder whether when American women get together they do their entertaining as carefully and—get as much fun out of it?