Women Who Influence Man.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue VII, 14 February 1903, Page 417

Women Who Influence Man.

(By

Max O’Rell.)

To believe that men are ruled by strong-minded women is a mistake; men invariably rebel against the tyranny of assertive women and viragos; but the most intelligent, masterly men submit, like lambs, to the gentle influence of sweet, amiable, sensible and tactful women, who lead them discreetly, diplomatically, without their feeling it. with out their scarcely knowing it.

Even the frivolous woman is more successful in the management of a man than the virile woman whose notions constantly divert her from her womanly sphere. Why, the silliest little goose of a woman often possesses more instinct, more of that common sense which is inborn in woman, than all the blues) stockings of the world put together.

We all know the heroism of which the womanly woman may be capable. She is energetic and valiant: she suffers bet ter than man. she can die as well as he can. She endures a long martyrdom more patiently than he does, and, in his own. she is his best support. Yet, this very woman who can do all this, may be afraid of little things; in a hansom cab she may grasp the arm of a man and look up to him for protection.

and that man is grateful to her tor the little tacit homage she thus renders to the superiority of one sex over the other. This superiority only exists in (*on vent ion, and in brutal force; but do not convention and brutal force rule the world? The question is not whether it should Ih* so; but it is so. Woiii«.n is stronger in her weakness than in her strength In fact, it is through her very weakness that she rules. The day sin* wants to reign, she erases to rule. The supreme aim of a woman should Im? Io assume the role of the occult power that rules behind a man: in public all her actions should be performed for the good ami the glorification of her husband; at home she should take care that he never gets blase of the love she inspires in him. nor she of the love she feels for him. Her husband should be the motive of all her action*. Before trying to look Iteautiful tor the indifferent she should strive to always look her best for him. When she is admired at a party, when her beauty and her attire cause every one to sing her praises, her husband should certainly feel flattered and proud; but he should keep in his memory some souvenir still more triumphant than this; he should remember some moment, some toilet of which he alone had the secret privilege, so that he may feel that if others are allowed to sometimes on joy the crumbs that fall from a table loaded with delicious dainties, he alone sits at that table without any one else daring to fake a seat by his side. Love is eternal for a woman superior ‘iiougli to thus govern her existence. She is young for ever, for her husband i.ors not perceive any alteration in her. Io her children she is a friend and a confidante, almost an elder sister. Io her friends and acquaintances she is a wise and modest counsellor, ami you will always see her house full of young people. In the drawing room girls will sit around her and be satisfied with a cushion on the floor so as to be nearer to her. I know many women who have succeeded in playing this beautiful role in life. 1 know one especially. She is an American. If you count the years she has lived you will say that she is old. If you knew her as 1 do you would say she was young. One day. travelling on the Grand Central railroad. I was attentively listening to two beautiful young girls who were speaking of her in the section of the car next to mine. By and bye we passed under a hill on the top of which my lady friend owns a lovely summer home. “That’s where the • ’ear lives.” said the girls, looking up through the window, and they throw at her kisses which she never saw. T joined them quietly in petto.