Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1895 — My Lady’s Purse. [ARTICLE]

My Lady’s Purse.

It’s interesting to see what the average woman keeps in the article that she is pleased to call her purse. There is an old and time honored notion that purses are made to hold money. The average woman has changed all that, however. Money there may be in the bit of silver tipped reptile hide that she invariably carries in her hand, but it is in the minority. Samples of overy shade and variety are first and foremost among the contents. Then there is a whole arsenal of glove buttoners, hairpins, pencils and the like. Visiting cards, memorandum books, letters and pocket handkerchiefs are next in bulging evidence, and if she’s a woman considerably below the average it wouldn t be surprising to find a snug little wad of chewing gum in company with her dimes and quarters. How does the chance observer know all this? Why. it is all spread out before him upon the average woman’s lap when the street car conductor steps forward to collect the average woman's fare, and as some time elapses before the sought for nickel is fished out from the debris there is plenty of time for the chance observer to make a complete and accurate inventory. In its apparently limitless capacity, the purse of the average woman rivals the pocket of the average small boy.