St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-07
Bill Nye,s advice to Girls,
from the Hot Springs News.

From the Hot Springs News.
My Dear Sir: Would it be asking too
much forme to request brief reply to one
OF two questions which many other married
women as well as myself would like to have
answered?
Il have been married now for five years.
To-day is the anniversary of my marriage.
When [ was single was teacher and sup
ported myself in comfort. I had more
pocket money and dressed fully as well, if
not better, than [ do now. Why should
girls who are abundantly able to earn their
own livelihood struggle to become the slave
of husband and children, and tie them
selves to man when they might be free and
happy?
II think too much is said by the men in
a light and fippant manner about the
anxiety of young ladies to secure home
and husband, and still they do deserve
part of it, as l feel that l do now for as
| suming great burden when 1 was COM
paritively independent and comfortable.
Now, will you suggest any advice that
you think would benefit the yet unmarried
and self-suppOrting girls who are liable to
make the same mistake that I did, and
| thus warn them in manner that would be
| so much more universal in its range and
reach so many more people than l could if
l should raise my voice? Do this, and you
will be gratefully remembered by
ETHEL
1t would indeed be tough, tough man
who could ignore the gentle plea, Ethel;
tougher far than the pale, intellectual hired
man who now addresses you in this private
and undetermined way.
| You say you had more pocket money be-
fore you were married than you have since,
Ethel, and you regret your rash step. | am
sorry to hear it. 7 Ou also say that you wore
better clothes when you were single than you
do now. You are also panied over that II
seems that marriage with you has not paid
any cash dividends So if you married Mr..
Ethel as a financial venture, it was a mis-
take. You do not state how it has affected
your husband. Perhaps he had more pocket
money and wore better clothes before he
married than he has since. Sometimes
two people do well in business by them
selves, but when they go into partnership
they bust higher than kite, if you will
allow me the free English of an express
sion which you might not fully understand
if l should give it to you in the original
Roman.
Lots of self-supporting young ladies have
married and have to go very light ON pin
money after that and still they do not
squeal as you, dear Ethel. They did not
marry for revenue only. They married for
protection. This is little political bon
mot which thought of myself. Some of
my best jokes this spring are jokes that l
| thought of myself.
No, Ethel, if you married expecting to
be dormant partner during the day and
| night and declare dividend, of course life
is full of bitter, bitter regret and disap-
pOintment.
Of course want to do what is right in
! the solemn warning business, so I will give
notice to all single young women who are
now self-supporting and happy that there
is no statute requiring them to assume the
burdens of wifehood and motherhood un.
less they prefer to do so. Ii they now have
abundance of pin money and new clothes,
they may remain single if they wish with
out violating the law of the land This
rule is also good when applied to young and
self-suppOrting young men who wear good
clothes and have funds in their pockets.
No young man who is free, happy and in
dependent need invest his money in fam
lily or carry collicky child 81 miles and
2 laps in the night unless he prefers it. But
those who go into it with the right spirit,
Ethel, do not regret it.
l would just as soon tell you, Ethel, if
you will promise that it shall go no further,
that / do not wear as good clothes as 1 used
to before | was married. l don't want to.
My good clothes have accomplished what
got them for. played them for all they
| were worth, and since l got married the
idea of wearing clothes as a vocation has
not occurred to me.
Please give my kind regards to Mr..
Ethel and tell him that, although do moi
know him personally, cannot help feeling
sorrow for him.