The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-08-27

81 have been married now for five
years. To-day is the anniversary Of
my marriage. When / was single |
was teacher and supported myself
in comfort. / had more pocket mon
ey and dressed fully as well il not bet.
ter than do now. Why should girls
who are abundantly able to earn their
own livelihood struggle to become the
slave OF husband and tie themselves
to man when theymight be free
andhappy?
"Ithink too much is said by the
men ina light and fiippant manner
about the anxiety of young ladies to
secure home and u husband, and
still they do deserve a part of it, as |
feel that / do now for assuming
great burden when I was comparative
ly 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 mis-.
take that / did, and thus warn them
in a manner that would be so much
more universal in its range, and reach
so many more people than could if
! should raise my voice2 Do this,
and you will be gratefully remember
ed by ETHEL"
1t would indeed be tough, tough,
tough man who could ignore thy
gentle plea, Ethel, tougher far than
the pale, intellectual hired man who
now addresses you in this privaet un-
derhand way.
You say that you had more pocket
money before You were married than
you have since, Ethel, and you regret
your rash step. am sorry. You
also say that you wore better clothes
when you were single than you do
now. You are also panied over that.
1t seems that marriage with you has
not paid any cash divide nds. SO if
you married Mr. Ethel as financial
venture, it was mistake. You do
not state how it has affected your hus-
ban. Perhaps he had more pocket
money and better clothes before he
married than he has since. Some
times two people do well in business
Thy themselves, but when they go into
partnership they burst higher than a
Kite If you will allow me the full Eng
lish translation ofan expression which
you might not fully understand if /
should give it to you in the original
Roman.
Lots OF self-supporting young ladies
have had to 20 very light on pin mon
ey after that, and still they do not
squeal as you do, dear Ethel. They
did not marry for revenue only.
They married for protection. (Theis
lisa little political bon mot which
thought of myself. Some of my best
Jokes this spring are jokes that
thought of myself)
| No, Ethel, ii you married expecting
to be dormant partner during the
day and then go through Mr. Ethel's
pockets at night and declare a divi-
dend, of course life is full OF bitter,
bitter regret and disappointment.
| OF course want to do what is right
in the solemn warning business, so
give notice to all simple young women
who are now selfsupporting and hap
Ply that there is no statute requiring
them to assume the burdens of wifehood
and motherhood unless they prefer to
do so. If they now have abundance
otpin money and new clothes they
may remain single if they wish with
out violating the laws OF the land.
| This rule is also good when applied to
self-supporting young men who wear
| good clothes and have funds in their
pockets No young man who is free,
HAPPY and Independent, need invest
his money in a family or carry col
licky child twenty-seven miles and two
laps in the night unless he prefers it.
But those go into it with the right,
Ethel, do not regret it.
/ | would just as soon tell you Ethel,
| if you will promise tina tit shall go no
further, that / do not wear as good
colthes as / did before l was married,
| | don't want to. My good clothes
have accomplished what l got them
for played them for all they were
worth, and since | got married the
| idea of wearing clothes as a vocation
has not required to me.
Please give my kind regards to Mr.
Ethel, and tell him that, aItho l dc
not know him personally, l cannot
help feeling sorry for him.