St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-18
A Consensus Shows They Do
Not Think Marriage LIES
Sole End.

ia H@l much as Eve
~ did the apple"
| thought my
friend didn't know much about the
subject. and was little out or temper.
In order to find if there was a biz OF
truth in her assertion L wrote about
twenty letters to girls who had good
positions and fair salaries. The letters
were brief and to the point. They
didn't ask: SIS marriage fallure?'
which is the fashionable question. Ii
seemed irrelevant. How can girl
know if marriage is failure when she
has never been wed? So [ asked why
they didn't try the experiment and set
tie the veXed question. had lurking
notion that nine out OF every ten
young ladies did marry just as
soon as an opportunity offered. mat
notion was a mistake. 1 stand cor
rpcted. Every letter was answered and
the reasons were as numerous as the
sands the seashore. There was one
similarity about the answers. Each
writer coyly confessed that she had
been annoyed by a large number of
offers of marriage and that she had Only
to say the word i'll order to make any
one of half dozen importunate suitors
happy. That must be pleasant state
of affairs, and of course, when the dear
girls affirm it TO be true no one shall
presume to doubt their word. My
queries were addressed to maidens
whose salaries from vary $50 to 500 per
month. They were all of mature age, so
that their reasons ought to be OF some
value. / quote few:
81 don't care to marry. because | have
not that yearning for home winch a
woman is popularity supposed to posses.
A home, in the modern sense, means a
compound of CAB es and angles, painted
some hideous color, with little plot of
grass and wire fence in front. A
home is never less than two miles from
the city. Living in a home of your own,
you are at the mercy OF the suburban
view of green fields and the society of
a sewing circle. prefer to board down
town and earn my own living.
Another in nearly the same strain
protests:
Il don't want to spend my time look
ing after careless and dishonest Sery-
ants. A wife must either do her own
work or trust to incapable help. | had
rather do typewrting than ~housework,
even in my own home. It's very we'll to
write poems about the comforts and
beauties of domestic life, but | agree
with the sentiments expressed in
like home, and thank heaven there
isn't"
Another looks at the question in
buSiness-like way and draws her con-
illusions thus: Il earn 500 a month. |
can't expect to marry man who earns
larger salary. On my salary board
at good hotel; take my meals at
fashionable restaurant where my
friends all meet. We discuss the topics
of the day and amuse ourselves by
watching the different classes of people
wO Saunter to and fro. That's much
more amusing than dining at home in
the solitude of two. belong to liter
airy club and have purchased a well Sc
lected library. | go to concerts or the
theater whenever please. Can afford
to dress well. only work seven hours
day and take a vacation every sum-
mer. One hundred dollars month
means to me all these little luxuries
and comforts. If | stop working and
marry a man who earns that salary, it
means for me a little cottage plainly
furnished, one careless servant, about
two dresses year, always fear that
bills cannot be met-in short. it means
more responsibility in every way, and
nothing to compensate, for my loss of
independence"
am afraid that girl has been disap-
pointed in love. She says not a word of
sentiment, and thinks single bliss a
prize not lightly to be thrown away.
Another seems to be socialist. She
says:
Our present system of keeping house
is all wrong. Here we live in scattering
houses, doubling our expenses, and
haIving our comforts. / should think
that a dozen families could build
how lit
laundry and work room. By con-
tributing to the common fund
the work that women now do or trust to
servants, could be done much cheaper
and better in large kitchen. 1t would
pay to supply this work room with
laDorSaV NJ appliances. Then woman
would he lett free to perform her part
i'll society as wife and mother, instead
of Being drudge, as she is under the
present system. A common reading
room could be stocked with good itera-
ture for nominal price. The families
living in such a building could have
the advantages of each others society.
and in every way it would be cheaper
and more pleasant than our present
syStem.2
/ studied that plan for while and
several progressive people said it was
all right; but it seems TO me that it has
one serious defect. Just think of twelve
women living i'll practically the same
house, sharing the same kitchen and
backyard. l don't want to be unjust,
but there would be quarrel between
those women before the first week had
passed over their heads in the new DOM
icile. 1t may be well enough for men
to try cooperation in business. Per-
haps, by experience, they have learned
mutual forbearance. But women have
too long been accustomed to rule SUI
preme over their own kitchen. They
wouldn't cooperate. Some morning
one woman would conclude to run that
mmon kitchen In her own WaN. and