The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-04
uARRIRD MOlEN MuO morn.
increase In the Number Of Wives Seen at
the Desk and Counter.

AupFehhe IA tue NuulHeF Va WNN" ~N~TT -
the Desk and Counter
Deserted wives are not the only mar
ried women who work downtown says
the Chicago TinRs, Hundredsoi women,
both young and old, think they can aid
the exchequer better by outside work
than by housekeeping and 80 they hnu
employment in some kind OF business
and they aud their husbands "board,"
Most Of this class Of Out'Workiug wives
are young women who before thelr mar;
rage were engaged In occupations OF
this kind, School-teachers, clerks, ste
ppgraphers, type-writers and sales
women, who have never done any do,
nestle work, find themselves united
lor it and unable to do 1t. Besides, " Is
dpsgreeaole 10 them.
They marry and are anxious to help
their husbands, They had good posi-
lions and pay before marriage, and nat
urally they go back to the kind OF work
they know best and at which they can
m IKE the most money,
The young husband generally objects
He had q vague, indefinite idea when he
was a rowing blade himself that pretty
typewriter girls and 30 on were very
much inclined TO flirt, and he had rather
hazy notions about them till he met his
ChaTmer, -
OF course, she was different from all
the others, hut Just the same he doesn't
like the idea OF his wife being thought
about and talked about by other men
as be used TO think and talk about the
typewritels and shop girls.
Sometimes his objections are lasting
and strong enough TO keep his vile at
home, but very often he not unwillingly
gives In, especially II no family has come
TO tie the vito TO her home.
Aud families are growing moro rare
every day. II will soon be in order
for us TO follow the French custom and
have the Government offer bonus to
every couple having three or more
children, Then perhaps tho married
salesglrl would try To decrease the
treasury surplus and increase the popu'
lation at the same time, Instead Of com.
petlng with her own and other girls
husbands III downtown work.
Meanwhile the number OF married
women who hold places In Offices or
shops Is large aud tho list Of applicants
Is increasing daily, One can hear Mrs"
almost as often as "AIiss" now when an
employer addresses his clerk or aman'
uensis.
Whether 1t Is an evil or blessing Is o
question for the political and social
economists to consider, hut the fact re.
mains that tho advent Of the married
woman In the field OF labor is not tend
ing to increase wages nor render EN-
plOyment easy OF obtaining,
The young woman had about banished
the young men from many lines OF Office
aud clerical work, and the married wO'
man Is hurting both OF the other classes,
She can afford to work for less pay be.
cause she has her husband to support
her, and she often lowers the pay OF
most OF the work.people in an office by
offering to work for lower wages than Ia
already being paid.
There is some excuse for the married
woman who has been deserted by her
husband and must work to support her.
self and possibly her children, but the
working married woman who is not
driven 10 1t is a nuisance and should BIZ
made to resign,
The married woman who works down
town Is doing an injustice 10 those wO.
men who have not drawn prize,
whether capital or approximation, in the
matrimonial lottery, and they should
not continue 1t. AS the lazy sister in q
houseiul OF girls said in excuse Of her
persistent avoidance Of work: "lps a
poor family that can't Afford to have one
lady in It,"