The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-08
MY FELLOW-TRAVELER
CHARLOTTE PERKINS sTETsoN.

along with feeble speed just ahead of me,
that she was going to be just ahead, or just
behind, or just beside me all day. If had
suspected it l would have gone to New York
instead of Boston-or to Attleboro.
If there is any one thing in this world
which wears on me more than another. il is
an ordinary woman. l like handsome
women, of course, and good women, of
course, and smart women l have a great
respect for.
or my own women, am extremely fond,
having good wife, a handsome daughter
and sister as smart as steel trap.
This woman just ahead of me was neither
young nor handsome nor smart. am sure.
nor especially good either, for her express
siou showed temper. and so did her voice,
as she screamed few last directions in
leaving her house
This is habit women have which don't
like. You don't see a man stand at his
gate or the door of his factory either and
yell out parting directions. He sees to his
work while he's inside, and when he goes
out he goes out.
/ suppose women carry their household
cares about with them everywhere. | know
they always talk about them everywhere.
I've noticed it in my wife again aud again
always something on their minds.
To run small house and few children
oughtn't to take a whole human life A man
ean keep hotel and have some spare tim e..
And man can manage a Whole orphan
aJylum, and yet not talk III his sleep about
IL l never kew man to do both, though.
l wonder If it is the multiplicity and vari-
ETY. of their little cares that makes women
so wearing. But I've forgotten tie one in
front Of me-
She hurried all the way down the street,
and walked slowly and kept easily behind
her How absurd it is t. see woman
hurry! They cannot run; that Is worse
than absurd; it is awful! But just to walk
fast spoilS their looks Their feet 60 skit-
tcrlng along in no kind OF step, aud their
skirts bob and waggls about in no kind of
time with their feet.
woman's clothes never look well unless
she is quiPt-either sitting still or walking
slowly. | suppose that is one reason they
keep quiet so much; and if it were possible
10 dress IN any other way, ! suppose they
might move better; but | shall never finish
my particular woman at this rate.
l was going 10 stop at the postOffice, but
quite forgot 1t till saw her turn In there,
and then hurried but it was too late. |
had TO stand and wait for that woman TO de-
post on the stamp window-Sill an umbrella,
goSsamer, bag, one of those everlasting
supplementary pouches that most women
carry nowadays, and various little pack
ages. What mass of stuff women do carry
about! That ever-present gOsSamer and
umbrella! Why are they so afraid of a
little ram? / suppose it Is partly delicate
health, poor housed up things, for the
most part but still more judeI0us care of
their dry goods. I'm a family man myself,
and l know what sorry sight wet woman
is, and how long it takes or how much II
costs TO make their spoiled clothes over
again. II they'd only wear plain. heavy
goods, that rain wouldn't spoil. But that
would be an awful weight, made as they
make their clothes. Ihey might make
them plain and scant, but that looks
awfully-SalvatiOn Army and dress reform !
WHAT a nuisance women's clothes are, any
way, from practical point of view!
Ny depression is all right this time-I h I'd
time for twenty such, while that woman
struggled with her stamps and her bundles.
Ii man bad twice as many things to carry
he wouldn't obstruct the stamp office WIN
dow with them. He would take out what
he wanted aud leave the rest 10 his pockets
Why don't women have pockets? Breast
pockets, hip pocket, till pocket, what am |
thinking OF? OF course they cau't, with
their clothes. Hang their clothes! No Won
der they flourish those bagsl
Well, l waited till that woman had bought
her stamps and stamped her packages, and
argued confuSedly with the clerk, and finally
picked up all her buds aud come cut the way
she went in; SO l had 10 back out before
her.
Then got mine and was through in time
to see her skipping up Weybosset street.
wish somebody would start an academy
to teach women some knowledge OF business
methods, II only enough to travel with
Ihey'd save themselves years OF worry il
they only knew the difference between g
check and a ticket, and that knobs and
things usually open from right to left
II women would only use a little sense
they've got sense enough too, Of sort-and
learn to do these little things with an air o!
cool, easy assurance-no, don't mean as
surance but simply and naturally like a
man-no, didn't mean like man, of course,
nor like woman, heaven knows, but like a
reasonable being. | suppose they act so be
cause OF really having so little experience
In these matters, always having had these
things done for them. and not liking to ap-
pear bold and forward, which this woman
certainly was not.
saw her 60 waverlng along Weybosset
street. and stop a moment to look in at
Clapp q Kings. You never can tell by a
wonan's looks whether she is going to buy
or rot wonder what mental process goes
on While they Look at strawberries, or lace
collars, or chidren's shoes. It's like that
joke" the difference between a man and a
woman is, man will pay dollar for fifty
cent thing he wants, aud woman will pay
nifty cents for adOlar thing she don't want u
They never seem to know. l suppose they
are thinking something like this: Those
strawberries look pretty goOd-thirty cents
box. That's too high. William likes
them, but he hates extravaganza. Jennie
likes them, too-Iye great mind to-no;
wont either. Its too early" and SO they
go off, after all.
Now, a man would only think of one
thing, whether he wanted those strawber-
ries or not, and secondary whether he had
the money to pay for them. l suppose it is
partly having to consider so many taste.
and opinions that makes them so uncertain
women | mean.
The one in question got out of sight Just
then, and went comfortably to the static n
and got good seat in the 10 o'clock train.
read my paper peacefully, the train filed
as 1t always does, and we were about to
start when | heard timid voice at my
elbow-"ls this seat engaged?" and there
was that woman againl
made room for her, of course, there was
no other seat in the car, and she sat down
BY my side. So l had an opportunity OF
verifying my former hasty judgment.
was quite right. Not young, not handsome,
not smart, not even extra good.
About 80 | should judge Singular how
old most women look at s.. Now a man of
So Is young, just about old enough to marry
wisely. Then If he marries girl of IS OF
SO there is some chancs Of her keeping even
with him.
wonder what does age them SOP 1t must
60 rather hard, too, for they naturally care
more about being younger at least looking
young.
Row a man at 80 or even 60 can still rise
10 tile world and enjoy it, but woman's
ding seems to end at about 80 After tina,
they are treasures at home, of course. hui
ambition. Seems now, when they value
youth and beauty so much, they might keep
IL at least as long as we do. They Just seem
to blossom and fade-marriage and the
home; there's no other safe place for 'em
But my sister looks ten years younger than
my wife. and, really, she's five years older
wonder If it is because she isn't married
and teaches-is independent, larger interests
broader lifcP But they must marry, and
Pm sure wouldn't want my wife to &c
4rOnud and fhinus i'm Inc cie -,
does-a married woman cant; and vet the
married women seem to value their looks
more than the old maids. Well, Pm thank.
full the world isn't on my shoulders.
We rode to Boston together. and should
have been very glad of little conversation
With my seat-mate, but that, of course, was
QUIT the question. She would have thought
herself insulted, and called the conductor,
no doubt, If had tried to talk to her. How
sensitiye and foolish women are about being
spoken to! AS If one human being could
not speak to another without evil intention
Still, of course one wouldn't want his wife