The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-05
An Important Social Lesson.

and uncertainty:
was - years old yesterday and for the past four
years have been employed in an Office where am the
only woman For some time before. knew one OF the
clerks All Of these arc gentlemen and are most kind
to mo My employer Is about 81 years of aye edu.
Gated. refined. in fact gentleman Last Saturday he
surprised me by declaration OF love and asked to
be hts wife. told him ibid not love him. respected
| him and honored him AS my employer. but no other
thought him had entered my head. Then like n
flash found to be true what before only surmsed.
love the clerk with all the strength Of my soul.
lie spoken directly OF his love for but has
ofmes in his talks with me included me in his plans
for the future. lie receives $500 year. 5000: but
| would rather live with him that than with
| my master on million. lie Ia % years old.
lie told me. when Speaking OF supposititious
| case. that IL a woman loved n man she would wait
for him 10 you think he meant that for moi My
employer differs from In religion. but that's only n
matter of birth. The clerk il OF my belief encounter
him daily lie sends me his srS every day to read.
One day during this month he told me that there
a charm me that no other girl possessed: but
ever since he has studously avoided mo. Among his
friends am supposed to be tho 'one. but my heart
| fails when think may be not. lie would willingly
my escort anywhere but. conscious OF my love
for him. l never ask him to. lie goes with the boys
around but he Is good believing one may not be great
| bu: can be good.
| SIR know you think am a loves,ck maiden. or
would write down my Utmost thoughts to a
| stranger: but Am poor and am tempted by my rich
employers oner. Tor II married MN woulu be fafh
ful but would rather marry the other. So tell young
men risk ALL for many q ono loves as do"
Our charming correspondent need not
| have feared that her case would seem I'M
| important to us. II is OF the highest i'm
| portance. The sentiment which she con-
fesses so frankly is tho ruling sentiment in
| the world. 1t makes tho poetry of human
existence. and universal though it be, it Is
III. r..l -
rapturing to experience. Love is forever
beautiful. and it is most beautiful when it
is joined with fidelity like hers.
Her case also has general and very
suggestive interest, as indicating a very
important consequence OF the admission OF
women into business association and COM
petition with men. That consequence. of
course Is the inevitable occurrence Of the
complication Of the natural attraction be-
tween men and women. The association
introduces into business relations the In
congruous element OF tender sentiment.
and it tends to provoke that tyrannical
and unreasoning passion. If unmarried
men and women are brought together
constantly. and moro especially II the
women be young and pretty like our gentle
correspondent the chances arc many that
the purely business relations will be trans
formed into romantic or at least deeply
affectionate attachment. 1t Is bringing to-
gether the fire and the finder under circum-
stances most likely to kindle the inflam-
nation. The moro general entrance
of women into such employments as
this much distressed girl pursues in
daily association with men. Is more
likely to provoke marriage than their
old and comparatively secluded manner
Of life. The attraction Of this magnet
is the stronger the nearer it is. 1t Is the
more irresistible the more constantly it
eXerts its power and the more removed it
is from the distracting influences OF the
traditional social intercourse. In plain
words. IL pretty girls work in Offices with
men, the chances are that lovemaking will
increase greatly. Instead Of the enlarge
ment Of the sphere OF women. as 1t used to
be called. acting as a restraint from mar
riage. it fosters marriage The moro fem
mime youth. beauty. and charm are spread
abroad. the more irresistible they become.
The more tho activity Of women outside
the confinement OF the home. the more
likely arc homes to be multiplied.
Our correspondents letter. therefore.
awakens serious reflections. and brings
forward new and far-reaching social ques-
tions. In her case. the heart has led her
more wisely than the head could have done.
Instinctively she has chosen the better
path. The clerk rather than the employer
is the proper husband for her. The feeling
awakened in the clerk is more genuine
and enduring than the attachment of
the other. In the ono case the senti-
ia nj hu in ba
other it Is moro likely to be artificial and
spasmodic. produced by the mere excite
ment OF the novelty OF the relations between
the two. 1t is always dangerous for either
man or woman to make n social self
sacrifice in marriage. since usually the time
comes when human nature Is not
strong enough to bear Its strain
without the rebellion of exasperating
complaint fatal to the peace and happiness
of matrimony. and, possibly. OF tho we'll
being OF posterity. When people marry
they had better start out on social equal
ity and from a social environment and
education which are similar. II there Is a
wide social gap between the husband
and wife. there is the likelihood OF
trouble when the first domination of
passion is gone. Marriage Is the most
trying OF all partnerships. for it is
the most binding; and hence everything
likely to be provocative OF disagreement
between the pair should be avoided in en-
tering into it; and any radical difference OF
social surroundings and influences Is the
most dangerous Of all. The nearer the
equality between the two in that matter
the better. Mere inequality OF material
fortune may be OF no consequence. Com
plete social inequality is essentially In con-
flct with the fundamental principles
necessary to the full prosperity OF the
matrimonial partnership.
Our gentle friend need have no fear as to
the feeling Of the clerk. He Is as much en-
amored with her as she Is with him. but he
Is far more uncertain of her than she Is OF
him. Poor fellow. he is afraid that he loves
valnly. He dare not speak out lest the con-
fesslon invite his condemnation. II, per-
chance. her confidence to The Sun reveals