St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-09-23
MARRIAGE A FAILURE.
Poverty and Care Are DESTROYER
OF Home Happiness
Especial WashtnR,ou Letter. ]

The story of Katie Lee and willi>
I-Grsy is > very pretty one and wa
very prettiiv told by the poet II
seems that Katie and Willie had beer
out berrying all day long and on theil
way home Willie very gallantly offered
to carry Katie's basket up the hill fol-
her. The author tells MS that ''she had
cheeks like cherries red and he was
taller most . head" When Willie
undertook to relieve her of her burden.
offering to carry her basket in addition
to his own. she replied. rs she tossed
her pretty curls: ''Eoys are weak rs
well Is girls" So she concluded with
. laugh: "You can only carry hall"
The poet suggests that il is not likely
that Katie guessed half the wisdom
she expressed in that sentence.
The story has very practical bear
ing at this time in the national capital
Men and women are thrown together
daily in the executive departments
where they perform clerical labor in
the various bureaus, and it Is said that
propinquity is natures principal mat
rimonial agent; but propinquity in the
executive departments is not produc-
tive of matrimony to any great extent
The woman who holds . clerkship in
one Of the executive departments is re-
garded as very foolish il not silly to
give up her position for the purpose Of
marrying man who is NO better fixed
financially or in = business sense than
herself. Moreover it is . standing rule
in all of the departments that two
members Of the Same family cannot
hold government positions and that
when q woman marries she must inn
mediately resign her position and de-
pend entirely upon her husband for
her support
The story of Paul and Virginia, %
well rs that of Katie Lee and Willie
weak rs well as girls, and that young
men. and in fact men Of any age are
Of only carrying half the bur.
dens of life, while women are compe-
tent, willing and anxious to perform
1t least half of the duties incumbent
upon those who must labor and toll for
their daily bread. The rule in the ex.
ecutive departments which prevents .
woman from employing her talent SO
that she can be = wage Garner equal
to her husband is ono of questionable
propriety.
once heard q very good story told
John Sherman, of Ohio,
when he was secretary Of the treasury,
which has direct bearing upon this
point 1t is said that upon one occa-
lion he summoned . young girl before
him and said to her: "Why, am in
formed that while you are employed
n the treasury department. here your
brother has . very good position in the
var department. Now do not regard Il
IS right and proper that two members
4 the same family should draw pay
rom the government, and ] want to
NOW which of you will resign?"
The young lady was very much sur
'rised. greatly chagrined, and tears |
anne yelling to her eyes, although she
made no reply for the moment. Her |
voman's wit did not desert her, and in |
! few minutes she replied: "Mr. Secre-
airy, I. have no right to question your
in . matter of this kind,
nut would like to ask You question
'efore I decide whether my brother or
myself shall resign You, Mr.. Secre-
afy. are employed here in the treas
~ depapd4eht' d. secretary, while
DUR brother is employed in the war
apartment as general Of the army.
yfASsR baslsSsdaesough to tell me,
+. AecHeteyXs which of You is going to
ekignras..lkXQpld like to have the &C
ion of the Sherman family As q prec-
dent up6f Which my family should
Ct" -
Some people say that John Sherman
J . cold-bidoded, matter-of-fact, DELHI
rate old fellow who never sees any
hing funny or in the slightest degree
musing in this life. Whether this b