Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-29

Now York, Oct. %. = There is no
doubt that the number of ladies III
trade Is increasing every day. Society
permits woman to 60 into business,
since she is only following the example
of the Countess of Dash or Lady Blank.
1t is Just us we'll that society does ap-
prove, for 1t gives, does this seal of
social aspiration, a pleasant feeling to
the workers themselves. A woman is
less than a woman when she does not
value tho opinion of the world. And
the woman who tells you that she
doesn't mind what anybody says about
her is either absolutely lying or else
she has lost some Of her womanliness.
A gentewoman gives considerable
thought to what the world says, and
she is willing to throw her heart and
soul into her work when she is en-
couraged by more fortunate women.
l have taken much interest in watch
ing the women who succeed, and have
come to one conelusion-the woman
who succeeds is the woman who does
her work to the best of her ability,
who is properly businesslike, but who
never loses what might be- called the
arts of femIninity. She never becomes
chummy with men. She is polite with
them, but when business forces her to
talk with them she never let's them
forget that she is a woman. Not be-
cause she whimpers to them; not be-
cause she tries to fascinate them: but
simply because she's herself. Then,
meeting her, the average man says, or
thinks, "Mrs. Floyd Robinson is a
clever little woman; she means to sue
coed, and I'll throw in her way any
work l CAM And he does. Some
newspapers and public speakers have
an unpleasant way of telling us of the
disagreeable things that happen when
woman is introduced, in business
way, into an Office where men are.
They forget the other side Of the story.
A man, who is no better than any
other, probably, from moral stand
point, worse than some, told me that
he had never regretted taking lady
typewriter into his office. He said she
had improved the whole tone of the
place.; that no man In his Office ever
used a profane word before her; and
| that by common consent, a nasty fellow
who started tos tell an off colored story
| before her had been ostracised. He
| said the men were all more polite than
| before her arrival, and he believed it
1
better, to the woman herself. And yet
she had SAID and done nothing. She
had only taken il for granted that the
men around her were gentlemen, and
| when she was not we'll posted about
her work, she hadn't hesitated to ask
their help. And she had gotten it be-
cause she expected to. She wasn't
young and she wasn't beautiful, but
she was woman who had that peculiar
womaniy power Of influencing men for
good. 1t is power that comes from "A
woman as unconsciously as the perfume
from rose.
Then, too, the successful woman has
not been the woman who lives her
social life with the men who were
about her in business. II you will
think it'over you will find that men in
the same office are seldom in touch
socially; and that woman who goes
into business makes her first and
greatest mistake when she accepts an
invitation, or invites call from her
fellow worker, a man. But to return
to the women who are in business.
Another girl who is extremely versa
tile, but who isn't sufficiently strong
in any one point to make her pro-
feEsion one of music, or languages or
anything else, has followed the first
right girls example and is another
worker "in the cheering up business. -
For dollar an hour she will come in
where there is an invalid and entertain
her; she will read; play checkers,
dominoes or any mild game; she will
show new stitch in crochet or knit.
ting; she will sing pleasant song, OF
play quiet little tune. or, il it il
preferred, she will entertain the in,
valid with innumerable stories and
interesting gossip. Suppose you were
ill; suppose you were getting better,
and you had tho inyalid's WEAKNESS Of
everybody around you, the invalid't
desire to be amused, and the invalid'f
longing for fresh face. Here comes
bright cheerful woman who offers what
you want Well, it seems as if thu
cheering up business ought to be {
success and so far believe it has.
Then there are two young womer
; who have gone into the flower bust
ness. For % cents week they will
. put on your desk little bouquet ever,
morning, which will prove a rest tt
your eyes and reminder, all the day
long, of pleasanter things than accounts
and percentages, of debts and credits
is getting at the people who enjoy thu
dainties of life, but who can't aiforl
to pay for them the prices demanded
by some OF the big shops. There are
women making bonneta and women
making frocks for little children; ther,
are women busy hemming ruiiies to bt
put upon the linen that goes to form
the trousseau of d bride; and there arr
women setting dainty stitches into fin,
fabric and soft flannel intended tt
make part of the iayette for new borr
baby. l don't believe there was ever
woman lived who didn't like to max,
baby clothes. Personally, l can never
sec the little petticoats, the tin,
shirts, the fine frocks, and the warn
little knit Jackets, without desire t,
hug them. They are inanimate thing
that tell story, story always of tn,
future. They are made for the coming
baby; they are worn blythe growing
baby, and they are laid aside becaus,
they are outgrown by the expectant
man. 1t seems wrong ever to max,
these dear things with the aid of q
sewing machine. Every stitch ough
to be put in with needle guided
directly by the feminine fingers. So i
is proper that the woman who wants t,
earn money should he making all thes,
, beautiful belongings, and best of al
that, making ther.. we'll, which mean
daintily and eXquisitely; she is bein!
paid we'll for her work.
i. | Vhar,t ,,In mn