The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
WOMAN'S LOT IN BUSINESS.
ATTENTIONS THAT SHE rs ADrIsED
NEPER 10 ACCEPT.

EosIhuEhnD, tno prosperous UualneSH WOHlhns
with ten years of efficient work to her credit;
the veteran clerk, who had been twenty years in
harness, yet showed few signs of wear. and the
young graduate from tho business college, Just
In the first flush OF experience AS a wago Garner.
The less q woman In business Is like q woman
out OF business the better II will be for her"
said tho veteran clerk, crumbllng q morsel Of
broad relentlessly on the tahlecloth.
YES" agreed her ncighbor. "A business
woman can be as womanish as she chooses out
sidc Of business matters, but she must adopt q
different code when she sets out to compete
with men,"
"sho must DO oblivious of everything that
goes on during business hours except what re-
lates strictly to her work" affirmed tho veteran.
And che must not have her business life and
her social lito in any way related to each other.
To my mind, IL a woman means to succeed In q
business career, she must separate her business
and social interests wholly and entirely. I
should warn any girl against accepting atten-
lions. even tho most trivial, from the men sho
works tor, cvcn from those men who might
seemingly be able to help her on her way and
this was uttered In a tone that said plainly, 81
know what I am talking about"
How about taking luncheon with q really
heightened man II he asks youi !" inquired tho
novice. 1.-Two or three have asked me-"
Uni my uChEl luO heu Ia your OI1CC you
moan, those you work fort"
The novice nodded.
"Nevor do It," said the veteran, %jointing her
chicken wing with q snap. Mover do It in q
single instance"
1T is a mistake to accept such attention, even
In exceptional cases" said the efficient woman.
''Treat all such offers politely. bat decline them
firmly. and in such q way that they will not DO
made a second time"
ut is even wiser for q girl not to ride in tho
cars with a mar she works for: that Is, not vol.
UNFAIRLY" put In the veteran.
And she had better not walk on the street
with him, either; not so much as a couple OF
yards said the woman manager. stirring her
coffee vigorously. II doubt even If she ought
to take the same elevator. Better wait for the
next trip"
And she should certainly not laugh and talk
with him In between times. as l have seen dono,"
added the veteran. when a woman is in q
business Office she's there for work: that stands
to reason. But she also occupies just a little
higher plane than tho men. mean h.ghor In
the mems estimation. When she laughs and
talks and becomes familiar with them she steps
down FROM that plane to their level. The beat
way for n woman to get along in business is for
her to be like a machino-an accurate. pains.
taking machine-and do her work so thoroughly
that tho men will forget her Sex. That is the
keynote Of all the successful women's careers
that I know Of"
But why must o woman In business DO q
mere machinei q said tho college graduate.
Tho lees o man in business Is like q machine
the better It 10 for him. l can't see the differ
trans srsnsaa ahsas e @ae f fSto a %an S. m!ics neal id ans
developed at those very social communings and
lyneheons and outside chats that you condemn.
never TO marry and give II up,or anything ofthat
kind, why can't she share these advantasesT''.
ferent. What answers for men in business
doesn't hold good for them' said'both elders in
you said just now that women must
not be women in business, that they must be
machines, ~sexless. Now. I'm sure there can DO
going, out to luncheon. She could leave the
feminine part out Of the question. and she might
and interested in her"
Yes. she might" said the veteran.
."Iihink see ,hs gis. of the matter went on
s Dr. "a all the griIHilsFSes of her SEX but abide by
,, rPTsGh,s sss.I said said. , the other; women are
The novice sighed.
II think thatif womon have to meet men on
the same plane and compete with them in bust
their chances. socially and every other way.
The veterans looked ~contemplative.
Business is much easier for men than 1t is for
WOMEN" the older woman said as sho folded her
n shoSsht and a 1909 doSk ds aR a hs5 pG e: %o@sn can l sIsss
very nearly the Same results as men. but they
have TO go about 1t In a dead.in. earnest. hard.
work sort OF fashion. whereas the men can so
round ny short cuts ana pleasant paths to the
And you think that being friendly with tho
men and taking luncheon with them Is ono way
Of going by thG hort entsT said the fedgling.
will scnca"!iy meet With in,eTr'r reH that Will viii
cause her TO- alter her course and get back to the
ron. and the trio Be pardted.
The graduate from the business college is not
30 wise at tue ond OF her first year in business
thir' year sho Just, begins to get an inklins of
thing; as they really are. Its probable that
born, and that she forSets and lots her.
se!f out oceasiorslly' and gets into ,epid.
Il n may ASSs Be- possible he'' .h %s's she i Is SS e.rsyed in,o
laughter that has ito origin in matteis other
than business, and that occasionally, when she
On The other sids. It may be possible that she
sna't help getting interestei III things or having
things get Interested in her. All these draw;
ont after a time, and she learns to speak by The
card and adapt her steps and hearing and per.
ceptions to the accepted code.
IT the woman clerk encounters unexpected
complications IN her career, it is probably be.
Gauge certain things were not made plain to her
man engages a woman for any clerical work il
would be SO much palmer sailing for her and for
him IL he should stipulatc, among other things,
That she should refuse to 60 TO luncheon with
him in case he asked her. Perhaps this stipula-
tion Is not made because II does not occur 10 tho
business man at the time that no is ever likely
to ask hor. or that she might ever DO likely 10
want to go II he din. Re that as 1t may, II
Is likely that when tho asking, does come It is
entirely unprecedented, and that the refusal is
equally prem ,ditated. Thu, asking. it Is pre-;
sun,cd, IL prompted solely by Il generous good
VIII toward human kind, and a desire to expand
In the cong"rial company nearest at hand. a
un''ve devoid of any impulse thHt tha most
mmiScoseorica,.y inclined sk.Gtic could scotf At.
When LIs initiation is declined the would-6e
host Is reminded sutdenly that thr clerk whom
he would befriend ID dual in nature, that she IL
not only Il clert, and a satisfactory clerk, but IL
woman as well. and he should not have asked
her TO break bread with him, or to pledge . cup
with him. or to do anything that might havo
becn the thing had shc been ! man, or had he not
been responsible for her weekly salary.
Hang IL ALL !" ne thinks. ! never meant TO
suggest anything awkward. and never thought
OF what nigh or might not no proper. People
get hungry at this time OF day; she has to get
her luncheon md ] mine; why not eat 1t in COM
pany2 1t won't hurt her and II 10 not going TO
hurt me-" But the two go their respective
UurR the woman thinking that IN haye ACCENT