The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-02
Bah CHATS ABOUT AN
INTERESTING TYPE OF
WOMANHOOD.

One type of woman has entirely dis
tppeared-that is. the gentle old malo
who had a little income and was every
body's friend. To you she was cousin
Mary" to somebody else she was Aunt
Molly" while somebody else, VINO mao
gone to school with her, called her
Minnie" When there was long ILL.,
ness. she appeared on the scene ana was
the gentlest of nurses, who never grew
weary and who never lost patience. AT
the time Of a wedding she was on hand
to help make the wedding cake, to as
sist with the trousseau and to dress the
bride. When Death knocked at the
front door she met him with all re-
spect and reverence and allowed no
strange hand to touch the dear dead
one, while she was the only one whose
voice could really console those in trou-
Bile. She begged pardon for the prodlgal
and was always ready to excuse any hu-
man weakness She had more friends
than she could count, more homes than
she could live in, and when she came to
die everybody missed her. She was
loved and respected, and if some young
fool once in awhile spoke of her as "an
old maid' it was in an apologetic tone,
as if all mankind needed to be excused
for not having discovered her perfec-
tions. This gentle creature, the friend
of the entire family, has disappeared,
and in her place is the energetic, bus
Ting, independent bachelor woman. This
woman is very much alone and so fond
of speaking of her independence that
one is tempted to wonder whether she
finds it as agreeable as she claims it is
She is not willing to be one in the large
family; not willing to be. as was the
gentle old maid, the friend of many,
but she seeks the much talked of inde-
pendence, and, earning her own living,
she stands quite alone. While she has
hundreds of acquaintance l am tempt
ed to wonder if she ever gets as much
love as did her less highly educated
predecessor, whom she is inclined to
scorn.
The average woman of today, being
abnormal, yearns for a business career
Undoubtedly there are times when it
Is necessary, but nowadays too often
that woman who has a good income
thinks to be like man and increase it.
Miss Small Fortune, who could live in
comfort on what was left her by her
father and make herself an absolute
necessity to all those bound to her by
ties of blood, refuses to do this She
lives in a hotel and adds to her income
in some special way. Now, it is all
right If a woman has to earn her liv-
ing. I respect her for il, and / applaud
her ability If she can achieve it in some
special, original and feminine way but
when it is not necessary, when it is
simply an unwomanly desire to get out
into the busy world, / do not think any
one who knows what a woman ought to
be, what side of her nature ii is best
to cultivate. should encourage her The
daughter of this rich man has taken
up artistic gardening. The daughter
Of that rich man is furnishing several
dairies with fresh milk and eggs, while
a millionaire's daughter is managing a
dancing class. Several women not only
of good but of assured position are
ready to manage your society book for
you, and in this way tell you just who
you should and should not have on
your list. How is this going to straight
en- itself out? Will there be survival
ot the fittest? Will there come time
when the woman who should earn her
own living will do so quietly and hon.
estly. or will the unholy craze for