The evening times., 1898-06-04
OUR aBHgHELOR
MAID OF ARTS"
What Will She Do After
Graduating Day.
Problems ~ 10 Her Choice of Life
When the Academic Halls Are
Closed Behind Her.


Before the month of roses is spent
thousands of ''sweet girl graduates
Will be adrift, seeking they know moi
what. The accepted notion that nc
modern girl is educated beyond certain
limits without expectation Of career
robs the fair one, trembling these days
where the brook and river meet" OF
the happiness of the graduate Of gen.
GRAFTON ago.
Often tragical are the perplexities
that confront the bachelor maid OF
arts" forced by circumstances OF
choice to determine, almost before the
ink is dry on her diploma, bread
winning career. That a degree is not
an infallible taiisman to successful liv-
ing is not the least Of the surprises that
time has in store for the young woman.
If an experience meeting Of the college
graduates of the United States Of the
last twenty yeass could be held in New
York with open doors. what reyela-
ticn it void be to this years f1edglings!
To one woman Of degree pursuing sue
| cessfuliy the profession or calling for
which she equipped herself in college,
| 1t is safe to say. there are dozen fol-
| lowing pursuits Of which they never
dreamed. pursuits which they would
| have deemed in their college days be-
meath their dignity or attainment.
So many bread-wining avenues are
now open to women that the girl quit
ting the academic hall Is embarrassed
by the richness of choice. Undecided,
she sways between a profession or a
business career. She has, perhaps, a
| vague idea, that there is more money
| in an industrial pursuit, but the gen.
| tility of the professional life has te-
nacious fascination. 1t is vain to tell
her that the professions are overcrowd-
| ed: that the surest, straightest road to
a livelihood lies in the practice Of some
thing for which there is urgent, steady
| demand.
| Only recently three prospective B. AS
| We're encountered trying on mortar
boards and gowns to solve this pTCb-
lem.
| Il think" said one, with the blithe-
someness of a belle choosing a flower.
/! that 1 will earn my living by trans
lating. 1t is easy as pie to English
| French novels
And there's lots of money in it,
| said a Master of Arts.
Girls. with my knowledge of Span
| ish. don't you think l ought to be able
| to furnish an apartment" asked a
| third enthusiast.
| Before deciding to regale the Ameri-
can public and enrich her own purse by
| the Englishing' OF French and Spanish
novels, it would be well for the gradu-
ate to make a tour of publishing houses
| if she wishes to spare the future many
| a heartbreak," said a business woman
yesterday. According to a we'll
| known publisher. there is no more pre-
| carious means of livelihood, perhaps,
| than translating. There is little OF no
| Aan nd in trs, n nS1 .iCp
| True, the most successful transiators
are women. But there are wGm=n who
| bring to the work exceptional equip
| ment.'
Hearken to the warning of Americas
| foremost translator. the woman who
made the reputation of Balzac in this
| country. The New York Tribune says:
ITO discourage the Inexperienced from
| attempting translating as a means of
| livelihood" writes Katharine F.
| Wormely, lis an important work Not
a week. passes that / do not receive
letters from persons. many apparently
| untitled for literary work, asking me
| to assist them to obtain transiating.
| 1t is painful to me to say that l have
nothing but discouragement to offer.
All the books / have translated nave
| been at the request and choice of pub
| fishers.
New York is full of clever men and
women ready to translate for the pro-
verbal song. 1t is the constant excess
CT supply over demand that keeps the
remuneration at starving rates. An
erroneous impression prevails that any
one who has failed in other lines of
literary work can succeed as trans
lator. Aside from thorough knowledge
of two languages. the expert translator
must bring to the work wide and varied
sympathy only to be attained by the
broadest culture. She must be mistress
of a good English style, as well as
thorough student of the construction
of the language from which she trans
lates."
Mrs. Mary J. Serrano, to whom
Americans are largely Indebted for
their acquaintance with moderh Span
ish novelists. does not hesitate to as
sert that translating, in proportion to
the knowledge and time required, is the
poorest paid of all literary work. To
lifelong profiency in Spanish Mrs. Ser
ammo adds intimate association with
the Spanish character, which naturally
lends to her translations. life and
color. Publishers declare that good
translators are rare. and they are so
well known that it is almost hopeless
for the inexperienced to enlist the in
terest of a publisher in a translation.
They rarely pay the professional more
than 800 for a 3O0-page volume. Fifty
dollars is the average price
ITO prevent graduates from attempt
ing to earn livelihood by translat-
ing" said publisher, "is real work
of charity
Il never saw the time." said Mrs. Ho-
mer Martin. translator of THE Wom-
en- of the French Court" when I
could not, If 1 had the time, earn a
comfortable living by translating. I
can English a So0-page book in
month"
Elizabeth Gilbert Martins literary
career opened as critic on the Nation.
The most hopeful note in her career to
THE Maiden Bachelor" is the fact
that she did not begin the study Of the
French language until she was forty
five years old
Like everything else. there is room on.
top. But it is well for the graduate
bent on earning a livelihood by trans
lating to mark that the few who sue
ceed bring to the work the widest cul-
ture.
Woes of Mail Carriers.
One Of Uncle Sans mail carriers breads to per-
form his duties in certain city, for the reason
that he is, or rather was, roundly abused twelve
times week. which is often he makes his