The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-06-24
WHAT WOULD YOU DO
WERE YOU A WOMAN?
If You Want to Know a Mans Ideal" Ask Him
This Question.

WRITTEN FOR H SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
IF I were a man." sometimes says the
pretty girl who IS ambitious. and then she
tells you what she would do II she was a
man. o. yes: there is hardly a day that
passes IN which you may not hear some
woman declare what she would do If she
"were a man." But it isn't often YOU hear
a man Indulge in the remark nov. IL I
were a woman" and SO forth. OF course,
the lords Of creation are content with
themselves as they are. and to express what
they would do were they In the shoes OF
womankind might seem ungallant and an
inference that womankind Is not altogesh-
er right at all times, which might be judged
as ungallant, you know. But IL you want TO
find out q mans ideal in feminine conduct.
II not In appearance. ask him what would
you do were you a woman" Insist upon
his being honest In his answer. with no
attempt at fiattery.
/ heard The Girl just home from school
quiz the Bachelor in this fashion the other
day. The Bachelor is a very critical person.
and I have a notion that he fancies every
woman who entertains the least kiEdliness
toward "woman's rights" as wearing fear
fully dowdy gowns. hair brushed straight
back and spectacies with steel rims.
4n0 odCucfoS fcfcdttu luS 6il d4SSeiOh
slowly and deliberately and then said: IF
I were a woman I would wear the ~prettiest
Of little breakfast Jackets and have my
hair put up in the most becoming style.
even IL the breakfast hour was as early as
9 o'clock"
The Girl protested and said this answer
was frivolous, that she had meant 10 find
out the great and important things he
would do II he were a woman.
We'll" said The Bachelor, you asked me
to answer you honestly and l have done
So"
And then he Bachelor leaned toward
The Girl and said with a great deal o. seri-
ousness: ITO wear pretty breakfast
Jackets. to have ones hair arranged be-
comingly and to smile brightly and cheerily
II forgot to mention the smile. before-all
early in the morning. are great and i'm
portant' things, my dear, In the life Of a
woman. II I were q woman l would al
ways start the day well. 1t means SO
much to every member of her family. The
men folk leave the breakfast table TO rush
right into the work and worry Of the day.
I think It is a very great thing indeed
TO help ut them for the burdens by starting
the day With"
But The Girl interrupted. "Of course, l
might have known you would lecture"
As for me-, / agree with The Bachelor
that one Of the very good things that a
woman may do is to meet the day with a
smile and take the trouble to make a care
full toilet. Have you ever made note of the
number Of folks who accept breakfast time
as an ordeal, necessary, to be sure, but one
to be got through with as soon as possible?
! once heard a knowing somebody say that
II you want to test the good or bad nature
of the man or woman you are much inter-
ested In to make an appointment with him
or her that must be kept before S O'clock
in the morning. The good-tempered person
will appear upon the scene locking fresh
and unruffed. the bad-tempered person will
complain at the earliness Of the hour and
the haste it required to be on time.
Ask a dozen men of your acquaintance
'"Wha would you do were you a woman" |
and you will find that the ideal OF at least |
ten out of the twelve is the very domestic |
woman. bat one who is also dainty in dress |
and does not scorn the matter OF LOCKING
her very prettiest.
:f / were a woman" says sne man |
worth quoting, Il would think nothing let |
ter worth my while than to first have a |
good and liberal education. I do not bean |
by that that / would be satisfied with 10th |
ing less than a college training. thodgh that |
Is good in its way. and l would know his |
tory and geography and literature. with |
enough arithmetic to attend to my osn ac- |
counts and business affairs should occasion |
require. II / were a woman / should con- |
slider myself very incompetent TO take I'D |
the lines Of household management without |
. good working knowledge OF cooking arc :