Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-08-15
IF | WERE A WOMAN.
WHAT DIFFERENT MEN WOULD
DO UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW A MANS
"IDEAL", ASK HIM, WHAT WOULD
YOU DO WERE YOU A woMAN2

eff were a man." sometimes says the
pretty girl who is ambitious, and then
she tells you what she would do IL she
was a man. Oh, yes; there is hardly
day what passes In which you may not
hear some woman declare what she
would do If she were a man." But IL
isn't often you hear a man indulge in
the remark Now. il | were a woman,"
| and So forth. or 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 womansind
might seem ungallant and an inference
that womankiud is not altogether right
at all times. which might I've judged ms
ungallant. you know. But IL you want
to find out mans ideal in feminine
conduct, If not in appearance. ask him
what would you do were you a wom-
am" Insist upon his being honest In his
answer. with no attempt at fattery.
l heard the girl just home from school
| quiz the bachelor In this fashion the
other day. The bachelor is a very critic
al person. and l have a notion that he
| fancies every woman who entertains the
| least kindliness toward ''woman's
rights" as wearing fearfnlly dowdy
gowns. hair brushed straight back and
| spectacles with steel rims.
The bachelor repeated the girls ques-
| ton slowly and deliberately and then
| said: IF | were a woman l would
| wear the prettiest of little breakfast
| jackets and have my hair put up in the
| most becoming style. even IL the break
| fast hour WAS as early at G o'clock"
The girl protested and said this answer
| was frivolous. that she had meant TO
| find out the great and important things
he would do IL he we're a woman.
well" said the bachelor, you asked
me TO answer you honestly and l have
done So
And then the bachelor leaned toward
the girl and said with great deal OF
seriousness: ITO wear pretty breakfast
Jackets 10 have one's hair arranged be-
| cumingly and to smile brightly and cheer.
iiy-I forgot to mention the smile before
all early In the morning. are great and
important things. my dear, In the life
of woman. Ii / were Il woman.
would always start the day well. 1t
means so much to every member of her
family. The men folk leave the break
fast table to rush right into the work and
worry of the day. ! think it is very
great thing indeed to help 81 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
woman may do is TO meet the day with
a smile and take the trouble 10 make
careful toilet. Have you ever made note
of the number of folks who accept break
fast time as an ordeal, necessary. TO be
sure. but one to be got through with as
soon as possible? l once heard know
ing somebody say that IL you want to
test the good or bad nature OF the man
or woman you are much interested In to
make an appointment with him or her
that must be kept before 5 o'clock In the
morning. The good tempered person will
appear upon the scene looking fresh and
| unruftled. the bad tempered person will
complain at the earliness of the hour and
the haste ii required TO be on time.
Ask a dozen men Of your acquaintance
what would you do were you a wom-
| an?" and you will find that the ideal of
at least 10 out of the IL is the very
domestic woman, but one who is also
dainty in dress and does not scorn the
AiAAtti VI tpfhihS utf very HgtAlItsA-
II | were Il woman" says one man
worth quoting. i would think nothing
better worth my while than to FIRST have
a good and liberal education. do not
mean by that that | would he satisfied
with nothing less than a college training.
though that is good in its way. and |
| would know history and geography and
| literature. with enough arithmetic TO at
| tend TO my own accounts aud business
affairs should occasion require. II were
| a woman l should consider myself very
| Incompetent to take up the lines Of house
hold management without n good work
| ing knowledge of cooking and cleaning
| and sewing. III ! were a woman ! would
| learn to do every bit OF work that is
| generally conceded to lie within woman's
| domain"
III | were woman" says another
man. and l fancy that his idea will meet
with general approval. Il would inform
| myself upon the topics of the times and
| current events. | would know something
| about the latest books, the latest plays,
| little about music and a little about
art. even il could not know much about
| any Of these things. Then when my hus-
band or my children or my friends were
ready for a half hours chat | could be
counted on to he companionabe. ! would
| never discuss the servant question, and
| ! would never tell about the little bitches
in the domestic machinery"
This mans ideal woman stands out
very clearly. She is the companionable
| woman.
The woman who announces what she
| would do il she were a man is usually
the woman who yearns for a broad field
| of action and is just wee bit dissatisfied
| with the scope that is allowed woman
kind. feeling it to be narrow. As a mat
| ter of fact il is simply boundless. and
| she has neglected to review all its pos
| sibilities But once she has done this
| her dignity and Importance are realized
| and her discomfort ends.
1t may give you new train Of thought
| to ask the men you know the question
| suggested. 1t may be that their answers
| will be full OF little suggestions which to