New-York tribune., 1900-08-16
GATHERED HERE AND THERE.

An accomplished woman musician said Of a fel-
low professional the other day that her playing
was very feminine When asked TO be more
specific she said, after a moments reflection.
mean that II is very bad" and then voIun-
teered some further reflections the subject
What can you expect" she asked when a
woman has three children and only servant,
who doubtless incompetent? You can't eat your
cake and It, too and the time and strength
you give domestic affairs you can't have fer
music. It's the with all women who at
tempt 70 follow a profession. Generally speaking
they can give their undivided attention 70 It
even when they haven't three children and in
competent maid. To take my case. I think
I have spent nearly much time trying TO get
clothes that 7 could breathe in as have learning
to sing TO say nothing Of other distractions. Con-
seQuently I don't know much about singing
never could see the use Of this frantic endeavor
to prove that women do as good work as men
Perhaps they can; but they don't, and never have,
and all this outcry about their small achievements
like praising a dog for standing it's hind legs
Johnson Of those old fellows had the wit
TO observe With the woman and the dog the
noteworthy circumstance is not that the thing is
done well but that 1t is done at all. And to me
II certainly is surprising that women do anything
decentIy. and more still that they occasionally
do things well In primitive times the men hunted
and fought. and the women did everything else
BY and by there to be less hunting and
hghting DO and the who were not re-
quired for these occupations invaded woman's
sphere. They took UP some particular line OF what
had previously been her work, and did that and
nothing very little else. Consequently Chey did
IL much better than she ever did, and / caresay
they said, they say to-day. See how superior
! am And doubt believed them, as
they do to-day As time went this process
continued. Each found some one thing TO DO
and did IT. 70 the exclusion practically or every
thing else, and the women picked up all the loose
ends, because there else 10 do II. The
situation is substantially the to-day. though
IL q somewhat lesser and, one hopes still lessen
degree. A do thing; a woman
must do a million. chooses his ocCupa ton;
2 woman has thrust and. II able 10
follow the profession of her choice at all give
il but a divided allegiance. The consequence is and
must be that many women do everything badly,
failing as conspcuOusly In the art Of home making
az in everything else that they have undertaken
The Infanta Eulalie Spain is a young
Of perspicacity and kept her eyes open while
visiting the United States during the Columbian
Exposition She has appeared In print in one Of
the magazines with an expression Of her views
on American girls. The Princess likes their inde-
rendence the absence of the duenna system, the
iIntrammelled friendship with young men. the al
voosf choice of professions, and dozen
other things She regards the American girl as
being as chic charming and vivacious French
women and evidently thinks that compliment can
M further go II is noticeable that she draws no
+--.---,1a rte0r between American and Spanish girls
,,TIess II NAV be inferentally, certainly every
tbing that the Infanta admires in the American
girl is conspcuously remote from the training or
the Spanish
Vienna has taken action the danger OF the
.stred skirt as vehicle for collecting and dis
,ribf,tng bacteria 10 which attention was called
by me recent Medical Congress Plaear4s have