The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-01
WOMAN'S
WORLD.

Aasl of audacity in woman to ask a
man to support her for life?'
When this question was put to the
pev Thomas A. Hyde, pastor of the
episcopal Church at Sheepshead Bay.
~, a writer for the Sunday World Mag
zine. he looked somewhat aghast. He
had not looked at it in that light be-
Tore. "Well-er--that is he STAN
r,ered "it isn't always a case of the
man supporting the woman, nowadays,
YOU know.
Mr.. Hyde had invited Interrogation
nv stating in a lecture before the New
york chronological Society, not long
ago. that women have the right to pro-
pose.
Surprising the man should refuse
ber?" the writer asked.
There's no harm in that. Don't wo-
men refuse men every day? 1t can be
done in a dignified and courteous man.
ner."
What would you do If a woman
should propose to your"
This question was perhaps alarming
in view of the fact that Mr.. Hyde is
a
after by the feminine portion of his
congregation.
Il should feel much honored," he
replied with an uncomfortable smile
and l should pity her-yes. 1 should
pity her."
Gould you still have respect for
herr"
Certainly, why not? She has as much
right to tell me she loves me as have
to tell her 1 love her. OF course" he
added hastily, 81 wouldn't have any
respect for her If she got down on her
knees to me. l wouldn't do that my
self to any girl" Mr.. Hyde spoke as
if this was quite the regulation way of
proposing in Sheepshead Bay.
But if a man married woman who
had proposed to him, wouldn't he be
likely to throw the fact in her face
the first time they quarrelled? He
might say something like this for in
stance: Well, if you don't like it, why
on earth didn't you leave me alone? l
never sought you out. 1t was you who
asked me to marry you"
LAS a matter of fact" commented
Mr.. Hyde dryly, "the men very fire.
quently do say something of the Sort
even when they have proposed"
But don't men usually value what
they think they can't get, and wouldn't
the average man value a woman less
if he thought she had been easily
won?
NO. and the proof of it is that it's
the girl who encourages the men and
firts and makes love to them who gets
the proposals. The modest stay-at-
home girl doesn't get any. Your idea
is an old-fashioned one"
But if the woman proposes, Shouldn't
she be the wage-earner?"
"Oh, l see. You would have the wo-
man wait until she can afford the lux
ury of supporting man."
IF she is going to propose to him
well, as a matter of fact. that is
the way it is often done. A rich wo-
man wants a bright young husband, a
doctor, lawyer. She practically pro-
poses to him and they are married.
This is such a recognized fact that a
lew years ago a. young man came to
me and asked my advice as to the pro-
fession he should enter. I want one,'
he said, in which 1 will have an OPP
portunity of meeting a rich woman who
will fall in love with me and marry
me- Horroble? Not a bit more than
a girl selling herself for money. The
young man l refer to was very poor,
but he was intelligent and persistent
and in the end he married a fortune of
100000. There was another woman
with only 100000 he might have had.
myself should have preferred her."
But If a woman proposes ought she
not to be the head of the house? And
what would you do with the word obey
In the marriage service? %
Mr.. Hyde bounced on the last phrase
like hawk on a chicken. That word
obey is very much misunderstood,
very much" he declared emphatically.
II doesn't mean that a woman has to
subordinate her will to that of her hus-
Dand when she knows he is a fool or
IN the wrong. 1 am sure l don't know
what half the women in Sheepshead
Bay would do If they were to give IN
continually to their husbands. It's the
women who have the sense in this
town l know of any number of cases
where the woman is the head of the
mouse, even runs a business outside of
her nome, and the man is only mis-
cradle gambler and loafer. That word
OBEY should be mutual. 1t means
mat both should be true mates in the
sense of obeying each others wishes If
there is going to be any leadership it
should belong to the one who has the
greater supply of brains
hen there is trouble in married
lie and it is the mans fault what sin
on his part is most likely to cause it ?"
drunkenness and the fact that he Is
unwilling to spend his evenings at
nome. The club is responsible for half
the divorce cases."
and when the women are to blame?"
The cause then is social ambition
Lhey want to be out all the time at
pals parties and receptions There is
hardly any home life left whether
among rich or poor.
but to return to women and their
do it?"
Mr.. Hyde looked thoughtful. "Wel1,
mere is a way 1 heard Of" he answered.
ne girl said: IF l were you, Jack,
ana you were 1, we would have been
married long ago. Then, too, now would
tNis 90 for another: Dear, do you love
me better than your sistersT"
6ut don't you think you are horri-
10y wrong in encouraging women to do
ms sort of thing? They will come down
rom their pedestals and men will no
longer have ideal creatures to worship
and to look up to-"
II the woman comes down from her
PEDESTAL the fact of her proposing will
Iot De responsible for it. The world
losing all feeling. Everything is for
sum; the age of gold has superseded
ms me age of chivalry. Money is king.
IHeperson, man or woman, who has
rhe brains or the luck to acquire money
rules If a woman has the brains of
house NV "a s''0
but is this natural?"
NO but neither is the present state
- nc ~.