The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-06

Dorothy Dix, one of the brightest
writer's in the country, has an article
In a recent paper about the family mar
tyr. She says she received a pathetic
letter from a girl who asked If she re-
garded it as fair that one member of a
family should be the drudge, do all the
unpleasant things while the others
her sisters, perhaps-should have all
the good time. So Dorothy took her
typewriter in hand and wrote screed
expressing her deep sympathy with
family martyrs in general and the one
who wrote her in particular. She adj
mits the truth Of the girls complaint;
that in most families there is one who
seems to have the hard things Of life,
while the others use her and work her
and enjoy life. She says and I say
"her" advisedly. The masculine mar
tyr sometimes exists, but at the pres
ent moment 1 can only think of one,
and he is Pa Wilfer in "Our Mutual
Friend" Please take notice that he is
in a book. Family martyrs are usually
spinster aunts, unmarried sisters or
grandmas, who are allowed to work for
their board. The homely daughter of
the house is usually the one upon whom
falls the burdens. If any one is to have
a new dress, or is to go away for
visit, it is our pretty sister, and the
family martyr remains at home and
wears pretty sisters old clothes. Sad.
but true. The family martyr is the
one who rises early to see that the
boys have a hot breakfast before going
to work, she it is who goes in the
kitchen when the cook departs hur-
riedly. She offers up her youth on the
20
oblivion with a brave spirit. II her
brothers wife's baby has the scarlet
fever it is Aunt Mary, the family mar
tyr, who goes to the house and re-
mains during quarantine, whence all
but she had fed" even the baby's
mother does not wish to take any risks,
but Mary, oh, WELL that's different, it's
only Mary! She sees her sisters mar
ried, but she remains at home to take
care of her father and mother, and all
in a very cheerful way, because mar
tyrdom becomes precious in the course
of time and there are compenSationS
in every position under the sun Eek
cept that Of a street car conductor). In
due time the family martyr comes into
her own, although Dorothy Dix seems
rather pessimistic about this and thinks
She remains martyr to the end. But a
life of constant self sacrifice tells and
there are beauties of character and
spiritual qualities developed by the
family martyr which may well be the
envy of her supposedly more fortunate
sisters.
There is a sort of self absorption
which comes to the great beauty Of
family not always her own fault, for
there is no one more appreciative and
louder in praise of her good looks than
her own people among whom she lives.
The writer has observed often in fami-
lies where one daughter has the good
looks, that she is completely spoiled
by the admiration she receives from
her own letting alone that which comes
from outside. Beauty in time with
some women becomes a profession, and
to her family their trade and business.
So beautiful women should not be
blamed if they are unduly conscious of
their own projections and spend much
time in posing. It is the fault of those
who surround them. And the family
martyr having no beauty to live for
and by, usually develops character
which is a far greater possession as
the things of the mind are eternal,
while those of the outward appearance
are transitory. But Dorothy Dix thinks
that so hong as human nature is at it is,
the martyr must expect to be done out
of all the good things of life and be
content to take a back seat. Not only
this, but she must never become bit
ter, never appear to know that she is
not enjoying life, and be instantly
ready to sing the praises of the pretty
sister or the famous brother. All this
sort of thing does not do much to i'm
prove the disposition of the pretty sis
ter, but makes her selfish and exacting
beyond that which one who has not