The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-29
men don't objec

Il to women in business. They hear
with a benevolent smile that women
are invading the trades, and they have
even been known to prove their faith
by their works, and make straight the
pathway for feminine feet to tread
into the professions not their own.
But while the liberal man meets the
business woman cheerfully in humber
business Wallks-meaning of course,
that the walk is hers, not his-and re-
CARDS her doctors sign with a patient
leniency, if he is a lawyer, even he is
apt to draw a taut line against what
he calls the masculine ways of the
business woman
Let women work among us, if they
will, and all they will and can," said
a liberal man ia a recent interview
on the subject. Let her practice med
icine, if she doesn't faint often enough
to interfere with her income; let her
train for civil engineering if she can
boss a gang without weeping and let
her manage a street. cleaning depart
ment, if she doesn't try Christian
science to clean the streets. (Being~ a
lawyer he did not consider her serious
ly at the barr My feeling is a fair
field and every favor, but what 1 can't
understand is the fad they seem to be
getting to dress and act like men, as
we'll as to do mems work.
ut won't help them in business,
can tell them that to clasp their
hands behind them when they stop for
a minutes chat on a Broadway corner
And it shocks men, at least it does me,
to see pretty woman brace for
curve on the elevated road by standing
with her feet seven or eight inches
apart.
"And that isn't the worst of it," the
liberal man continued with evident
emotion. Il have seen business wom-
an. pretty woman, you know, who
was charming and we'll groomed and
interesting, sit and talk business with
her knees crossed, and not shyly, nor
tentatively as If she were testing
new found privilege, but with the
matter-of-fact air Of a man Of the
world.
81 know charming woman who is
business manager for a big concern.
We often go up town on the train to-
gether. She is as tailor-made as a Lon
don belle, and far more alertly intelli-
gent and well read than the average
club man.
"And this woman when she talks to
me on the train, if she becomes very
much interested, is as likely as not to
lean forward and rest the palm of her
hand on her knee, for all the world
like an enthusiastic college boy
But the oldest and most conspicu-
Gus of all the masculine ways of the
business woman is her walk. It's
long swinging stride, as though she
had records and prizes in mind.
H. i
most devoted lover to call the pretty
girl an angel. He would be forced by
every law of association to whisper
my champion! my priZei'
Il may as well finish this TRADE"
said the now rather excited liberal
man, "by saying that 1 wish she didffE
think it necessary to be SO self-reliant
and crisp in a business Office. She
makes you forget that she's pretty and
fascinating, and you find yourself
treating her just as though she were
a nice boy. She buries her tempera-
ment away with her home address and
social life, and seems to like being a
cheerful, competent machine"
The business man sighed resignedly,
looked over his shoulder at just such
a business woman in one corner of his
Office, shook his head and returned to
lighter matters in the way of impor-
tant business. b
When the tailor made business
woman was questioned as to her side
of the question she pleaded, at least.
partly guiltyHto all the serious charges
made by the liberal man. And, alasi
in some cases she even vaunted her
self of her masculine ways. She called
them just being comfortable.
There is no doubt" she confessed.
that in the last few years business
women have altered their manners and
dress somewhat. They have done away
with frills in both cases.
But the change is not a fad of the
moment, a foolish idea that success can
be won by an initiative trick. 1t is
the outgrowth of enlarged experience
and increased common sense.
For that matter, men have not al
ways dressed and acted as sensibly
as they do now. They had to learn
how to dress wisely and comfortably
for business by years Of experience.
Imagine rushing around the stock
exchange in sandals and toga, or
trying Greek poet pose at curve on
the elevated road
when the majority of men had to go
into business they set about by de-
grees adopting more practical garb,
manners and habits. And this is just
what women are doing.
1T is not enough for them to culti-
vate brain and physical strength TO