Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-08-05
Concerning Hobbies.

William Dean Howells
Concerning Hobbies.
Tie following letter bearing on fads
and hobbies appears in the New York
Globe and Commercial Advertiser:
Ny Dear Blank: You remember we
we're talking about Alicia, and her gen
eral discomfort at things was in
clined to wash my hands of her; to at
tribute her state of mind to moodiness Or
= diSarrangement of the liver perhaps.
| have thought more and more OF what
YOU said--that she is simply to be plted;
that she never had fad. There she
sat. holding her hands in the most mad
dening manner. For goodness sake.
said l. Have fad, Be alive. Guess,
create or collect something. Puzzles,
stamps or Notwithstanding. The
trouble with n woman who mas not
something she has to do every minute
She always begins TO wonder whether
she is happy or not. If Alicia had only
Lad 20 do something. But pshaw. that
has nothing TO do with IT. 1t is the
woman and the men who have most to
do who are most given to fads of some
sort
know a man who is one of the most
successful operators in Wall street. He
can hardly wait until his office closes to
get home to work the newest developer
with his camera.
I'm trying to get Alicia interested in
chickens. There is something particu-
larly arousing about a growing fad. |
tell her she doesn't appreciate her good
fortune. since most people live III apart
ments, and chickens, gardening or violet
raising are barred. Then she says I'm
making fun of her. But far from it.
| remember / had the chicken fever once
when we had a yard and things. 1t
only lasted one winter. My fads usual
ly did. However, | took the earnings
from that one--I made a lot on eggs
and put them in something else. | for
get what was the neXt-basket weaving,
burnt wood, or making my own hats,
maybe.
Seriously. | cannot remember the time
that | did not have Il fad. We com
menced with mud pies, didn't we? and
went through all the category of making
things and doing things Now, | want
to tell You as | look back | cannot think
Of one that has not bobbed up some time
to help me in future years.
Now there was the time when | got
the cooking fad. Made them turn off the
cook, SO | could learn my OWL way, and
economical enough when my mother
went south to buy Il silk gown and have
II made, though my brother said l
starved them. But, pshaW. they had
enough. | marketed violently and car
rIed my bread in the parlor to show my
callers.
Afterward when | had to make my liv-
ing III an entirely professional way You
would have thought that housekeeping
winter good year lost But was it, |
found myself four years later writing
marketing letters for my paper; could l
have done that without my cooking
knowledge? Fadsl Do you know what
they are. my dear? They are enthusi-
aSlnS No one ever accomplisheS any
thlng in the world without enthusiasm.
ads are just an intrepid spirit to do,
hndng its way in all sorts of funny little
grooves. which all blend together in time
into ones life work There, Gracious
me. don't you think I'm growing really
theoretical? But to go back to Alicia!
\ on remember as a girl she was always
cola and enthusiastic. She never played
Aard or was eXaggerative. She never
cared tremendously for this, or was crazy
ahout that. Perhaps she is not suf-
HCently temperamental to have fads.
IT Is not worldly goods or plcnteous
things of this life which do away with
the necessity of them. The richest per-
son Is one most in need of Il real hobby,
Is il not curiously interesting when we
look back and see how our childish hob
iles developed really into our means of
Ivclihoodr
But Alicia never had taneents Now
she doesn't know what to do. Alicia al
ways reminds me of one of Du Mauriers
ngufeS IN a picture of Il tent at an Eng
iiSh garden party. One long armed,
h4red-looking Du Maurier woman says:
What's the good of going in" The
otherr. says, What's the Use of staying
Fads! They are ones interest in life
my dear; and there I'm afraid. ha So
4fed You out with this long letter. but
wanted to tell You how your suggestion
~ regard 10 Alicia appealed to me- and
mat If the worst comes to the worst I
may even make her take to--icc wool
slaWlS. Lovingly b.