The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-14
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW

The confession OF a matrOn contains an
infanible recipe for contentment 81 have
so many duties that I cannot shirk, she
told a friend, who wondered at the mar
velous courage with which she took up
each days burdens and carried them
through to the end. 4 have learned to
love work that once disiiked, she
added. after her guest had expressed an
adherence Of the petty tasks OF every
day living. Blessed woman, She will
And much more satisfaction in life than
is possible 10 those who regard time spent
in uncongenial duties as pure waste.
It seems arrant nonsense to accept the
inevitable In such spirit The work for
most OF us is cut out by fate. and when
We approach it with tagging steps the
time We must spend on il seems endless.
There is only one good way in which TO
do anything. and that is to become alb
sorbed in it; and that is quite possible to
anybody with a spark Of grit Il is much
better TO avoid work altogether than u
slip through il and add discomfort 10 tho
burden Of somebody else. one ought to
be ashamed to take money for such half
hearted endeavor,
There is no sentiment in business-there
can be none by force Of circumstances
Sentiment prompts one to pass over blum
ders and earelessness to the detriment
of the work which necessitates hiring the
services Of others. The woman who can
do her own Homework does not need 10
pay wages and lodge and feed domes-
tic, to say nothing of standing the waste
and damage of careless workers. II Is
sentimental 70 pay so much If the work
is not done in a satisfactory manner. and
the husband of such a sentimental wOm-
an has just cause for complaint because
he bears the expense.
No employer has a right 10 expect inn
possibilities, but she or he has the best
Of rights to expect definite results from
definite compensation. A young woman
who had risen from humble position to
one of responsibility by application 10
work on her own part and patience in
training on the part of her employer saw
an opportunity 10 double her salary by
treachery to the man to whom she owed
her prosperity. Without a thought for
his interests she took the chance. and
when the inevitable exposure came she
escaped the well-deseTved punishment Of
dismissal because she worked upon the
sympathy Of the man.
Finding that easy. she made another
false step. with disastrous results to the
business. The man deserved it for for
getting the lack of harmony between SEN
timent and business. and the girl de-
served her downfall because she brought
it about. She has never amounted 10
anything since. in a business way, and
no other girl is worth her salt when she
gets through her tasks with the smallest
expenditure Of strength and interest The
meanest kind Of work has a glory all its
own when it represents the best efforts
of which one. is capable.
The men and women who stay on IN
the same positions. or perhaps a higher
position in the same kind Of work. are
those who have a liking for their tasks
and perform them cOnscientiousIy They
are of a distinct value TO the world and
are gladly paid for it, II is the senti-
mentalist who works mischief In the
ranks of toIlers, who makes inferior work
not only possible. but Of distressing fire.
quency. and who tries the soul OF the
person with a healthy sense of fairness
For talk as you will. we have every
right 10 the worth Of our money. each
penny OF 1t. BETTY BRADEEN.