Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-11-20
CYNTHIA's CAREER
BY FLORENCE BRIGHT

and the happiest man In the world-oar
none-I owe to a newspaper discus
sion. It happened In this wise: When
arrived as usual to spend the after
noon with Cynthia, found her, to my
great surprise, immersed in the paper.
She never even troubled to open one
as a rule. She was lying In the ham,
mock, a great bush of crimson rhod-
odendrons forming an appropriate
background to her dainty blue gown
Her manner was distinctly distract,
and she replied at random to all /
said
Paper very Interestingly" l said at
last, rather tartly had inquired after
| the health of her aunt, and Diogenes,
the black poodle, and related my own
small stock of happenings at the war
office.
"Er-um-I beg your pardon. What
did you say?" asked Cynthia, looking
over the edge Of the paper at me,
and blinking her forget-me-not blue
eyes absent-mindedly.
"How is The Hague conference go
ing? Or perhaps it's the money mark
ct you're so absorbed in?" said, dis
sembling my feelings, not very sue
cessfully. had looked forward to the
customary delightful afternoon with
Cynthia, and without undue vanity 1t
was annoying to be so overlooked.
20, dear, no. But there's something
really important in the paper today"
and she nodded gravely at me.
Indeed! You surprise me-" l re-
piled, dryly.
Eyes. But it is puzzling. l can't
make up my mind. What do you think
Is the best career for women?"
ITO sit in a hammock, wear their
prettiest blue frock and make them
selves agreeable to their friends" /
said promptly, and special emphasis
on the last phrase.
"Oh That's so like man when you
ask his adyice. see now What you
are. You're just one of those men who
want women to be dolls"
well! Even that's career-of
sorts-isn't it?" I interjected. She
flashed scorn at me, and Immediately
regretted my flippancy. "But has any
thing happened? l don't understand
/ fastened to add.
"Of course not Men never do. Men
never think that women want ca
reer-some purpose in life-as well
as themselves"
ooh! we'll" l conceded, "some wo-
men-perhaps. But you-you are
surely not thinking"
"Of career? But l certainly am.
This discussion in the paper"
"Oh! that's it," interposed gloom
lily, beginning to see daylight in the
thing.
Has been so illuminating-so
realizing" She drew a deep breath,
and looked far away over my head at
| the clouds. Il never thought before of
the possibilities in life for women
Just think what 1t must be to a wo-
man to be Independent. To be great
doctor-a great writer-or-or-"
She stopped, enthusiasm seemed to
choke her.
"Or-what" I asked, rather brutal
ly. Where did come in, in all this =?
Cynthia's had not been the only reve-
lation. Eyes. Or what? Go on" said.
"I-I'm thinking" she announced,
with little pout
"Or a great Judge, or an engineer,
or statesman? There are so many
careers open to women, aren't there?"
l added sarcastically.
She at last admitted that their num-
Der was rather restricted-at present
But they'll open up as time goes on"
she concluded enthusiastically, and
waved her hands in space, vaguely
permitted myself to smile in a
superior manner,
"Oh! you're too tiresome for any
thing this afternoon" she cried,
springing nimbly out of the ham
mock.
I'm sorry" said. How can
make amends?"
go and get my sunshade out of the
hall and tell them to bring tea out
here" l FASTENED to do her bidding,
and found her stroAing in the shrub
berry on my return. She called me to
look at a robins nest we had been
watching for some time.
"You know" said gravely, handing
her the parasol, I'm not sure. But
l don't think that women who go in
for great careers have men to fetch
and carry for them"
"No?" She looked incredulOus. But
why nct?"
"Well, l scarcely know. But perhaps
it's because they haven't got time for
the-frivolities"
"oh! But that would be horrid."
She looked quite panied.
what? Horrfd? To be independ-
emit Why, thought you said just
| now"
Eyes, but didn't mean that sort Of
independence" She gave little stamp
OF her foot Il think men ought al
ways to do things for women. Don't
your" She looked appealingly at me.
Certainly. IT'S the whole duty Of
man." paused, then l said, you
propounded conundrum to me just
/