Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-17
WOMAN
HAS CHANCE
TO CHOOSE
(By Helen oldneld.)

- hfah hhht thbOtg bhA
must wait to be chosen" True, WON
en- may, and in many cases do, choose
Indirectly, but none the less certain
ly, by aiming the whole battery OF
their charms against the particular
bird they wish TO secure. The fact
that such bird frequently is a goose
and not always a fat one, and some.
times even less desirable quarry
goes far TO prove that the much
coveted liberty for women 10 WOO
man is like many another privilege
more desirable In prospect than in
possession.
But in spite OF this undenlablo
fact the woman who goes husband
hunting has small chance OF success.
n. as the saying is. she takes brass
band along. There is nothing a man
hates like being pursued by wom-
an, except the being caught by her.
The hunt, 20 be successful, must be
the stlllest kind OF one. and the
quarry must appear TO he the hunt
err. For which reason in this, as In
other undertakings, the clever wom-
an obeys the commandment: Thou
shalt not be found out"
Nevertheless, although kind sir,
will you marry me?" is by no means
accounted a becoming speech upon
maidenly lips, and would surely re-
pei rather than WOO, every woman is
tree TO refuse any suitor whom she
has no desire TO accept. There Is no
reason whatever. nowadays, why any
woman should marry against her
wishes. And this is much.
Only a generation back women
were frequently more or less COM
PEELED 10 marry for home. which.
putting love out OF the equation. is.
OF all possible methods. the hardest
in which self-reSpecting woman
can earn a living. In those days the
avenues for solf-support for women
were few. the pay small, and good |
women often married men who loved
them, hoping they might return that
love In time. II IN safe TO say that
any tolerably clever woman can earn
a living and probably save money by
the same amount OF energy and la
bor. expended In almost any trade.
which good wife and mother de-
votes To her duties AS such. Now
adaya all gates stand open 10 the
woman who prefers 10 stand alone.
and. except in remote country neigh
borhoods which are hopelessly old
fashioned. Il II seldom. II ever taken
Cor granted that women remain un-
married otherwise than from choice.
Undoubtedly happy marriage IL
the most blessed lot upon earth
which can befall either man or won.
an. siill. II Is better by far not to
marry Rt all than 10 marry badly.
Marriage Is much the most serious
undertaking into which either man
or woman can enter. For a woman.
indeed. a Is almost always her whole
lifc. wherefore Il ~ well that she
should make sure she Is right before /
she goes ahead upon the path she
cannot retrace. ~. NJ. take thee.
NJ" II. ~. take thee. NJ" aud the
deed IL done. which. once done. Il
irreyoeahle. True, one may say, |,
there II such thing as divorce. but I
divorce, however necessary. Is az
best but miry and hrlery way of 4,
escape for a woman. way through :
which few may pass uuscratched II ID
cannot restore 20 the mlsused wife )
her free and happy girlhood. aud IN .
her heart OF hearts the woman who +,
seeks such freedom Is forced 10 con- !,
fess herself a failure. IN that she has =,
not been able 60 keep her hold upon
the man OF her choice, q
1T Is queer" says correspond a
ent. what people marry one an- tI
other; how men and women whom Il,
no clever hostess would ever think In
OF pairing Tor dinner party rush n
into matrimony without thought of r,
tho consequences OF pairing FOR life
And Il Is QueereT still that some n
times they suit; but generally they IA,
ion't" This apropos OF a marriage IN
which seems TO be a nine days won al
Ter To the correspondents circle of nj
of course. nobody d,
lnows what will sui, any one else. 4.
md IN marriage. as In religion. Il a
'usht 90 be the inalienablo right OF a
very one 90 choose Cor oneself, only lhl
Is 80 much better 10 be sure than o.
o be sorry.
Sorrow Is uselss lth
IA. -. ....a = -. A