The Washington herald., 1907-01-13
W0NANS ROLE i,> f1ATRIN0NY

cheap vaudeville Of Irritation. She gets a
larger and more certain salary. and"
Harder work interpolated Kitty.
scornfuiIy.
And she is safer
And more useful"
And more comfortable"
And commonplace and uninteresting
and meek. and easily imposed on" fin
ished Kitty dramatically. And even
then she went on, with a spiteful snap
OF her ivory fan, "a man isn't satisfied
unless he is married to IA whole theatTi-
cal company. and she is willing to shift
all the domestic scenery, and do the cook
ing. and make the beds. and set uD
charming background for him, and then
to come on ana play chorus, and laugh at
his jokes, and sing his praises, and ap-
piaud his entrances, and exists, and keep
the limelight on him whenever they are
in company, and hand him bouquets and
compliments, and keep his stage clothes
in order during her spare moments
and"
Ssh" broke IN. desl slerately. The cur
tain is going up"
But I needn't have bothered. Kitty had
stopped with parted lips, and was star
ing at d young person with a very white
shirt front and perfectly parted hair and
a huge chrysanthemum in his coat lapel,
who had just entered the box opposite.
Quick she whispered. Look at him.
D-does he look as if he wanted lead
Ing lady or-or a soubretteY'
I leyeled my glasses speculatively.
He looks" / said. after a moments
thoughtful scrutiny. "as If nothing less
than a whole chorus would satisfy
Kitty put her hand over my mouth.
The curtain is going up she broke in
hurriedly.
After all. said Kitty leaning back
iangUidly when the curtain had dropped
again. the leading lady does have the
best Of the situation"
Perhaps, / agreed. doubtfully, at
the beginning Of the play: but not in the
end. I've seen lots Of leading ladies who
lived I'm hall rooms and paid their own
board bills 10 their dying day. and who
took themselves so seriously and were 50
busy trying 10 live up to their roles and
to manage the situation that no man ever
offered to manage it for then."
Oh well" retorted Kitty men admire
independent women"
But they don't marry them" / replied
THE average man steers shy Of a girl
who takes all of his best speeches out Of
his mouth and makes him sit back Ike
part OF the scenery while she is dolnS
her dTaWing-room act. He knows that
marriage with her would mean 81 mono
Iogue. in which she woIlt do all the talk
ing. while he played the silent part OF
walking gentleman. What most men are
looking for is a nice. merry little sou-
brette who will dance and sing her way
through life and tighten Che whole trag
edy. and lead her husband UP TO his
greatest heights and play up 10 his clever
ness. lie may not be willing 10 share his
Emelight with her. but most any man
would be willing to share everything else
or earth with a girl like that
DO you think" said Kitty iaconically.
indicating the white chrysanthemum iu
the opposite box with a nod Of the head,
that ] could play up 20 his cleveTness?"
"His-What?"
That's Just what I meant" declared
Kitty triumphantly. How many women
get husbands who are fit 10 take the
lead? How many women get husbands
they ara proud OF and long 20 see shin
ing in the limelight and making them
selves heard above the orchestra ?' And
Kitty regarded the white chrysanthe-
mum with little shudder
7 gazed very thoughtfully at the box
across The way for moment. and then !
turned 20 Kitty and put my hand over
hers beneath the ivory fan.
My dear little girl, I said, gently. no
woman has right 10 sign a contract of
marriage until she knows that the COM
pany she is going to cast her lot with is
good and that the man who is going to
play the opposing role-is the right
man. 40 woman has a right 10 so into
matrimOny at all who IS cut out 10 be a
star and wants the center of the stage
all the time. She should go in for law
or literature or the drama. or art or pol
itics or woman's clubs. The only kind
Of a wife who gets and gives any happi-
ness in marriage is the one who is will
ing 70 play second, and who admires her
husband 50 intensely that she can sit
dumb whenever he speaks and loves him
so much that the very sound Of his voice
is music In her ears
But" protested Kitty, gazing alb
stractedly at the box opposite. couldn't
husband and wife-be joint stars?"
They might" I assented, eheerfuIly,
but there is only one center Of the stage
and one climax to the play"
I've decided" said Kitty. as I tucked
her into her white fur cloak, at the close
Of the last act, Ito be sn old maid"
I shot a triumphant glance toward the
white chrysanthemum, Dat it had disap-
peaTed from the box.
why, he's gone," l exclaimed
Kitty blushed and looked down to see
If her skirts were straight
oh no. she said. sWeetly. I guess
he's coming"
But We did not meet him on our way
out, anC 1 thought Kitty looked rather
nettled as I put her into the carriage AS
We turned the corner, our lights flashed
on a great yellow automobile standing
at the stage entrance. A lady in a scar
let chiffon hat was just entering the ton
neau, assisted by a young man In whose
buttonhole reposed a huge chrysanthe-
mum.
I glanced at Kitty. She was sitting up
straight and glaring at the whole per
fOrmance
Kitty" I said, softly, as we turned
into side street. was that the young
man you had nearly decided to"
L decided not 10 marry him, Mr. Cur
tisw cried Kitty, sinking Imply back into
the carriage.
I told YOU" I said thoughtfully. that
he looked as If nothing but a whole chorus
would satisfy
Curly" broke IN Kitty, and I felt her
hand steal into mine, sometimes l think
you are the cleverest man I know. !
could almost play up to you-if-if-"
Oh. we'll. What's the Use? I am thir-
ty-two and Kitty is only twenty. and be
sides, starring as Kitty's husband would
be a dreadful strain. to say nothing of
the expense.
WOman's WIIes.
From the Ladies Homo Journal
AS Il married couple were walking down
one pf the main thorouvbfaras of "a cifx-