The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-10-07
FROM WOMAPS
POINT OF VIEW

We have arrived at the point Of openly
coufessins that happiness is dependent
upon our having cur own way, and that
is the cause of the ever-lncreasing dis
inclination TO marriage. Men and women
want their own way. and they realize
that they have better opportunity when
they live for themselves.
Nobody is quite so independent as the
bachelor man or woman who lives in
apartments with q caretaker, a cafe, q
telephone and q lauudress. Such an ex-
istence can be maintained on a mod
crate salary. and expenses can be halved
il they choose 10 take a partner, used
To- live between two suites. one occupied
by two sisters and the other by two
masculine chums, both suites containing
two rooms and bath. thus allowing each
occupant 60 sleep alone and both cared
for by a faithful and obliging woman.
who was glad 90 earn extra money by
extra service on occasions when there
We're little parties on hand.
They were the most Contented four per
sons I ever saw, save one. a bachelor,
who is earning a good income and has
o talent for entertainment. which he pur-
sues as far as he likes with the as
sistanCe of a male helper, He has a
three-room apartment. decorated to suit
his fasudous taste and beautifully fur
nished. One OF the rooms is a Dutch
dining-room, and he and a few Of his
friends who have made chatting dish
cookery a fad get up most charming
after-theater suppers.
Then the party retlres to the recep-
tion-room while the helper clears away
every trace OF the feast What could
married life offer to a man so situated?
Nothing that is tempting, be sure Of
that He sits up as late as he pleases,
gets up when he wants to. and has as
many friends Of both sexes as he desires.
He is so popular that he cannot begin to
accept the invitations he receives TO all
sorts of entertainments. and all the
money he makes he can spend upon
himself
It is a selfish existence. yes. but It is so
fascinating that mere woman cannot hope
to cope with it. Marriage means for q
man the assumption Of innumerable bur
dens. and for a woman the sacrifice of a
deal more than any man intends to give
up. In old-fashiOned days we knew moth
ing of such independent methods of living
as bachelor apartments offer, so marriage
was popular.
am not sure that it is wholesome to
have our own way too often. Men and
women who have 10. make sacrifices for
others are sWeeter in nature, even though
they may not be as happy The best
women I know are those who live for
their husbands and children. for parents
or brothers and sisters. One of the num-
Der is the sole survivor Of a large family,
TO every member of which she devoted
herself in turn, When the last one died,
a dull-witted brother with an inherited
tendency to drunkenness, she collapsed
simply from lack of some object on which
to lavish care and for whom to make
sacrifices.
It is cruel for a parent to saddle an
elder child with the perpetual care Of the
younger children. quite as cruel as the
act of a dying husband or wife who for
bids remarriage Of the surviving party
without paying heavy forfeit. But both
courses are taken and conscientious per-
sons spend their lives in making others
happy while forgetting to catch little
Of the sunshine of life for themselves. tt
is better than living wholly for self, but
it is not as sensible as a moderate course,
where everybody shares as nearly alike
as possible. in clouds as well as sunshine.
There is no good reason why one person
should bear the burdens of one or two
others sufficiently strong and healthy 10
bear their own. Sickness, however, is an
excuse for about everything.
pETrVV AnEuN