The Washington herald., 1907-10-01
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW

A young man, earning a fair salary
with the handicap Of delicate consti-
tuition, was surprised at the decision OF
a youns woman whose earning capacity
nearly equals his own when he asked her
TO drop her ambitions and marry him
She is surprised because he cannot see
the advantage of combining the two sal
aries and securing a better living with a
chance Of saving something for the
inevitable rainy day
Wei. that is a matter 20 be settled be-
tween them. His pride is greater than
his love OF comfort and her common
sense is superior to pride, so the chances
OF their marrying at present are remote
Ny sympathy is wholly with the girl. for
/ believe that pinehing would be neces-
sary TO make his salary cover living ex-
Penses, and the condition Of his health
places the salary on a doubtful basis
She happens to be young and strong, and
6reatly interested in her work. so why
should she give It up for pride's sake? I
have always believed in using ones tai
ents, whether married or single.
The statement that married women who
work are depriying spinsters Of the means
Of earning a livelihood is absurd II
often happens that married women con-
tinue to work because they cannot be re-
placed by their employers. Men and wo-
men who are experts in certain dimes
are not many. and when EMPLOYERS start
out to find one they realize the paucity
OF numbers, While it may be true that
nobody is Indispensable. il is also true
that successors are often difficult to find
It strikes me that a woman is better
employed at work which brings financial
returns than in doing useless fancy work
or playing card games, as many mar
RED women do IN all seasons of the year
She need not neglect her home or hus-
band and children, and literary women
Of the present day are not open to criti-
cism on that point. l know numberless
Instances where a wife's ability to earn
money has helped the husband materially
in securing a footing in the professional
and business world.
Not always have men proved grateful
for feminine aid. Possibly on the whole
the helpless. dependent women fare bet
ter. There are sufficient cases Of fngrati-
tude Of this kind to chill the desire of
some women to make sacrifices for the
advancement Of their husbands. No
woman cares TO see her husband going
so far ahead of her in education or ex-
perience that other women can step be-
tween them. No woman who really cares
for her husband can close her eyes to his
preference for women OF his own mental
caliber. II may have 70 be borne. but
the burden IS not voluntarily assumed
Every woman should be prepared to
earn living at any hour. and that she
cannot do If she allows her talents to
get rusty II is easier to forget things
than TO learn them. and a woman who
does not keep Up 10 the times is useless
10 any employer. I do not believe any
better illustration Of the changes wrought
by time can be found than in the old
PLAYS which are revived from time to
time Few Of them are worth the trouble
when judged by the financial results.
Music teachers Of the old school find
money getting a serious problem. There
arc new and approved methods of learning
music and teachers who know them are
given the preference. There are new
methods in other lines of business. and
when we are progressive We become ia
miliar with them as with the modern
Improvements in travel. Il is not uncom-
mon for a woman with a family of chill
Tr..,
own resources, and when she is not pre-
pared Tor it she becomes a burden upon
relatives, II they will have her. or ekes
out a living at any work she can find.
None Of Us are sure Of the future.
BETTY BRADEEN
October S, 1907. Remember the date.