The Prescott daily news., 1909-12-20
ON NOT BEING
 INDEPENDENT

DO you kIlOW, DrOke out the gIr. who likes to talk, I've just been con. sidering the most interesting ideal! Suppose nobody had to fuss over try. ing to be what he felt he was ex- pected to be. and could just accept himself as he was-think of the time one would have really to enjoy life!
 The reason this great thought dawned on me- explained the girl who likes to talk, "is that when l goJ up this morning I felt lazy and nor tally yearned to skip my gymnastics that l sternly wrthe through twice day. You see. I'm getting stout and realize that nothing but stern, heroic, regular slaving will help me.
 "I had to argue with myself said firmly: Now, you know perfectly well that those reducing exercises won't co you ten cents worth of good if you are haphazard about them-it's the steady plugging away that counts
 "lt's dreadful to think that all my lie I'll have to struggle that way Why, just long for real legitimate excuse to escape my duties. Talk about inheriting a fortune, If I could wake up some morning and know had days freedom from those gym. rastics that loathe I'd go mad with joy, Think how lovely it would be if l could just comfortably grow fat and nobody would be shocked, and I was just as goodlooking as though I were thin and l knew it didn't matter! Sim ply because realize the world. will think me sight if I don't attain syiphlikeness I'm doomed to struggle on!
 Then look at Daisy Greene! Shr has such desperately pretty face that everybody says, 'Gracious ex pect people are just crazy over that girl! She probably is the most popu. lar person in her crowd and has dozen proposals season!' Whats the result? Why, poor Daisy. who is per fectly simple and unassuming and would far rather stay at home and read novels or embroider centerpieces. is wearing out her young days being belle because the world thinks she should be! You needn't tell me tha: girl isn't slave! Look at the way she races about to theasers and luncheons and dinners. She smiles smiles perpetually. and is always keyed up to be charming and attrac. tive-when she doesn't give a pica yune for the fact that her dance pro gram is filled first and the papers call her social favorite.
 She's bored to pieces by 1t all She's just as much tied to a tread mill as am with my gymnastics, and there's no escape for her, either Everybody has decided that she'll make brilliant marriage and be social leader and she wouldn't dare Tor her life marry man who wanted 70 stay at home and read the paper evenings and wear a smoking jacket Cor such howl would arise about her throwing herself away with all her beauty and genius for the whirl of SO ciety! All because she knows what's opinion!
 Consider tho way Mrs. Updike wears herself out endeavoring tc make her daughter grow up into what she thinks Hazel ought to be instead of what Hazel naturally is. Hazel is lumpy, ordinary young person of IA who has no taste for the artistic and no gift or charm. She'd be perfectly content to be left in corner and not bothered all the rest of her life-in fact that's the only role she'd make a success of. Yet her mother is miserable and makes Hazel miserable by eternally goading her on to shine. putting her in an exclusive school to make proper friends when she can't make friends any more than she can pick Mars out of the sky to trim hat, chasing her to her French les sons, standing over her like monu. ment while she tortures the piano, in. things. making her do clumsy antics at dancing school. keeping at her grimly.
 Tt would be pathetic if it wasn't so ridiculous! Why can't she accept Hazel for what Hazel naturally Is and let it go at that? She'd have lots more time to enjoy life and Hazel would have some peace But she is haunted by the knowledge of what people think a daughter ought to be. and she'll keep at it till they both die of exhaustion or till Hazel elopes with a grocery clerk and lives happily ever after.