Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-19

making talent keenly developed, and who
breathe best in the atmosphere of store
or office. There are also many other
women who marry delightful men who
have every other charming virtue ex-
cept the instinct for getting on in the
world
Should the woman who loathes to cook
and loves to keep books be forced to
cook merely because she gets married?
Should the woman who can earn $50. a
week outside Of her home be forced to
do the work that any So domestic could
do better than she can? should the wo-
man who has spent years OF time ana
thousands OF dollars perfecting herself
to follow some calling abandon her pro-
fession and throw away all of this eff
fort and money just because she takes a
husband?
Should the woman who is capable OF
earning enough money to give herself all
the comforts Of life be forced to go on
half rations, and DO without all of the
refinements and luxuries she might have,
simply because she is married to man
who doesn't get along, but whose pride
will be hurt il his wife works outside of
the family circle?
In short must a woman choose between
love and husband and home, or business,
unless she happens to have the luck to
be domestic herself and marry u pros
porous man?
These be hard questions to answer and
], for one, shall not attempt to solve the
problem, which, after all, is one of those
Individual ones that each couple must set
tie for itself.
In one way it seems foolish enonomic
waste for a woman TO iii herself for an
occupation that she probably viii not
follow more than three or four years
and not even that long II she happens to
have appealing blue eyes and a peachy
complexion. IL is also cynicaliy amusing
TO reflect on the quality OF mans love
who is perfectly willing for his wife TO
follow an uncongenial and eXhausting
line Of work In the home In order to help
him, but who is ashamed for people to
see her doing some easy and agreeable
work outside Of the home. Nor, in strict
justice, is there any moro reason why a
married woman has less right TO follow
the occupation I'm which she Is happiest
and most skilled than q married man has.
Nobody suggests that Mr.. Jones should
give up being a commercial traveller and
become tailor, or baker, just because
he is married. Why should Mary smith,
who is a uacker-jack sGleswoman, be
turned into a cook Just because she en-
ters the holy estate:
on the other hand there is. o; course,
the traditional aud conventional view Of
the subject that home isn't home unless
woman is chained to the kitchen range,
and l have a letter from woman who
signs herself IAN Old-Fashloned Wife"
who ably sets forth this side Of the mat
ter She writes;
Does a husband feel nattered in the
knowledge that his wife can earn good
weeks pay? Is he delighted to have the
world know that she does? Is a home,
where all the duties Of housekeeping are
done by a hlreling, alluring to him? Is
It not merely a boarding place for two
instead Of for the public? Is home a
home in the sense Of the good old days.
when women forsake the sacred fireside
for the office and such life channels Of
income?
What is to become OF this dear, sweet,
old institution known as home II the
mother who should be its queen, Is
hanging over a typewriter or ledger all
her years? What is TO become OF the lit
tie ones who see their mother only long
enough to kiss her good night"
All Of these problems, except the one
involved I'm the question OF the children.
are easily solved. As for a home not
being alluring that is run by a competent
servant, IT is likely 10 be a lot more. at
tractive than one that is conducted by a
laundering wife. We are getting a long
ways from the superstition that there
was some magic ia mothers touch That