Evening star., 1913-12-06
WHAT Is A WOMAN TO DO?
BY DIR. FRANK CRANE.
Copyright, 1913. by Frark Crane.)

An anonymous letter has come to my
desk AS a rule such missives slide right
over into the wastebasket. But this one is
different. X is not cowardly effort to
stab. nor malicious. nor in any wise the
ordinary anonymous nuisance. 1t is SO
human, so real, and so gives expression
to very vital and common problem that
will make some quotation from it,
After a few observations upon my writ
ings which modesty prevents me from
here setting forth, the writer says:
Briefly. my problem is a very old one
merely that of a woman who has long
suffered from intense loneliness and heart
hunger Ny greatest need seems to be
the love and companionship of con-
genial man.
4 am Well born. coming from an old
family of refinement culture and one
time wealth. ! am also well educated,
graduate OF one of our foremost women's
colleges. l am no longer young. neither
nm l old; my friends hatter me by saying
that | look ten years younger than / am.
Always have | had the reputation of un-
usual charm, that of personality, per-
hans. rather than of beauty
How. please, is a woman alone. with
out family-for all have died-and with
no social BACKGROUND, to meet desirable
men in great city? Such one would
like to make friends and comrades from
among whom she could find suitable
mate. With every possible advantage of
education and culture. living i'm a de-
lightfully artistic home, adapted i'm every
way to offer hospitality to friends. l per-
force live practically the life of hermit
rs it any wonder that We restless. un-
satisfied women, whom nature has in
tended for wives and mothers. should seek
some avenue for expression some absorb
ing interest which will enable us to stifle
our longings?
Politics. any sort of a career of
publicity. does not appeal to me- | want
a home and children.
is 1t that there are no men of my kind
in the city? And if there are such, why is
IT so impossible to meet them?
a Well known physician recently OBJ
served that city men are not marrying
men 1t is a great pity
Boy and man friends I have had all
my life, but never has the right one come
Perhaps, as has been said of me, | am too
exclusive. too much inclined to seek the
ideal.
What can a refined woman do. who be-
leves in marriage and the family. and
who has scorned the occupation of hus-
band hunting? 1t seems to be too often
the other type of woman who wins the
man.
Pardon me if I do not sign my name
How can L to such letter as this?''
| cannot answer this appeal for the
simple reason that 7 do not know the
answer. | give the letter to you. gentle
reader, that you may realize. as this
epistle so strongly impressed il upon me-
that there situations in life which
our present civilization morals and con-
ventions do not touch. Monogamy re-
llgion, societyS customs are good enough
and suit the many. but they are far from
covering all of the deep needs and Pc
culiar issues of the human heart
And how ptiful our little ssnug phi!oso-
ply before this primeval cry OF human
instinct.
Lady Unknown, | can only. through the
darkness, send you sincere thought "A
handclasp of sympathy and offer up "A
prayer to the kindly fates that they may
send you, some adventurous day Your
prince and knight who shall know and
value your womaE's worth