The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-21
A TRAITOR TO HER SExp
The Confession or a Believer In woman's
Economic Independence.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: /
have always believed that in economic
independence lies woman's only saliva
ton. So when the youngest OF my four
boys was nearly three and could. I felt.
be left with safety to hired care. ! set
about getting job. was fortunate
enough to get very good one, with
prospects of really large salary In a
year or two and with enough present in
come to pay my maid and governess Il
should say governesses. as there were
four In the three months OF which / am
going TO write). SO 1 felt that ] was
quite Independent of my husbands in
come In making the experiment
Now this Is what happened almost
at once all four, in succession, had grip.
This gave mo much night work with
them. but they were not dangerously Ill
and could be left in the day time. so I
kept on very well. leaving home at eight.
returning at five thirty. But the double
strain OF the night work, the anxiety,
and the strenuous brain work OF the day
Tiny Job was copy writing In large
advertising agency must have reduced
my own resistance, for after four weeks
| fell victim to typhoid I went to /
hospital and proceeded 10 get well as fast
as could. In three weeks | was able
TO return home. | found my four chill
dren In bed with the measles. Well.
measles is not serious a disease. so
after week or two OF rest returned
to my Job While the children we're still
In convalescent state, not YET out OF
doors, they began to have whooping
cough. SIN | went 20 work. though II
was in the face OF the fearful protests
OF all the children, who being cut of
from all playmates found life we'll nigh
intolerable when they were deprived Of
their mothers society as well They all
coughed forty or fifty times night
so | still had no sleep to speak Of How
ever l loved my work. and do really be-
lleve that In economic Independence lies
womans only salvation SO I kept on,
and gave satisfaction apparently.
Next, In their depleted states Of health
cared for BY maid and governess
different ones from time TO time. as Il
is no easy Job 10 take care OF four boys
from three to eight years of age) they
all managed to have more or less ear
and throat complications Finally the
youngest caught cold and became even
dangerously III for two weeks. He had.
OF course. trained nurse and I was of
no real use but he cried piteousy for
me whenever ] wasn't In the room. When
] was there all he wanted was 10 hold
my hand and lie with closed eyes I
did nothing really useful. | might have
gone on 10 my work. But didn't
had already been absent 50 much that
when ! found that ! was going to be
out again for two weeks or more the
illness seemed TO be going 20 be of long
duration. and might even terminal ~
fatally, / resigned. ashamed to ask them
20 walt another indefinite period
Now what should I have DONE Hero
was my chance II viii not be easy TO
get another so promising job. am In
the late thirties. and Il Is not so easy
To start In at anything. I feel that in
giving up this Job ! have perhaps given
- 4
ence forever. You see. | could have KEEP,
on. The nurses could have done every
thing for the baby. His father went on
to hts work. To be sure the child wanted
me. Eut was there not something higher
at stake. tho cause OF all married
women who must somehow get economic
Independence? Was IL weakness to
give up? Is Il the lesser part 70 do this
job Of taking care OF the small chill
dren. doing all the hundred and one
tiresome things. being bored by their
juvenilty. SC. all day long. and hav-
ing no vitality left when they are finally
in bed at seven or eight at night to do
more than follow them? am fanatlcally
fond Of my children. But the Job OF
taking care Of them bores me mex
pressbly. as 1t would bore me to be a
kindergarten teacher
for my part feel tina. I have been a
traitor to all women. II required more
heroic stun than ! was made OF, that is
all. to endure for n little time the chill
dren's wanting me. They would have
got used to 1t eventually. They would
not have had the measles and whoop,ng
cough and grip forever. feel that I
have gone back 10 n kind of prison, from
which the next escape will be- much
| harder.
should like TO know what other
women. sufragists and feminists only,
| would have done. And what men, SUI
fragist and feminist men only, think 7
should have done. should Sun do; for I
| dare say | could still go forth and with
the recommendation l now have get
| another job in the same line of work, IL
not quite so promising as this one
FEMINIST.
UPPER MoNrcLAiR, " J., May 10