The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-05
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
BIZ DOROTHY DIX
Worlds Highest Paid Woman Wntse.

BIZ OO6o1aI LA
Worlds Highest Paid Woman Winter.
The Skeleton in the Guest Chamber.
"Or Brother Joe says that he knows
you will be glad to have his John
Henry come and live with you while
he is getting a start in business in the
city, or mother writes that she is send
ing jamie to stay a few months with
you because she has gotten so nervous
and dyspeptic that the doctor thinks
that she needs a change and to have
her mind diverted by the gay and
stimulating life OF the city.
What are you to do? You can't
tell your own mother, or your hus-
bands mother. that she can't come. no
matter how inconventent II is to have
her. You can't shut the door of op-
portunity in the face OF your own
nephews and nieces, for 1t does mean
a lot to q boy or girl to have the ad-
vantages that a city can give them.
You cannot mortaily offend people
you have loved all your life by telling
them that you would sooner have ar
attack of smallpox. than a visit from
them at that particular moment.
mo. You are simply the goat. You
are the sacrifice that your family Of
fers up on the altar of their pleasure
and convenience, and parsimony or
| poverty, and the only way you can
help yourself is by making yourself
homeless.
eff people are rich and own a big
house with plenty of servants. it mus:
be perfectly heavenly to make an Old
Ladies' Home. a spinsters' Retreat. .
ConvalescentS Home, a Rest Cure. a
d-to-the-Ambitious and a
Shopping Annex Of their homes for
| the benefit of their relatives.
But it is a different story when
| you are a struggling y5ung couple just
getting start in life, as Bob and
are, with the high cost of living even
for two a horror to turn your hair
gray, and with little band box flat
| into which we have to insinuate our
\ selves with a shoe horn, 1t is such a
close fit.
Every time we have company we
have to do a series OF legerdemain
feats that upset our whole arrange
ments. We have to turn couches into
| beds and chairs into dressing tables
and so thru appalling stunts that
ought to touch the hardest heart with
enough pity for us to make the visitor
| leave on the next train.
1T doesn't. however. He or she has
come to enjoy himself or herself ard
our sufferings make no impression
upon their calloused nature. Our
| guests are saving hotel bills, and that
fills them with such deep and abid-
| ing joy that nothing else matters.
| Worse still. when you have visitors
they expect to be entertained. They
casually mention that they have al
ways wanted to go to the most fash
ionable restaurants where they hare
midnight frolics and that shocking
cabaret they have read such dreadful
things of in the Sunday newspapers
And they ask what they are singing
a ha Nd T,@
plays, and tell you how they have been
| looking forward to hearing Caruso and
seeing Maude Adams.
And they go shopping every day
and order chicken a la king, and lob
| ster newburgs at the restaurants, and
they never. never. never offer to pay
| a single cent for anything. And they
say it must be dreadfully expensive
living in a city, and they are afraid
you and Bob are terribly extravaganza
going around to places of amusement
all the time like you do. and You
haven't he nerve to tell them tina,
you don't have even the money to &C
to the movies for your own pleasure
because you spend every penny you
have on your grating relatives.
why. I haven't even had q new
dress since my trousseau, nor has Boz
had a new suit since he was married
Every time we are ready to get some.
thing for ourselves we have a vista
| ton from one side or the other of tbs
house that wipes out our bank &C.
count
That is why we are going tc
boarding and we are going to stay In
a hotel until there Is some law passed
making closed season In which poor
young couples can be safe from theil
families. AS things are now, we
haven't even got a sporting chance fol-
our lives.
| Please write something on this
subject and ask families as they are
strong and numerous to be merciful
and stay at home"
: I have