The Washington herald., 1920-07-05
By DOROTHY DIX
Copyright. 1880.
Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.
Excellent Advice

Likewise. she ascertains that in
stead of being pinfeathered little
angels, always rosy and smiling anu
ready to be kissed, children are
mostly brats who need to be spank
ed and have their noses wiped, and
that they are prone to measles, and
mumps. and raiding the jam closet.
Certainly the wife and mother OF
an ordinary family has a strenuous
life of IL. and whether she is a mar
tyr. or the blessed among women,
depends upon her point of view. II
she loves her husband and children
better than she does herself, she
gets pure Joy out of IL. There is
nothing menial in the hours she
spends over the cook stove. prepar-
ing the food that gives them health
and strength. Nor Is there any
thing sordid in the pinchins econ
omies with which she manages her
household. for she is helping her
man build up his fortune.
And there you are. Husbands are
dull or fascinating. children are
burdens. or Gods own gifts; max
ing home is woman's noblest
sphere or domestic slavery just as
the individual woman thinks il is.
And similarly, making her own
living is career or a curse accoru-
ing to woman's point of view.
The only differe nee between work
is our mental attitude towards them.
Golf is a sport because you have to
pay out money for the privilege of
playing 1t. Hoeing potatoes is work
because you have to hire some body
to do 1t for you.
A woman is having a regular
picnic when she spends time and
money turning over lovely goods in
shop. or trying ON imported frocks
and hats to see how she looks in
them. But she regards herself as
poor unfortunate when she is
hired to handle pretty things in a
store, or serve as cloak or hat
model.
In reality there is no other. such
fun as work. It's the big game that
calls into play every faculty that
one possesses that keeps one strung
up to concert pitch all the time be-
cause its stakes arc real. You are
not playing for counters. All you
have and hope for is staked on the
outcome of your efforts.
Some women take this outlook on
earning their own living. They are
the bright-eyed. wide-awake, jolly
business women who have an in
terest that never pals in their job.
There Is always something new for
them to find out about the thing
they are doing: there is always
something exciting happening in
the way of some new trade; they
are always looking ahead, building
for the future; they are always
q r vi fax ~
The work may be hard. They
never notice II, so keen are thev on
results. They do the same things
day after day, but they see a myri-
ad of new faces to even the most
familiar act The hours are long.
They are all too short for what
they wish to accomplish. They are
classed as working women. They
glory in IL. for II means that they
are not dolls or parasites but ca
pable human beings able to stand
on their own feet.
They look with pity on the Door
lackadaisical creature who leans
listlessly against her counter. or
sheds tears all over her Typewriter.
and laments because she has no man
to support her and has to earn her
own bread and butter. Still more
do they pity the woman who finds
no interest in her work, who gets
no thrill out Of the sacred joy of
Independence. and knowing that
she has really earned the contents
OF her pay envelope. and Is of some
use In the world. and so justified in
living.
AS woman thinks so is she.
Happy or unhappy. lucky or un-
lucky. The man she Is married 10
is king or a boor. just as she sees
him. Her work Is worth while or
not. as she visualizes 1t. what a
pity every woman can't put the good
thought on herself and see her lot
thpAr~A vAs~ ~lasaAkl