The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-31


Such is what ! heard from a group
Of children playing under my window
Jaw, Marjory isn't going TO be any
thing but a woman when she grows
IN. That's nothing" jeered the little
boys
But I smiled pitylngly at MarJory
Knew that she was slated for the hard
est Job on earth and that her lte
work would comprise that Of all the
careers the little boys had chosen. And
then some. For woman has to be
4 soldier, a doctor. the family savings
hank, and run hotel that gives food
ana lodging TO man and beast Just as
sort OF side lines 10 her regular bust
ness of life.
We are in the habit OF speaking Of
being woman as a Btnd OF cinch. Es-
peeially II woman does not have to
go out into the world and earn her
own living, abe X regarded as q darling
q the gods. and men are forever tell
ing her how lucky she Is, and how
easy she has got things, and how
thankful She should be that she doesn't
have TO grapple with the difficulties OF
a profession as they do.
As a matter Of fact. the profession
Of being woman is the most com
plicaied and difficult profession on
earth. and requires the widest range
Of knowledge and talents For a wOm-
an. even Of Just the common, or gar
den variety, the woman we speak Of as
just being ordinary, and having no es-
pecial genius or gifts, must be an eN-
pert in so many different lines Of ell
deayor that the wonder is that one
small head can hold all she knows
or one pair OF hands accomplish all the
labor that she performs, or that any
body could be strong enough TO en-
dure all the strain that she puts upon
It.
To begin with. woman must have
the bravery that does not finch be-
fore A~in, The most shel-riddled sol
der on the battlefield does not 80
through greater agony than the agony
every woman experiences when she
goes down into the valley of the shad-
ow TO bring up her children, Nor does
he pass through a greater danger than
she does, II she had her deserts every
mother would wear a heros medal with
palms upon her breast,
A woman must he a soldier. A wom-
an must be a fascina;or. Every woman
who gets a husband must have a cer4
tain definess in casting the spells Of
a siren over men. aud she riust do this
subtiy and insiduouSly, for custom does
not permit her TO openly 80 forth and
choose her mate In some secret way
she must conjure to her side the man
she desires, and having gotten him she
Is In for life -long Job OF vamplng SO
that he win not perceive that she grows
old, and fat, and loses her girltsh fig
nre.
A woman must be soldier, She
must be a siren, She must be a house
hold efficiency expert, she must know
how TO cook. and how to jew down the
butcher and the baker and the corner
grocer. and keep the bills down to the |
last penny. She must know how TO
CamouflaEe mutton stew into q ragout, |
and make cake with one egg that VIII |
taste like angels food she must be |
d seamstress who can take an old dress
and twist and turn il untn IL looks IKE |
aew, and convert last springs hat into
a 1920 creation that even her dearest |
enemy will not recognize,
woman must be a soldier, She |
must be a siren. She must be a house
hold efficiency expert She must be q |
financier She must be a doctor ana |
Il trained nurse and a health commits |
sion. for she holds the physical We'll |
being OF her family In her hands, she !
must understand dietetics aud give hef |
husband and children the right food she |
must be hacterioogtst forever on the |
still hunt for the nlmhle and deadly |
She must know what to 90
for minor ailments and be able to bind !
up Johnny's cut finger. and nurse |
Mary's cold. and take care Of hubby |
when he has headache and thinks |
he Is going 10 die And she must be |
able to be on the job Of a sick nurse !
more hours out Of the "a than any pro-
fessioral nurse would even consider;
Al woman must be soldier she |
must be a household efficiency expert
She must he a financier. She must be
a doctor and trained nurse. She must |
be II diplomat Of Che first class, VINO
knows how 10 walk on eggs without
cracking a shell She must know now
10 wheedle money out Of stingy man
in the way that makes him think that
he * generous She must know how
to rub a cranky mans fur the righl
way She must be able to make man
who IL conceited domestic tyrant |
think that he originated the plan o. me
things she wishes him to do. she must
be able to smooth down the quarrels |
between the children, and keep the |
cook and the chamhermaid from pulling |
hair. and any woman who can do these |
things-and millions of women do 10 |
them every days worthy to be am
bassador extraordinary and minister |
to any court on eartn.
And these are only few OF the |
stunts that belong TO the job Of being |
a woman.
.....i,i,t tuap t,s tho Wheeler SYM |