The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-29
NoW Honest 10 Goodness Would You GiDe Up oS10 Job for q $2O Husband
BY DOLLY nALRYMPLE

My good friend Susie Damn and I have been in the throes of an anil mated argument for the past few days, precipitated by a letter l am in receipt of, signed "Inquiring Spinster,' and asking whether the writer, who was making $10 week, was Justified In giving up her po- sition to marry man who got SEQ.
 And what was your answer, Dolly?" asked Susie Damn.
 Tn my humble opinion" I replied, Tit was marvel of diplomacy that l wrote to Tnquiring Spinsttr mentioned that if she was trained in household economies. a good cook. a fair marketer, did not demand pretty clothes, or many of them. and was content without the luxuries. she might marry the s20 a week man"
 Immediately Susie Damn began pouring into my anxious ear all sorts of criticism and abuse until I felt that had made the greatest mistake of my journalistic career.
 Idea Suicidal.
 "The very idea,' said she vehe- menty.
 Tt is suicidal for any woman to even try to attempt life upon such a pitiful sum. Why, 1t would not be right to ask a girl to make such a sacrifice. The happiness of such a union should be considered, in the event that little children came to bless the home, and then what would happen?"
 Almost any man with whom you would discuss the subject of marry ing upon a small sum, would bitterly denounce such views as yours" I Aixt = that a girl who was not willing to make such sacrifice was not worth marrying"
 "Of course, many men would. say that It's their selfishness that prompts them to do so," quickly re- torted Susie Damn. "But it's very old-fashioned to bring up such argu- ments nowadays with all the enor- nous costs of even the necessities of life. Men who argue that way can afford to entertain such savage views since tho management does not de- pend upon the master but the mis- tress of the house. She 1t Is who Is expected to perform the miracle of the widows cruse of oil, over and over. with her pittance; she 1t is who must provide nourishing food and warm clothing for her brood on practically nothing year."
 Unhappy
 Well, even the people in Levers wonderful book, Ten Thousand a Year weren't happy" I suggested.
 Which argues that they demanded too much" sighed she, nervously.
 Tt all depends upon what one counts as happiness" I continued. Now, let me tell you something. Just after I had answered this let ter in question from Inquiring Spin ster, who evidently had showed 1t to numerous friends of hers in the neighborhood, I received another let ter signed Happy and Contented Wife which declared that the writer had married her husband when hls salary was but $10 a week; they had managed to live happily and to mako a little home where they raised chickens, vegetables and kept COW. From time to time, she wrote. her husbands salary had been raised and now he is receiving s16 a week, and she is very happy in her sphere"
 All of which sounds truly rural and delightful, but not for me-" de- clared Susie Damn. And wouldn't you like to have see her? Calico frock, heavy shoes al cotton stock ings. Why, there isn't woman alive who likes that sort of thing"
 Just wait moment" I begged. "A few days after the letter was re- ceived happy and contented wife ap- peared one morning at my inner shrine and introduced herself by say ing that she was the author of the letter and that her husband had said letters tell so little that he wanted 10 h1x y,d hot week meant. She had her small son with her. every stitch of whose clothes she had made herself. She told me that her own frock, a we'll fitting, well-made garment. she had designed and executed herself. mak- ing 1t with her own hands. and . sweeter, more happy looking pair I never beheld than this mother and child, so that your idea of vast wealth making people happy was re- futed by this example"
 "All of which sounds very romantic and fine for them that likes sich,' " observed Susie Damn. But again say, not for me. I'll wager happy and contented wife takes in sewing be- sides doing her own cooking, scrub ping and milking"
 Indeed, she doesn't" I replied, "She is very romantic in her tastes, but she doesn't do those things. She says she and her husband even go to the theatre occasionally. She has not taken in washing or sewing. or work of any. kind, and has a neat little bank account all of her own. and she further stated that every thing that would be eaten on her Thanksgiving table this year would ha rofced on her own nlaCe.p
 I suppose 1t Is a pretty we'll established fact" said she that peo- pie can live upon what they have to live on. I have known the fam flies of country parsons to live on nothing a year with such grace that no one suspected 1t. Indeed. in many such cases $S- week in hard. cold cash would have been considered . Rockefeller income"
 "To be bromidic," I replied, "one- half the world does not know how the other half lives. the economies 1t practices. nor the sacrifices 1t makes"
 Exactly" replied Susie Damn, land I would like to have answered the letter for you from 1nquirins Spinster,' and said to that female correspondent, unless you are equip pea TOT lOHB duu ii1i with the wolf at the door, unless you are prepared to make innumer- able sacrifices with smiling race unless you have something or the stuff of which marytyrs are maoe' don't marry a man on salary wnicn Is SO small that the barest neces- stiles are possible, especially if you can earn your own living.
 .I,uckily there are in this world, said to Susie Damn, few whose worldliness amounts to greed. spien- did women, whose greatest privilege in life Is to make sacrifices for those they love and 1t Is these devoted
 .rta nara the happy and