Evening star., 1925-02-08

" on careers for women, and
thought about Peggy Went
l. worth. That is not the name
she made famous, but it hap
pens to be her own.
Not that Peggys case was typical
/ know of many women who have
been able to reconcile substantial
family life with distinguished success
in their own particular lines.
But for one i know who has been
able to do this. ten have failed. The
writing women get to their desks
during school hours or after the
family bedtime, and apparently the
only difference it has made in the
home life Is that a good many of
them have burned the candle at both
ends.
But the theatrical women and the
singers are different. When success
full they achieve personal popu-
larity. They belong to the public.
I met Peggy in a pension In Berlin
"a bare place with cold porcelain
stoves and old furniture. She used
TO sing for us while the two frauleins
who ran the pension knitted, and
Peggys older sister. Anne, sat in a
sort of depressed silence.
Anne must have been almost 40.
a drab woman badly dressed and with
an unhealthy looking skin.
I'VE were big family Peggy
once sald," and when mother died
Anne raised us. She had a chance to
get married, but she felt she shouldn' t
leave"
So it appeared that Anne had be-
come the family martyr Anne had
determined that there could be only
ono martyr in the family, and that
Peggy should have her chance. When
Peggy's voice outgrew her local teach
ers Anne had somehow managed to
take her abroad.
However, Anne was beginning to
doubt the wisdom of her course.
Peggy's voice was doing all and more
than had been expected, but Anne's 8
Ideas of happiness were changing.
She had dreamed of success and
wealth for Peggy. But as time went
on she began to feel less sure that
they would be enough.
II brought her over" she said, "but
sometimes I'm sorry / did it.
'Why?'
Where is it going to take herr"
l said that l believed that she
would be the greatest all-American prtma
donna: that she would earn vast sums
of money, and that Anne herself
would be extreemly proud Of her.
1T depends on what you want out
Of life. Happiness, 1 should say
said Anne.
different people find happiness in
different ways, Anne. With Peggy
1t may be that to give pleasure to
Thousands"
Nonsense" she broke in bitterly
I'm not tfiking about giving.
What's she to get? There are
just three courses open to woman
a career. marriage or drying up.
There used to be only two. I'm a
product of the two period. I couldn't
go out and earn a living, so L stayed
at home and dried up. 1 didn't want
Peggy to do that, so I brought her
over here. And I'm sorry / did.
And as to marriage-Td seen my
own mother drudged to death. I can
see her, cooking and washing endless
dishes. I can see her hanging cur
tains while my father read the paper,
and putting the ladder into the cellar
herself. She used to mend after he'd
gone to bed"
1 was writing stories for maga-
zines, and 1 felt called upon to de-
fend both careers and marriage, and
even a combination.
You're different" she said. you've
got your family already. And you
can work at home. A singers differ
ent. or an actress. If they get to
the top they stay in New York and
have too much money. Men don't
like that. And If they don't succeed
they have to travel, and make a
home in a hotel room. When they're
away too much, their husbands are
unfaithful.
There's no trouble if a woman
doesn't want to marry" she said.
Its when she tries to be two things
at once that the trouble comes"
x X X
nEGGY made her American debut
L at the Metropolitan five years
later, and I need say nothing Of her
success.
asked Anne to spend Christmas
with us, and she accepted. Peggy's
five years in Europe had been earn
ing years, and the Anne 1 met at
the station was a smarter Anne. But
she was tired. The debut had been
a strain.
"Of course, she belongs to the pub
lie now. She doesn't particularly
need me now"
"She always needs YOU"
Anne gave me an odd glance, and
said shes going to be married"
That's wonderful" 1 said. DO
you like the MANI"
IT do. That's the trouble" She
that way; don't worry. But I'm anx-
ious He's strong man, IA real
person. And he's madly in love with
her. That will help for a while, but
after that"
Her voice trailed off. "She's maxi
ing a lot of money"
More than he does?
"She will make more than he does.
But it isn't that. It's that she be-
longs to the public. He'll have to
share her"
THE money things important, too,
Anne
Yes" she agreed. They like their
women dependent"
Peggy's prosperity was wonderful
thing for them all. She had bought
her father a house. And young
brother was to go to Columbia, liv-
ing at Peggy's apartment
But Anne was not greatly interest
ed in the money end Of Peggy's sue
cess.