the angel and the author-第29节

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escaped　from　her　〃shelter〃she　is　on　the　loose。　　For　the　future　we　
men　have　got　to　accept　the　emancipated　woman　as　an　accomplished　fact。

＇The　ideal　World。＇

Many　of　us　are　worried　about　her。　　What　is　going　to　become　of　the　
home？　　I　admit　there　is　a　more　ideal　existence　where　the　working　
woman　would　find　no　place；　it　is　in　a　world　that　exists　only　on　the　
comic　opera　stage。　　There　every　picturesque　village　contains　an　equal　
number　of　ladies　and　gentlemen　nearly　all　the　same　height　and　weight；　
to　all　appearance　of　the　same　age。　　Each　Jack　has　his　Jill；　and　does　
not　want　anybody　else's。　　There　are　no　complications：　　one　presumes　
they　draw　lots　and　fall　in　love　the　moment　they　unscrew　the　paper。　　
They　dance　for　awhile　on　grass　which　is　never　damp；　and　then　into　the　
conveniently　situated　ivy…covered　church　they　troop　in　pairs　and　are　
wedded　off　hand　by　a　white…haired　clergyman；　who　is　a　married　man　
himself。

Ah；　if　the　world　were　but　a　comic　opera　stage；　there　would　be　no　need　
for　working　women！　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　so　far　as　one　can　judge　from　
the　front　of　the　house；　there　are　no　working　men　either。

But　outside　the　opera　house　in　the　muddy　street　Jack　goes　home　to　his　
third　floor　back；　or　his　chambers　in　the　Albany；　according　to　his　
caste；　and　wonders　when　the　time　will　come　when　he　will　be　able　to　
support　a　wife。　　And　Jill　climbs　on　a　penny　'bus；　or　steps　into　the　
family　brougham；　and　dreams　with　regret　of　a　lost　garden；　where　there　
was　just　one　man　and　just　one　woman；　and　clothes　grew　on　a　fig　tree。

With　the　progress　of　civilizationutterly　opposed　as　it　is　to　all　
Nature's　intentionsthe　number　of　working　women　will　increase。　　With　
some　friends　the　other　day　I　was　discussing　motor…cars；　and　one　
gentleman　with　sorrow　in　his　voicehe　is　the　type　of　Conservative　
who　would　have　regretted　the　passing　away　of　the　glacial　period
opined　that　motor…cars　had　come　to　stay。

〃You　mean；〃　said　another；　〃they　have　come　to　go。〃　　The　working　woman；　
however　much　we　may　regret　it；　has　come　to　go；　and　she　is　going　it。　　
We　shall　have　to　accept　her　and　see　what　can　be　done　with　her。　　One　
thing　is　certain；　we　shall　not　solve　the　problem　of　the　twentieth　
century　by　regretting　the　simple　sociology　of　the　Stone　Age。

＇A　Lover's　View。＇

Speaking　as　a　lover；　I　welcome　the　openings　that　are　being　given　to　
women　to　earn　their　own　livelihood。　　I　can　conceive　of　no　more　
degrading　profession　for　a　womanno　profession　more　calculated　to　
unfit　her　for　being　that　wife　and　mother　we　talk　so　much　about　than　
the　profession　that　up　to　a　few　years　ago　was　the　only　one　open　to　
herthe　profession　of　husband…hunting。

As　a　man；　I　object　to　being　regarded　as　woman's　last　refuge；　her　one　
and　only　alternative　to　the　workhouse。　　I　cannot　myself　see　why　the　
woman　who　has　faced　the　difficulties　of　existence；　learnt　the　lesson　
of　life；　should　not　make　as　good　a　wife　and　mother　as　the　ignorant　
girl　taken　direct；　one　might　almost　say；　from　the　nursery；　and；　
without　the　slightest　preparation；　put　in　a　position　of　
responsibility　that　to　a　thinking　person　must　be　almost　appalling。

It　has　been　said　that　the　difference　between　men　and　women　is　this：　　
That　the　man　goes　about　the　world　making　it　ready　for　the　children；　
that　the　woman　stops　at　home　making　the　children　ready　for　the　world。　　
Will　not　she　do　it　much　better　for　knowing　something　of　the　world；　
for　knowing　something　of　the　temptations；　the　difficulties；　her　own　
children　will　have　to　face；　for　having　learnt　by　her　own　experience　
to　sympathize　with　the　struggles；　the　sordid　heart…breaking　cares　
that　man　has　daily　to　contend　with？

Civilization　is　ever　undergoing　transformation；　but　human　nature　
remains。　　The　bachelor　girl；　in　her　bed…sitting　room；　in　her　studio；　
in　her　flat；　will　still　see　in　the　shadows　the　vision　of　the　home；　
will　still　hear　in　the　silence　the　sound　of　children's　voices；　will　
still　dream　of　the　lover's　kiss　that　is　to　open　up　new　life　to　her。　　
She　is　not　quite　so　unsexed　as　you　may　think；　my　dear　womanly　madame。　　
A　male　friend　of　mine　was　telling　me　of　a　catastrophe　that　once　
occurred　at　a　station　in　the　East　Indies。

＇No　time　to　think　of　Husbands。＇

A　fire　broke　out　at　night；　and　everybody　was　in　terror　lest　it　should　
reach　the　magazine。　　The　women　and　children　were　being　hurried　to　the　
ships；　and　two　ladies　were　hastening　past　my　friend。　　One　of　them　
paused；　and；　clasping　her　hands；　demanded　of　him　if　he　knew　what　had　
become　of　her　husband。　　Her　companion　was　indignant。

〃For　goodness'　sake；　don't　dawdle；　Maria；〃　she　cried；　〃this　is　no　
time　to　think　of　husbands。〃

There　is　no　reason　to　fear　that　the　working　woman　will　ever　cease　to　
think　of　husbands。　　Maybe；　as　I　have　said；　she　will　demand　a　better　
article　than　the　mere　husband…hunter　has　been　able　to　stand　out　for。　　
Maybe　she　herself　will　have　something　more　to　give；　maybe　she　will　
bring　to　him　broader　sympathies；　higher　ideals。　　The　woman　who　has　
herself　been　down　among　the　people；　who　has　faced　life　in　the　open；　
will　know　that　the　home　is　but　one　cell　of　the　vast　hive。

We　shall；　perhaps；　hear　less　of　the　woman　who　〃has　her　own　home　and　
children　to　think　ofreally　takes　no　interest　in　these　matters〃
these　matters　of　right　and　wrong；　these　matters　that　spell　the　
happiness　or　misery　of　millions。

＇The　Wife　of　the　Future。＇

Maybe　the　bridegroom　of　the　future　will　not　say；　〃I　have　married　a　
wife；　and　therefore　I　cannot　come；〃　but　〃I　have　married　a　wife；　we　
will　both　come。〃







End