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worldly ways and byways(世俗之路)-第20部分

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〃Ranavalo〃 of Madagascar is EN ROUTE to join in the fun。 

     This   crowd   of   royalty   reminds   me   of   a   story   the   old   sea…dogs   who 

gather     about    the    〃Admirals'     corner〃     of   the   Metropolitan       Club    in 

Washington;       love   to  tell  you。   An    American      cockswain;     dazzled    by   a 

doubly royal visit; with attending suites; on board the old 〃Constitution;〃 



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came up to his commanding officer and touching his cap; said: 

     〃Beg pardon; Admiral; but one of them kings has tumbled down   the 

gangway and broke his leg。〃 

     It has become a much more amusing thing to wear a crown than it was。 

Times have changed indeed since   Marie Laczinska lived the fifty  lonely 

years of her wedded life and bore her many children; in one bed…room at 

Versailles … a monotony only broken by visits to Fontainebleau or Marly。 

Shakespeare's line no longer fits the case。 

     Beyond securing rich matches for their children; and keeping a sharp 

lookout that the Radicals at home do not unduly cut down their civil lists; 

these great ones have little but their amusements to occupy them。 Do they 

ever   reflect;   as   they   rush   about   visiting   each   other   and   squabbling   over 

precedence when   they  meet;   that some fine   morning   the   tax…payers   may 

wake up; and ask each other why they are being crushed under such heavy 

loads; that eight hundred or more quite useless people may pass their lives 

in foreign watering…places; away from their homes and their duties? It will 

be a bad day for them when the long…suffering subjects say to them; 〃Since 

we get on so exceedingly well during your many visits abroad; we think 

we will try how it will work without you at all!〃 

     The Prince of little Monaco seems to be about the only one up to the 

situation; for he at least stays at home; and in connection with two other 

gentlemen runs an exceedingly good hotel and several restaurants on his 

estates; doing all he can to attract money into the place; while making the 

strictest laws to prevent his subjects gambling at the famous tables。 Now if 

other royalties instead of amusing themselves all the year round would go 

in for something practical like this; they might become useful members of 

the community。 This idea of Monaco's Prince strikes one as most timely; 

and   as   opening   a   career   for   other   indigent   crowned   heads。   Hotels   are 

getting so good and so numerous; that without some especial 〃attraction〃 a 

new one can hardly succeed; but a 〃Hohenzollern House〃 well situated in 

Berlin; with William II。 to receive the tourists at the door; and his fat wife 

at the desk; would be sure to prosper。 It certainly would be pleasanter for 

him   to   spend   money   so   honestly   earned   than   the   millions   wrested   from 

half…starving   peasants   which   form   his   present   income。   Besides   there   is 



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almost   as   much   gold   lace   on   a   hotel   employee's   livery   as   on   a   court 

costume! 

     The numerous crowned heads one meets wandering about; can hardly 

lull themselves over their 〃games〃 with the flattering unction that they are 

of use; for; have they not France before them (which they find so much to 

their   taste)   stronger;   richer;   more   respected   than   ever   since   she   shook 

herself   free   of   such   incumbrances?   Not   to   mention   our   own   democratic 

country; which has managed to hold its own; in spite of their many gleeful 

predictions to the contrary。 



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           CHAPTER 18 … A Rock Ahead 



       HAVING had occasion several times during this past season; to pass 

by   the   larger   stores   in   the   vicinity   of   Twenty…third   Street;   I   have   been 

struck    more    than   ever;  by   the  endless    flow   of  womankind       that   beats 

against   the   doors   of   those   establishments。   If   they  were   temples   where   a 

beneficent deity was distributing health; learning; and all the good things 

of existence; the rush could hardly have been greater。 It saddened me to 

realize    that   each   of  the   eager    women     I  saw    was;   on   the   contrary; 

dispensing   something   of   her   strength   and   brain;   as   well   as   the   wearily 

earned stipend of the men of her family (if not her own); for what could be 

of little profit to her。 

     It occurred to me that; if the people who are so quick to talk about the 

elevating and refining influences of women; could take an hour or two and 

inspect the centres in question; they might not be so firm in their beliefs。 

For; reluctant as I am to acknowledge it; the one great misfortune in this 

country;   is   the   unnatural   position   which   has   been   (from   some   mistaken 

idea of chivalry) accorded to women here。 The result of placing them on 

this pedestal; and treating them as things apart; has been to make women 

in America poorer helpmeets to their husbands than in any other country 

on the face of the globe; civilized or uncivilized。 

     Strange as it may appear; this is not confined to the rich; but permeates 

all classes; becoming more harmful in descending the social scale; and it 

will   bring   about   a   disintegration   of   our   society;   sooner   than   could   be 

believed。 The saying on which we have all been brought up; viz。; that you 

can gauge the point of civilization attained in a nation by the position it 

accords to woman; was quite true as long as woman was considered man's 

inferior。 To   make her  his equal   was perfectly just;   all the  trouble  begins 

when you attempt to make her man's superior; a something apart from his 

working life; and not the companion of his troubles and cares; as she was 

intended to be。 

     When a small shopkeeper in Europe marries; the next day you will see 

his young wife taking her place at the desk in his shop。 While he serves his 

customers; his smiling spouse keeps the books; makes change; and has an 



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eye on the employees。 At noon they dine together; in the evening; after the 

shop is closed; are pleased or saddened together over the results of the day。 

The wife's DOT  almost always   goes into   the business; so that there is   a 

community of interest to unite them; and their lives are passed together。 In 

this country; what happens? The husband places his new wife in a small 

house; or in two or three furnished rooms; generally so far away that all 

idea   of   dining   with   her   is   impossible。   In   consequence;   he   has   a   〃quick 

lunch〃 down town; and does not see his wife between eight o'clock in the 

morning and seven in the evening。 His business is a closed book to her; in 

which   she   can   have   no   interest;   for   her   weary  husband   naturally  revolts 

from talking 〃shop;〃 even if she is in a position to understand him。 

     His false sense of shielding her from the rude world makes him keep 

his troubles to himself; so she rarely knows his financial position and sulks 

over his 〃meanness〃 to her; in regard to pin…money; and being a perfectly 

idle person; her days are apt to be passed in a way especially devised by 

Satan for unoccupied hands。 She has learned no cooking from her mother; 

〃going to market〃 has become a thing of the past。 So she falls a victim to 

the    allurements     of   the  bargain…counter;       returning     home     after  hours    of 

aimless   wandering;   irritable   and   aggrieved   because   she   cannot   own   the 

beautiful things she has seen。 She passes the evening in trying to win her 

husband's consent to some purchase he knows he cannot afford; while it 

breaks   his   heart   to   refuse   her   …   some   object;   which;   were   she   really   his 

companion; she would not have had the time to see or the folly to ask for。 

     The janitor in our building is truly a toiler。 He rarely leaves his dismal 

quarters     under     the  sidewalk;      but   〃Madam〃       walks    the   streets   clad   in 

sealskin and silk; a 〃Gainsborough〃 crowning her false 〃bang。〃 I always 

think   of   Max   O'Rell's   clever   saying;   when   I   see   her:   〃The   sweat   of   the 

American   husband   crystallizes   into   diamond   ear…rings   for   the American 

woman。〃   My   janitress   sports   a   diminutive   pair   of   those   jewels   and   has 

hopes     of   larger   ones!    Instead    of  〃doing〃     the  bachelor's     rooms     in  the 

building   as   her   husband's   helpmeet;   she   〃does〃   her   spouse;   and   a   char… 

woman   works   for   her。   She   is   one  of   the  drops   in   the  tide   that   ebbs   and 

flows   on   Twenty…third   Street   …   a   discontented   woman   placed   in   a   false 

position by our absurd customs。 



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     Go   a   little   further   up   in   the   social   scale   and   you   will   find   the   same 

〃detached〃 feeling。 In a household I know of only one horse and a COUPE 

can be afforded。 Do you suppose it is for the use of the weary breadwinner? 

Not at all。 He walks from his home to the 〃elevated。〃 The carriage is to 

take   his   wife   to   teas   or   the   park。   In   a   year   or   two   she   will   go   abroad; 

leaving him alone to turn the crank that produ

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