Miscellaneous

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 181, 12 August 1909, Page 3

Miscellaneous

WOMEN WORKERS.

ODDS AND" ENDS

Now that woman's work in the world is no longer a negative quailty, it may be interesting to note that woman has only stepped into the arena of working life in the last hundred jears," says Miss M. G. Spencer, the editor of "Women's Employment." Florence Nightingale was the pioneer of all real women's work, and she is still alive. That proves how young the movement is. When men realise that women should work with them in the spirit of comradeship, and vica versa, then all this talk of women 'ousting' men and the cry of 'competition* will c?ase. Of course women are still in their infancy, so to speak, as regards competing with men for work. When one considers the enormous physical disadvantages the working woman suffers in comparison wtih the man, it is, indeed, wonderful to think how she has succeeded in overcoming and conquering them. But the average business woman or gi«d earning her own living has much to learn, Miss Spencer added with a shrewd smile, for she has not yet grasped the fact that she cannot subsist much less work, on a bun and glass of milk, which is generally the working woman's lunch. How can women expect to ward off nervous breakdowns unless they feed themselves properly? But a girl will often spend more on her dress than on her food. One of the most successful business women I know told me that the secret of her success and health was simply that she took proper care of herself, and did herself well. Miss Spencer gives another reason why women cunnot, so far, command equality with men. Take two workers, she said, a man and a woman. Look at them simply as machines. The woman will throw herself heart and soul into whatever her business may be, and enter so thoroughly into every absorbing detail that sbe expends all her force of nervous energy on her work. What is the result? A nervous breakdown and the loss of her post. A man on the other hand, is a more reliable machine, because he does not expend the whole of his nervous energy on his work. He takes it in a calmer and more mechanical way, and, consequently, breakdowns are less known among men than women.

First Burglar "Any luck lately?" Second Burglar ' No; worked all night on a safe, and when I blowed it open I found it was a folding bed." "You have three pairs of glasses, Professor." Yes; I use one to read with, one to see at a distance, and the third to find the others." Mistress, engaging young servant - "But do you always stammer like that?" Applicant—"N-n-no-no. mama'm; only w-w-when I t-t-talk." Lady Hypochondriac—"l suffer a great deal with my eyes, doctor." Busy Doctor—"You'd suffer a great deal more without them madam," "Ah, doctor, I shall never get relief till I'm in my grave." Doctor, cheerily—"All right, don't worry. lam doing what I can for you."