"I'D

LIKE TO BE A

BE A WOMAN”

Today I had luncheon with a business man, a friend of long standing. To him I am a sort of curiosity for the reason that after I had been twenty years in business, and apparently settled for good in commercial ways and habits, I threw it all aside and became a professional author.

Most women would understand and sympathize with that kind of change, but very few men do. My friend turns the pages of my book with the amiable alertness of one who strokes the backs of strange animals, and when he looks at me there is a glint of perplexity in his eyes.

"What are you working at today?" he asked after the waiter had taken our orders. Like many other people, he considers writ- ing a mysterious literary magic. He is all wrong, for authorship is, in fact, one of the simplest of occupations. To write anything one has only to sit down with pen and paper and put one little word after another--taking care, of course, to select the right words. "Today,' I replied, "I am getting ready to write an article

"

on 'Why I Would Like to Be a Woman.

"You are?" he replied. "What a subject! reasons for wanting to be a woman?

"

Can you give any

"I think so, I said; then I had an idea. "Suppose this art- icle was your job," I continued, "what reasons would you give?"

He reflected a moment. "Well," he said eventually, "I don't want to be a woman; I want to be a man. But if I had to write that article I think I could make a good showing. Women have the best of things, generally speaking."

"How?"

"Why, they're supported and looked after--I mean most of them are--and that means a lot in this harsh world. Even when they work they have a better break than the men--

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