CHINESE LOVE LETTERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1836, 23 August 1913, Page 11

CHINESE LOVE LETTERS.

THE. "HONOURABLE MOTHER."

'A series of "Chinese Love Letters, appearing in the "Pall Mall Magazine, giie some delightful pictures of that important person, tho "HonoiirabLo Mo l ther." A hig'h-class Chineso -woman is writ ins every seventh, day to her'absent husband—though modern education is • not highly 'approved by tho authorities. "Thine Honourable -Mother says it is not seemly to/send communication from mine hand to thine. She eavs it was a thing unheard of in her girlhood, and that" we younger generations liavo passed the limits of all modesty and womanliness. She wishes me to have tho writer, or thy. brother, send thee tho news of thine household." Very wisely, however, the young wife continues to write letters which send "with ' each''stroke of her brush a part of her heart," and contain, besides household new's, such pretty, assurances as that "not at twilight- nor at grey of dawn can I find happiness without my lord, my. own, and . endless aro the days as trailing creepers." Tho august parent preferred' to assuage young grief'by 'handing over the keys and the cares of the housekeeping. "Sho says a heart that is. busy cannot mourn." Respite from tho August One. ,'So_ we hear of many. hours full of interviews with cook, and steward, and gardenor, before, thoro, comes a moment for thought. "But first of all, fihino August Mother nvust be made comfortable for her afternoon sleep, and then the peace. is . wonderful indeed." Tho daughter. and (hug'hters-in-law assembled in the patriarchal household encourage one another "to bear the burden of the discourses of thine Honourable Mother. Not that she talks-, too much, thou understand," says the anxious letter writer, "nor that her speech is not stored of ■wisdom, hurt—she ■ talks—and we must listen." .When a more frivolous daugh-ter-in-law arrived, expecting that all should give place to a new bride, the August One was 60 disturbed that she went out to tea in a far-off village, so luckily never learnt that the trousseau had actually included a new god for the kitcfWen. "Canst thou imagine thy Mother's face if a god from a stranger family was in the nicho above the kitchen stove?" This matter .was firmly dealt with before the autocrat of the family returned. Even as it- was, the poor brido was in constant disgrace, and had to learn, texts from - Confucius every day for penance. , 1 . , The Autocrat Reviled. But once the Honourable Mother met ' her match'. A servant was dismissed, and before poing, "claimed her servant's i-ighit of reviling us within our gate.'". She lay beneath the outer archwqj; for three long hours, calling down cursfs and reciting tho. misdeeds of the family; and as this was a. recognised right,' even the most august, member Ibd to bear.it for three hours in silence. "It nearly caused lier l death, for thou knowest the Honourable Mother has not long practised the virtue of' restraint, .especially .of the tongue." To soothe her, this time, it took a favourite priest, candles, incense,' and some famous rose wine. - One Chanco for Peace, On the Whole, one oan excuse the remark mode after a lecture including, for, the hundredth time, the Confucian ad'ojre, "Birth is not a beginning, nor is ijeath. an end." "In my despair I said uieep within my breast, 'I am sure it'will not be an end for thee, 0 Mother-Maw. Thou wilt go. to .tihe. River of Souls talking, talking, always talking—but the god's'will be good. to. me. Thou must, ■pass before me, and I Will- not hasten '•bo as to overtake tliee on thy way."

AN UNSOUGHT PROFESSION.

WOMEN PHARMACISTS.

■ It comes as something; of a shoot, to ail enfranchised. Australian woman to realise that she is regarded as out of date and behind -.the times by ■ her voteless English sisters (mites a correspondent in an Australian, paper). And yet an. examination of English, newspapers or conversation ■with cultured, serious-minded Englishwomen (not necessarily suffragettes) bears out the contention that in many respects Englishwomen are ahead of us in thought tmd in action.

I met recently an Englishwoman who' is firm in tar belief that every woman should be trained 1 for some definite occupation, whether or not her immediate necessities demand it. Her own circumstances have made it unnecessary for her to become a wage eairner, but nevertheless she is a trained and certified pharmacist, ■and she expressed lierseilf as amazed that such work had not commended itself more 'to the notice of Australian womein.

It is thirty years since it was t mado legally 'possible far women to qualify as pharmacists in England, and. so fair 200 nave taken advantage of the opportunity. -During the last few years the numbers have increased, irapidly, and my informant is positive that "in another year or so 2000 will be nearer tho mark than.2oo." She considera that it is work for which i women are admirably suited. It is interesting, it is not physically arduous, the course of study is not expensive," and the • salaries are good.

Why. They Excel. In London ajid in other large cities many of the bigger firms of chemists and druggists employ women as dispensers, and in every instanoe the experiment has • answered. Women are notorious for their ' attention to detail, and-usually they are conscientious and accurate over their .jvork. They are neat and deft-fingered, . and their domestic training (if it be worth anything) gives them a horror- of dust and muddle. • Their • instinctive tidiness and their methodical habits stand them in excellent stead in this particular profession and minimise the risk of mistakes which may occur if bottles are not kept in their recognised places. In England the salaries paid vary from '•£IOO 'to J5150, or even more, a year, and that—far England—is good; .. In many of the'large London and provincial hospitals women are employed on the same terms' as men, and there are a. few instances whero, aa official lecturers, they prepare students for examination. In High Wycombe one efntarprising woman (has gone • even further. She has set up as a' chemist and druggist on her hex. own account, and she runs her dhop with a purely feminine staff,