The Friend of Women and Other Stories Read Online Free PDF Page B

but a walk-on role in her daughter’s life and education.
    Elias Bernard’s concept of his civic duties made his daily and nightly routine something of a public one, with a considerable amount of entertaining done at home, all managed by a skillful housekeeper, as Fanny confined her job as hostess to striking if belated appearances, which meant that his serious talks with Letty usually had to be assigned to Sundays, when they walked in Central Park with his two greyhounds. These strolls she indeed treasured, but she needed something more, and she found it to some extent in the weekly Hazelton meetings with Alfreda and Cora. With one such day in each week, her imagination was kept from running dry.
    Neither Alfreda nor Cora elected to go to college after graduating from Miss Dickerman’s Classes; both made early marriages. Letty went to Barnard, where she majored in history and won a Phi Beta Kappa key her junior year. Her life seemed dedicated to serious study, and she professed to having little time for beaux and dates.
    The question of her marriage was never discussed at home, but Letty had little doubt that it was very much on her father’s mind. Her mother avoided the subject probably because she feared that Letty would never attract the right man or that she would turn him down if she did. The topic was therefore taboo, like any reference to the Catholic Church in the presence of Irish servants. Fanny presumably had to content herself with the prospect of her daughter becoming one of those rich, indomitable old maids who loomed so grandly and formidably over the metropolitan social scene. Letty went out occasionally with some sober young man or other from one of the respected families of “our crowd,” usually one more interested in taking a brainy girl to a problem play or a concert than in getting married, and there had so far been no question of the heart.
    And then at last, on one of their Sunday walks, her father spoke out.
    â€œI am, of course, delighted, my dear, that you are doing so well at Barnard. It would be unthinkable for a woman of your intellect not to be a college graduate. But I don’t want you to regard it as simply an interlude before marriage, the way your mother does. She expects a girl to quit college the moment Mr. Right appears. I want you to graduate, willy nilly.”
    â€œAnd I will,” Letty replied stoutly. “You needn’t worry about that. If Mr. Right objects, he’ll soon find he’s Mr. Wrong. Anyway, Mother doesn’t see him as coming at all.”
    â€œThere are a lot of things your good mother doesn’t see. But we’ll leave her out of this. How do you see a Barnard degree as affecting your life?”
    â€œMr. Hazelton thinks I might do well to study law. Does that strike you as wild, Papa?”
    â€œIn no way. It may be an excellent idea. The professions are opening up to women. You could perfectly well become a lawyer or doctor. But I doubt that the top positions in those disciplines are going to be available to women in your generation. These things take time. It seems to me that in your lifetime the first rank will be more apt to be open to you in partnership with a man. A big man, of course. Maybe even a great man.”
    â€œYou mean like Madame de Pompadour and Louis XV? That hardly seems my role, Papa.”
    â€œNo, no, no. Don’t be silly. I mean as the wife of a prominent man. Consort and partner. Look at Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Everyone knows she’s the real power behind the throne.”
    â€œBut, Papa, what can you be thinking of? What have I got to attract a great man? Let alone be a power behind his throne?”
    â€œYou have spirit and character, my dear. You have wit and determination. You have courage and spirit. And you’re going to have money.”
    â€œOh, money.”
    â€œYes, money. It’s time we discussed its role in your life. For you’re going to be