some cultural effort--history, art, municipal reform,
anything, and absorb herself in it. Or let her follow the old path that
has led thousands of women to peace of mind--let her seek the comforts
of religion.' Then smiling, he added: 'You might become a missionary,
Pen, in China or Armenia. I'll bet you'd be flirting with some mandarin
or pasha before you got through.'

"Again I bit my lip, for I knew very well that the religious life would
never satisfy me. If I entered a convent I should probably run away from
it in despair. What a horrible situation to want to do right and long to
do wrong at the same time!

"Kendall Brown must have read my thoughts.

"'There is one thing you self-pitying ladies must learn,' he went on,
'that is to play the game of life according to the rules. You can't have
your cake and eat it. You can't amuse yourselves with fire without
getting burned.'

"I was silent.

"'You must stop flirting with temptation--that's what you all do, you
pretty women, fascinating women. You can't deny it.'

"'I do deny it,' I said weakly.

"'Oh come now! How about dancing--when a woman has a sinuous, clinging
body and wears no corsets and--you know what I mean. Isn't that
temptation?'

"'It's horrid of you, Kendall Brown, to suggest such things. Only a
person with evil thoughts--'

"His eyes twinkled at me good-humoredly but I refused to be conciliated.

"'And how about the ancient and honorable practice of kissing?' he
persisted. 'Of course it is not done any more, I realize that. No pretty
woman in these austere days ever thinks of allowing a man to kiss
her--except her husband, but--seriously, isn't kissing a temptation?
Isn't it, Pen?'

"By this time my nerves were decidedly ruffled.

"'You are too foolish!' I stormed. 'I wish you would go home. I am tired
of your ex-cathedra statements and your self-sufficiency.'

"'No,' he flung back, studying me with his keen gray eyes, 'you are
tired of the truth.'"

CONCERNING THE DOUBLE STANDARD

With great diffidence I venture to say a word about the most perplexing
and embarrassing question in the world:

_Shall men be allowed to do certain things without any particular
punishment or social condemnation, while women are punished mercilessly
for doing these same things--things that men compel them to do?_

The double standard!

Shall women try to change this standard, and, if so, in which
direction--up or down?

Is it desirable that the w