ful, in the
extreme, of energy, as compared with the cooperative plan; but they
accepted relief from that sort of work only that they might contribute
in other and more effectual, as well as more agreeable, ways to the
common weal. Our women, as well as our men, are members of the
industrial army, and leave it only when maternal duties claim them. The
result is that most women, at one time or another of their lives, serve
industrially some five or ten or fifteen years, while those who have no
children fill out the full term."

"A woman does not, then, necessarily leave the industrial service on
marriage?" I queried.

"No more than a man," replied the doctor. "Why on earth should she?
Married women have no housekeeping responsibilities now, you know, and
a husband is not a baby that he should be cared for."

"It was thought one of the most grievous features of our civilization
that we required so much toil from women," I said; "but it seems to me
you get more out of them than we did."

Dr. Leete laughed. "Indeed we do, just as we do out of our men. Yet the
women of this age are very happy, and those of the nineteenth century,
unless contemporary references greatly mislead us, were very miserable.
The reason that women nowadays are so much more efficient colaborers
with the men, and at the same time are so happy, is that, in regard to
their work as well as men's, we follow the principle of providing every
one the kind of occupation he or she is best adapted to. Women being
inferior in strength to men, and further disqualified industrially in
special ways, the kinds of occupation reserved for them, and the
conditions under which they pursue them, have reference to these facts.
The heavier sorts of work are everywhere reserved for men, the lighter
occupations for women. Under no circumstances is a woman permitted to
follow any employment not perfectly adapted, both as to kind and degree
of labor, to her sex. Moreover, the hours of women's work are
considerably shorter than those of men's, more frequent vacations are
granted, and the most careful provision is made for rest when needed.
The men of this day so well appreciate that they owe to the beauty and
grace of women the chief zest of their lives and their main incentive
to effort, that they permit them to work at all only because it is
fully understood that a certain regular requirement of labor, of a sort
adapted to their powers, is well for body and mind, during th