Dorothy Arnold Vanished In A Perfume Cloud
She said she was going dress shopping but was never seen again
Everyone who knew Dorothy Arnold believed her to be a happy woman. Her father was a successful perfume importer, so she did not want for anything. Most talked about how brilliant she was and how doors were open to her that were not typically opened for women in the early 1900s.
Dorothy wanted to be a writer. Her parents did not think it was a good idea; in fact, they wanted her to focus on finding a husband. Despite this, they reluctantly supported her financially. They still harangued her to follow the path that they had set for her before she was born.
In the spring of 1910, she submitted a short story to McClure’s Magazine. The piece was rejected. Worse, her family taunted her for it. They asked if she was finally ready to give up on the dream and find a husband to support her. It was pointed out that she was 25 years old, and prospects of an acceptable mate were dwindling.
Instead of giving up, Dorothy doubled down on her career aspirations. She begged her father to allow her to get an apartment in Greenwich Village. Her rationale was that it would allow her to focus on her writing. Her dad rejected the request. He said that a writer could write anywhere, so he was no reason to pay rent…
