The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-09-21

but still cannot feel reconciled to youl
visiting Kate. She does not move in the
same circle with us now; our position i.
entirely changed. You know that Mary
is likely to make an alliance with Charlie.
Preston, the most talented and fashionable
young man in our city; and feel sure, i
you persist in visiting Mrs. Willoughby'.
hired girl, that his aristocratic relatives viii
decline all intercourse with US; so you SEE
that your action in this matter will upse
the whole ofus.
IF thought Charles Preston was made
Of such poor stuff as to desert the girl o
his heart, because her brother married the
woman of his own CHOICE replied ths
young man excitedly, Il should be willing
10 try his mettle, and save my sister from
such an unen,iable alliance. Better break
the wheel to atoms before it is placed un
der the car, than to risk its strength and
endanger a score Of lives, So it will be
better to break into fragments this much
desired family alliance, than to let it be
consummated, and thus make a shipwrecb
OF the happiness OF a household. You cal
Kate hired girl and so she is regular
hired girl. But what Of that! Is not your
aristocratic Charles Preston hired man?
Yes, in one sense; as Agent for the
company, he may be said to be hired
man. But he is not obliged to work.
Il ask your pardon, my mother; he is
obliged to work or lead dependent life,
using the means Of his father, who, when
young man, was hired man of all work
to Kate Boyd's grandfather. Kate is no,
obliged to work either; for, since her faith.
err death, more than one friend has offer.
ed her a home But Kate prefers life o
independence
We'll, Harrison, know all that. of.
fered her home myself for your sake, but
she would not accept it. Mrs. Weston
gave her chance TO earn her living with
her. but she refused the place. Your faith
er. knowing your predictions, and wish
ing to do all he could for Kate, offered her
a place in the public schools, but that she
did not like. Nothing else would do. land
Mrs. Grey's tone sounded very like a
sneer.) but to become a kitchen girl. !
am sure we have done our part by Kate,
and if she will not respect herself, we are
not in duty bound to respect her.
Mother said Harrison, and he spoke
with earnestness, 'to a woman who respects
herself. kitchen is as safe place as a
parlor; it is not the trade that gives dignity
to a man or woman-but the man or wo-
man should give dignity TO the trade. II
kitchen work Is actually disgraceful. why
do you ever gosinto your kitchen? Why
do you. as christian woman and mother.
ever let the child Of another mother 60
there?'
sWhy, my son., don't think kitchen
work disgraceful-you know don't re-
piled Mrs. Grey excitedly; but you know
how all ladies feel about it. can't con-
troll public opinion, and somehow there is
a kind of reproach attached to hired girls,
and it's useless for me to attempt to get
society right in that matter. There are
too many kitchen girls who are not intel
ligent and upright. and suppose that is
the reason they stand SO low
Exactly SO; but where good girl. one
every way worthy. makes it her choice OF
business, and does, day by day, the same
work that you have done for years, is i,
right, is it just, for you 10 withdraw your
kindness from her, because some unwor-
thy woman has done the same work? 1t
is the heart that people carry into abor,
not the labor itself, that degenerates.'
Mrs. Grey knew her son was right, but
yet she was not quite willing, or had not
moral courage to acknowledge her error;
so, waving his argument, she replied:
why did she, knowing all these things,
refuse all other modes of living; should
have thought she would have had more re-
spect for u.s..
'Itell you, mother, Kate had respect and
love and honor for US and for herself. You
offered her home; it would have been q
home of dependence, and the world would
have said-'shame on Kite, she is fishing
for husband Mrs. Preston would have
given her sewing; but she knew that sed.
entary life would not agree with her. and
she preferred health to a false respectable.
ity. Father offered her a school,
.And she ought to have taken it, replied
Mrs. Grey, tartly; there was no depen-
dence or sedentary life there
Let us see about that, too. Mr.. Boyd.
ten years ago, was the wealthiest farmer
in P. He was sent to the State Legisla-
ture as we'll as to Congress; drank his
wine and believed, like thousands of 9TH
ers, that HE could not fall, and, like thous.
ands Of others he was mistaken; as fear,
my dear mother, one we love will be, ere
many days pass, if he does not take heed.
The sons, following the example of the
father, fell also; money went through their
hands like water. Meantime Mrs. Boyd,
almost broken hearted, to save Kate's feel
ings, sent her off to school about the time
| left for College. She remained three
years, and then returned to find her father
drunken sot, property all gone, and her
brothers gone to California, where. proba-
bly,, they have ended their days, as she
does not hear from them. Her mother
died very soon, and her father, having 10
check, put an end to his miserable exis.
tence, by delirium tremens. Kate's early
life was free from care; she was the child
of wealth; her school days gave her nc
chance for learning to be useful, and a
ease in house. She felt that every wo
man should, if possible, be good house
keeper, and house.keeper she had rea
son to hope she would one day be, fol
from boyhood up, with your consent, too
mother,) she has had the promise of being