The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-06-07

OuppFt me uont want 10 DO
supported. How would George look
sitting down and waiting for support {?
My spirit is as proud as his, and although
my sex forbids me to engage in COM
mercc or any lucrative profession, yet l
| can teach, and then | shall be improv-
ing myself as well as others. | suppose
John thinks should lose my caste by
becoming a teacher, and his pride will
not allow me to do it. But who knows
whether he will always command the
means that he now does. l may yet be
obliged to work, and if teaching should
be out of my power because of improve
ments in that department, then | might
sew or embroider, and possibly l might
get my bread in that way, and possibly
not. | don't want to become the sport
of ficklc fortune l would rather have
resources within myself upon which to
depend" a..
Who thought Meta was so ambi-
tious," remarked Uncle Ralph, pressing
the fair face to his old withered check
A real sumner you are. l guess
could get berth for you as Middle OF
board Man Of War"
Don't iGcule me now, Uncle, I can
bear it ;" md Meta actually burst int
tears.
Uncle Ralph settled down into
brown study, and the silence was agar
broken by her.
T" shall not live here much longer
in this way. Johns wife !; we'll, yor
know all about her. She assumes the
right to dictate and control me in every
movement, because forsooth they sup.
port me. Support! how I hate that
word. l wish it could be expunged. 1t
is not sufficient to be humiiated by cat
ing the bread of dependence, but must
be tainted with it every day, and every
hour of the day. My spirit is chafed
and fretted beyond endurance.
"My whole life is narrowed down to
the smallest circle, continued she.
" Socially, l make and receive calls,
dress for dinner, and dissipate the eve
ming. In the way of work, 1 sometimes
wash the cups, dust the parlors, and
cmbroider ottomans and slippers. What
a life From this time henceorth | will
be my own mistress. / am going to
work too, and will get my own living
| will support myself"
" Is that a settled matter :"
=" 1t is," replied Meta, most emphat-
ically. 3
" Then ] will talk seriously with you.
| never did believe in bringing up girls
to do nothing. Let me see what can
you do, Meta You have a talent for
writing, and we are told that literature
offers very fine field for ambitious
young woman like yourself"
" 1t does not follow, however, that
every one who writes sonnet OCCASION
ally, would succeed as an author. And
besides, it'takes years to acquire rep
utation. Young writer's get poor pay.
Sarah Rawson tells me she occasionally
gets five or ten dollars for tale, but she
receives not half enough to sustain her.
Some of hor poems are copied into Eng
lish periodicals as choice specimens of
American literature, and yet she and
her widowed mother are so poor that
they suffer for everything but bread"
|" Well, if you don't incline to that,
let as think of something else. John
won't let you teach, you say. l don't
know what you could do. Let me see.
Monsieur DeForest thought you would
make an artist, aud l never see that
beautiful picture" said Uncle Ralph,
pointing to landscape of hers onthe wall
/" but l want you to devote yourself to
painting. Supposing you make a busi-
ness of that, Meta"
+" And starvc in garret, the poorest
Of all earth's poor ~
What will you do then : | might
propose dozen things such as poor and
needy women are obliged to do, but you
could not make up your mind to work
like this. Many get their living by
selling fancy goods; various millinery
establishments yield handsome profit
Mrs. L. is realizing fortune out Of her
china but Miss Sumner, although she