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

talks OF supporting herself, has no idea
'f engaging in any such business. You
nave already said that your sex forbid
Tou to engage in commerce. You did
,ot mean sex, Meta, but the notions of
your set. And now | am sure l don't
know what you can do unless you study
the Doctor trade; you might do that. 7"
p" There now you are jesting again."
Meta" N
" No l am not. Among men that is
4 very honorable profession, and l do
not know why it should dishonor q
,.. ....,...
" Why, Uncle Ralph, how can you
propose anything so absurd 7 You know
that | could not do it; there is no op-
and even if there was, and it
was a profession ever so much sought
by the sex, could pursue, John and
George would both ridicule me to death,
should it even be mentioned. 1 fear
they have overheard US now, and they
will call me Doctor as long as live"
{" My dear girl, do you expect to earn
your bread without being ridiculsd by
your friends and cut by the fashionables
If your spirit is now chafed under The
administration Of Johns wife. it would
be goadod to madness under the sneer,
and insults of those whom YOU now es-
TEEN your best friends. Let those
delicate hands become hardened by labor,
let that brain of yours think and plan
and reason let that proud spirit assume
courage to execute, and those who are
now so fattering and obsequious, will
cast you out of their circle as an unholy
thing. You will fall headleng from that
eminence you now occupy down to a
level with those whom your associates
now regard with aversion. Such are the
cursed notions that some of the people
IF this city have got into their heads
lbout labor"
q Just then Uncle Ralph was called
way; but Meta continued to ponder
IN the subject. "What shall l do :"
The asked herself many times. "Rather
han live in this manner | would run
lway. | would 60 and disguise myself
Ind work in the mines" Midnight
,ame and passed, and yet she was asking
What can | do ? | shall be miserable
% stay here, and l cannot engage in
my profitable occupation without making
l sacrifice Of myself, as Uncle Ralph
says, and | am not quite prepared to be-
come martyr to progress yet; l wish
had independence enough to strike out
4 new path"
Marriage presented itself many times
Turing her cogitatons, but she repclled
It for she had vowed before God that
her hand should never be given without
ler heart. Noble resolution, certainly !!
But what are you going to do, Meta :
You say you will not remain dependent,
md you don't dare to share the toll or
luties of life. You are capable of large
isefulness, of noble thought and action.
he who created ysur mind, designed
hat it should expnnd and grow and fill
is full stature. This is taught you
very hour of the day by your own
'arnest spirit struggling for freedom
md action. There is then but one re-
ource. You do not love. Then you :;
must enter into false relations as
lernior resort The world will call it
marriage, and its discords, the world,
'crchanco may never hear. You can l
mother them. There's salvo for your '
ride. You must check all aspirations
Or true union, such things are talked !
f only by sentimentalists. You are i
evoted to fashion, now follow it. Vic
lmize some honest hearted young man
$ soon as possible. While reaching
,r his purse strings, make him think {
ou marry him for love. Hundreds {
ave been duped in the same way. Don't
anter for cottage and few thousand
year, but sell yourself for an establish
lent.
And this, reader, when the yoke be-
anne too CALLING to be borne, wben
very flower that twined around it proved
D have 'thorns under whose hurt her
uivering heart writhed and bled, Meta
sncluded to do. There was a long,
'ng struggle between her w0manhood