The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-12-17

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to men talk on tho, laws ofsupply ant
demand, beside having studied Polti
cal Economy. The supply Of woman
labor in New England is more than tn
demand because there is a large sur
plus Of women. In tho West it mus
be different for there arc more mer
than women, and as the economy o.
the world and the natural division o
labor looks to equal numbers, there
must be more work for women in oul
new countries than there is here.
cannot bear tho thought Of the girl,
growing up in this way, and," turning
up her face to meet the earnest look
bent on her, her lips paled and trem-
b'ed, and two great tears forced them.
selves over her checks as she whisper
ed, "lndeed [ cannot stay here! l met
him to-day"
"Would it not be better, Margaret,
that you should be rsconcilcd to him
This struggle appears too much p and
the mother tears fell on the bright
head now nestled on her bosom. A
shake of the head was the only answer
and they sat silently weeping until the
children burst in from school Jeannie
finished her nap.
Nothing more was said that evening
Of Margaret's desire to go West; but
when an opportunity came tho next
day she said thoughtfally
II have been thinking, mother, if
had not better adopt the quaker cos
tune. When I am amongst strangers
it will be protection, and you know l
love bright colors so much and am nat.
urally so fond of dress that some fixed
rule would help me to resist the temp
tation to be extravagaut."
With sudden burst Of maternal ten
derness, the mother crossed her arms
on the. table before her, laid her fore:
head upon them, and sobbed ont:
II cannot hear you talk so, dsrlipg
1t is unnatural! III am beresved Of
my children I am indeed bereaved p
Margaret knelt by her and plead and
explained and drew pictures Of the
home and independence .sha hoped to
achieve in the great West, that inv:i-
ting field Of enterprise where there
must be = more remuperative demand
for woman's labor than in the crowded
East. The clearness of her conviction
of duty and frmness OF purpose con-
quered all obstacles; and one month
from that time a little girl, in close
drawn bonnet of grey silk, such as is
worn by youthful quakercsses, a plain
grey dress and shawl of the most ap-
proved quaker pattern, arrived ia a
growing Western city on an emigrant
train At m;duisht. She had tuken tnls
mode. Of travelling as. least expensive
and equally safe with any other. On
the way she had made herself useful to
an oTerburdcucd mother, .emisrating
with a family of boi.terous children;
and as she esteemed a way:side acquaint-
ance with PERSONS of this class perfect
ly safe, our inexperienced traveller at
tached herself to this family. With
them she went to the Red Lion, cheap
hotel, and next day sought the few per-
sons to whom she had brouc cht letters
of introduction. The pastor of the lit
tie mission church which had attracted
her to this particular locality, was away
at some other point Of his circuit, his
wife and child with him and his dwell.
ing closed. Tho merchant Though
whose influence she had hoped to ob-
tain situation Is teacher, had gone to
New York; but by inquiry she learn
ed that the supply Of female teachers
here was little les. abundant than in
New England.
Her first day of hunting work in a
strange city was rather discouraging,
and she returned to the Red Lion in
the evening with heart yearning for
the home she had left and hope stretch
ing her pinions to the better homo into
which she hoped to gather her loved
ones. Her travelling companions had
found means of continuing their jour-
ney to their new home, 4 farm twenty
miles distant, sooner than they had
hoped aud we're already gone, and her
eyes that evening fell upon no face she
had ever seen before. The landlady of
the Red Lion Was coarse and kind, and
making herself acquainted with the
general facts and present wants Of her
lodger, said everything to encourage
her. 1t vas quite fortunate, her h.v-
ing come to tho Red Lion, as many
people had arrived there and found it
the high road to fortune.
She saw no difficulty in the way Of
getting a school,. all in good time, and
when Margaret annousced her purpose
of trying to get work at the millinery
or dress making, as probably more cas-
ly obtaiued than a situation as teacher,
she brought out dress pattern of COL
ored muslin, with a fa1lsuppfy Of point
ed Aounecs, and declared her desire to
have it made in the latest fashion. Her
lodger, having just arrived from tho
East, wa Of course posted on the ques-
tion Of sleeves, and bodices With points