Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-05-04
Written for the Western Rural
The Inefficiency of Girls -The Com
ing Man.

9a sMt -
A wood-engraver being asked why
he did not employ women replied -
81 have employed women very often,
and | wish [ could feel more encour-
aged. But the truth is, that when a
young man comes to me and begins
his work he feels that it is his life's
business. He is TO cut his fortune
out of the little blocks before him.
Wife, family, home, happiness, are all
to be carved by his hand, and he
settles steadily and earnestly to his
labor, determined to master it, and
with every excitement squirting hi m
on. He can not marry until he
knows his trade. 1t is exactly the
other way with the girl. She may
be as poor as the boy, and as wholly
dependent upon herself for her liv-
ing, butshe feels that she will proba-
bly, be married by and by, and then
she must give up wood-engraving.-
So she goes on listlessly she has no
ambition to excel she does not feel
that her happiness depends on it
She will marry and then her husbands
wages will support her. She may
not say so, but she thinks so, and it
spoils her work"
This is not only true of women
engaged in wood-engraving, but of
the majority of all women engaged
in any kind of labor, or nc labor
Ninety nine out Of every hundred
women are waiting, expecting, hops
ing to be married. They are only at
work for themselves. for the time
being; only waiting for the coming
man." who will house, clothe and
feed them. Each woman dreams
and sees visions according with
her station in life.
The uptown belle sees brown
stone front, upon the avenue, in a
fashionable quarter; sees elegant
carpets, whose velvety surface gives
back no echo to her footsteps sees
costly curtains, Topped in graceful
festoons over French plate glass
windows sees magnificent mirrors,
whose polished surfaces reflect her
ueautitulperson in graceful attitudes;
sees all the Injuries which wealth
can purchase sees dear Augustus
Fitz Poodle" her husband and sees
herself the most envied woman of all
snobdom.
Here is the daughter of broken
down merchant father in a suicides
grave; mother inefficient and help.
less, moa ing over the glories of the
past and the miseries of the present,
too proud to beg, and too weak and
useless TO work The daughter takes
up the burden, and chooses to teach
a class in music. But she does not
intend to make this the business of
her life. O no This is only tenn
porary arrangement to keep up APP
pearances untils she can marry some
one who can elevate her TO her for
mer social position. As it is not to
be the business of her life, she Meth,
err acquires, nor imparts, a thorough
knowledge of music. IT'S only q
make-shift, till something else turns
up for her; the something else" to
be married to an eligible party
"eligible" meaning rich, and able to
put her in a position above labor.
Girls enter dry goods stores as
clerks, and instead of having an am
bition to learn their business perfec-
tly, hoping to advance from under
clerk to head-saicsman, from head
salesman to partner, and from that
to the highest position in tho com
mercial ranks, -instead of making
an effort in this direction, she is con
tent to obtain but o superficial
knowledge Of her business, hoping
and praying to be released from SER
vitude, by marriage with one of her
fellow clerks, mayhap; but if not
thus, to some one who will remove
her from her irksome position to one
more pleasing, if it be only houses
keeper in suite of rooms, knowing
that, as the world goes, it adds to
her Importance socially to be mar
ried.
Just so with girls who enter prin-
ting offices to learn the art of print,
ing. Very few of them aspire tc
proficiency, to be the best in their
several departments, ont are con-
tent with mere mediocrity with JUS
sufficient knowledge of their art t.
enable them TO earn their daily
bread, and they are ever on th,
lookout for "good Offer"
Talk with any of these girls about
the permanence of their position
and their prospects Of advancement
and they will tell you with a shrue
of their white shoulders, and a noe
of their pretty heads, that they dom
intend to work at such bushes;
always.
This same feeling pervades al
classes. Farmers daughters are b,
no means exempt from it. The,
say, whats the use of slaviny
round here at home? III wait til
| get home OF my own, and thel
you'll see how can fix up 70
"But why don't you learn farming
thoroughly, both outside and insid
the house, so you can, if necessary
take charge OF house aud farm ?" W
ask.
Good gracious You don't thin
I'm going to work but doors, d
you p
Why not? What if your fathe
would be taken sick, and no one t
take his place in ordering the farm
Would it not be well for you, an
for him too, if you could take charg
of the work until his recovery ?"
"Well, | guess the hired men coul
carry on the farm r.
, Every likely but all men arc nc
to be'trusted. Many of them al
J eye-servants and would not wor
for your best interests. You are tt
only daughter left at home, and
your father should die, what woul
, you do?'
; II should have to rent the farm,
suppose.
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