, 1873-05-18

haTe done before, and will do after him.
CoLsrou,1. :
EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN.
10 the Editor a TAs Chicago 151evns: :
srR: In an article on "Queens Of tht
Kitchen in last Sundays TRIBUNE, after tn.
predatory assertions that "Au the labor to bt
done by men and women should be equitAbl,
divided between the Sexes" and that teach so,
| should do the work for which it Is most lifted,
work for Women is classified generally as thai
"tound in. stores, In shops, in school-houses
aud in dwelling houses" and The question il
asked, "Toward which OF these should the
mass o. workingwomon aggregato7"
The writer considers the grave subjects o1
"moral safety, physical exhaustion, and wages :
in her answer, and writes = column to prove that
"houseWork is the natural occupation OF
woman" aud TINT her highest ambition should
be 'tgratihed" in being good cook! Hnd the
Friter been man, the solution of such state
ment would be easier; since we have it upon
good authority that the shortcut to q mans
hoart is By way OF his stomach.
"ln manufacturing and selling establish
ments, it is asserted, "focks of young girls
are at the mercy OF men who may be uprlgh: or
who mhy he sooundrels." La the young girl in
4AcA cAlpkV5 AAu1o >tHE1lJk6A E4 ku6II AlC6H
than by the contrast OF her life with that Of the
elegant easo Of the women Who purchase her
work, or the goods she sells Does sho not daily
see the homage paid to show and fashion, wheth-
or the purchaser be Christian lady or acknowl-
edged prostitute? Is she not made to feel that
silks and costly. jewels mark tho line between
fawning obeisance and naughty scorn? It may
ba said that only marrow souls make such dis
tinctions; but children Of larger growth are at
tracted by bnuhles now aB then; and silks and
1-..- 1:r~f.A A-R4 Aar~
ed from the golden calf before which they fall
eE I Is aTeuea that Girls should seek class of
labor in which temptation will not 80 Severely
beset the1n. In dwelling houses they have al
the advantages Of store-employment, few OF ita
disadvantages, and the very great advantage of
aWoman az Mistress" How do they escape
temptation2 Is not the proprietor Of the store,
shop, or manufaCtory domestic animal as well ?
Can he not, it SO disposed, perseoute his cook,
table-waiter, or chambe11naid with the same un-
manly attentions that marks 11iR conduct rs en-
p1oyer direct7 Houses OF prostitution are more
largely recruited from shops and stores, not be-
Cause that special line Of labor tends to debase
woman through her CLOSE and daily contact with
men, but because there are more women en-
ployed in this than in any other business open
to Women. Liceatiousne8s is confined to no par
ticular class, NO particular grade, Of society It
ia not in the close association OF mon and women,
but in tue nature aud education Of the indiyid-
-A4S3 ~s-AAs@e1 ~ ~ O. ~~" e~6@S~t W. ~Se4~'@ NV
h regard to st advantages :" the girl who stands
bohind a counter gets keen insight into human
character, than which ahe could have no better
knowledge, and she learns from observation 3
Thousand things to. her advantage which she
could never learn Is servant in dwelling house.
At the present age, would the advantage Of "hav
ing 8 woman as her mistress be livery great"
save in rare and exceptional cases7 How many
women hnve any regard for their servants, be-
x-7r41 46an nf forS Sn ra1f 1aaa Y,aT
week 2 How much healthier ia the Kitchen
drudge who stands over stove in dark, badly
ventilated basement, such as two-thirds Of city
houses have, than the girl who sells goods IN
stand on her feet "nine hours day." or run
sewing-machine in crowded room; at q given
time abe is free, and her Sunday is her own.
Whilo it may be candidly admitted that
proper amount Of housework is hea1thfu} that
it should be no more degrading, than any other
kind Of physical labor; that every woman should
understand the art Of cooking that she may
wear "cIaasica1 smile" as she waahes dishes and
dream OF !" "A1nbrosis as she scents the soapy
air Of the washtub, il she choose,-is there not
danger that, after the fatigue OF the day, conse,
quent upon severe physical effort, your educated
servant would fail to pass creditable examine
tion in geometry, astronomy aerodynamics, and
moral philosophy Fancy reading Darwin aud
Spencer at somebody's back-door, OF sitting in q
wooden-chair in the kitchen, 1neditating on the
origin Of the race or the study Of sociology,
Ehlle the parlor-queen up stairs, more refined
or cultured ia whispering soft nothinrs to Adonis
on the sofa. How dreams would end, and
reality begin, as Madhm, remembering an order
for breakfast shouts through the epeaking-
tube. :" IphiRsuia, fry the potatoes in butterfr
Whist pleasure might Iphigenia experience in
alicing potatoes in right angles aud pnralIelo-
grams - -
y The question Of wages is to be answered
chiefly by the cirl herseif. It isuot so much the
that is poorly paid, as the way she