, 1874-05-31
WORKING WOMEN.

/
WORKING WOMEN.
| TO Tia Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
| s1R: Being working woman nt the prceen
| time, am perhaps more especially interested il
| everything that concerns them, directly and il
the abstract I read everything see in print OF
either side Of the question, and puzzle my brain
over their condition md the cause, when m,
brains are not otherwise mudd1ed over my EN-
ployer's ledger, or in the oft-repeated efforts u
deciphering the hieroglyphio chirography il
which thousand country lawyers and Justices
disguise their opinions, and the fruitless en-
deayor to bring intellectual order out Of the
chaos of capitals and punctuatiop-mzrks witt
which they besprinkle page.
1t is not especially original remark, that
effects are the result OF cause; but every One
VINO feels called to express an opinion On the
woman question evidently forgets tho fact
They seize on salient weakness, and, like
Tenuysons brook, go on forever. Perhaps hall
the labor might get 10 the bottom Of tho well
where the truth is supposed to lie.
There is long list OF complaints against
women workers, relteration OF which
spare tho reader; tho one who has
gone thus far knows them AZ well
as l., That there il much Justice in many
OF them, 1 know; aud rank injustice in many
more Of them, I also know. There are two sides
even to this question. But, for arguments sake,
We will admit all the bad qualitics and ignore
the good oues, and 2ccept their general incon,pe-
teucy. Is not that state Of Affairs result !?
Women are born babies, like men, not grown-up
incaPables. But women, rs class, will not work
not go into active business as bread
enrnera. There is occasionally one who
pratars being an object Of upturned
noses to marriage without sympathy, or de-
restless mind aud heart, that, finding no natural
cl1anuel for their swift currents, overflow and
cut their own through fields heretofore sacred to
men but these are the exceptions.
Girls are taught from their cradles that pretti-
ness is all that is required of them. The first
thing their little minds take in is the fact tLat
the pretty baby, the well-dressed baby. is the
favorite. The pretty, wel-dressed school -glrl
receives tho, tender attention, Of the
teacher, ,,. and - n .he -. - awkward ; -, efforts
ence. AS young lady, her white hands. her
dimp1es, her nobby; dresses, secure her opera
and theatre tickets, drives ou the bouleyards.
attendance at lecture and concert, and, at last,
the ndgnu1n bonunl Of ciyilization,-a good set
tleulent. The same g,rl knows that. were she
clerk behind q counter, before ledger making
change, sending telegrams, driving mathematics
into the bullet-heads Of boys, drilling the fin
gers and tongues Of 8ippant girls, ebe would be
left to solitary enjoyment OF her weary brains,
hands. and feet.
II, BY sheer force Of personal attraction, she
wins the attention OF man anything like her
equa1 in cultivation, teu to one he ia ashamed to
own his acquaintance to his rich relatives and
il his 4eart gets the better Of him, and he apEes
into proposal OF marriage, he either ignomin-
ously sueaks out when ho thinks it ovor Of throws
hs manly self upon her generosity for release
from ties that would clip his eagle wings, and
prevent his soaring into some rich mans daugh-
ter's affections
Nor is it from men Of this age and stamp only
that q working women receives the reminder
that she is separated from tue dear, woo1ly, lit
tie lambs, aud put among tue horned, hairy
goats.
She may present herself, well-bred, we'll
dressed, well-edncated, At the door Of church.
II sufficiently stunning in style.-good judges
too, se1tons Are,-sho will be desi1ably located
and become the favored recipient Of al ogle
from the young men, and OF guess the price
Of her lace from the women. But, when she
comes to conference With the Pew Committee
and they learn that she il Il bookkeeper
for Slow Steady. OF head-saleswoman for Fail
d. Swindleum, she may 60 to that church till she
is d second Nethuselah, and mover be on speak
ing terms with person in it, not even the
pastor.
81 prejudiced!" Am l ? Not 80, my conser-
.atiTe Trend: can give you the names Of parties
in this very city who will prove my statement
true, and it wae told me in this wise
While Prof Swing was preachingi in McVicker'e
gentle 1nin,strations. and having no carriage,
p1troniZed the national buggy. One
Sunday morning l met in the car most esti,na-
bic woman, milliner, who had nundo my bon
nets in times past. Across the aisla SAT tho
pastor Of a prominent Protestant church. She
and with no apparent temper, in |
rorned me that sho had always attended that ]
PASTORS church, had rented pew there several |
Tears, had commnned there, but had never
spoken to the Reverend gentleman or any Of bis !!
people. glanced ACROSS at the minister as she |
inished- He sat with his brow drawn into !
oious f1own, and his lips tightly closed.
Thinking OF his sermon" said dlmpled girl t
IN my right.
"Mto1e likely on real estate. retorted . dark
broNed woman Oh her left.
This is not solitary instance; there arc
thousands OF them in every wo1nan'H experience |
I only they would tell them. If nskod, they !
WI admit them With a sigh, or laugh, and nsk /
Ioo u 1etas4' what you are going to do sbout
1ashlng your head against the wall Of public
oplnlon, you only lose your head and don't harm
ne WALL my phi]osophio friend raid to me
Then EXPRESSED indignation At it,
1ahng thoee few facts, patent TO al obsery-
BIB, into consideration, it is easy to see whv cul-
'11ed WOMEN dread entering the ranks of work
ng women: They are ike the educated quad
,3sa ;oons Of Ne" oElean'.-that fell outgrouth OF
% Ay,"Ap A4a'Gu LOT their white. .bfo0deu |
'athers and totally separated from their black
'looded mothers. Woll-bred women nhrink from
'uftering these poignant tb1usts mora publicly
han they eau help, aud, when obliged to wort,
,ide themselves IN Offices and countine-roon.'
vhere there is tho least possible e1posufe.
The position OF clerk, even though the father
'e millionaire is honorable to the boy OF =
an1ily, but casts an indefnab1o, though mex
'rabla stigma On bis sister, Wero this not tho
ase, do you not think no should have pretty.
sell-bred, intelligent women in all departments /
It trade, instead Of being tho whito-handed beg
:ars they are now7 4 girls instincts are Ill
light when she is born. Every mother knows
!ow hard it is to make her understand Why she
hould bring her fathers slippers, OF carry
lib newspaper, or do her cousins e1rands, or |
IN to tho neighbor's for her mother, for loue, |
FhiIe Tom gets cents to spend rs he pleases
nd no" much careful wedding has to be done !
a5oro erory honest impulse is rooted out Of the