The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-11-26
To Women Out Of Work.

The following characteristic letter from
Mrs. Swisshelm appears in late number
of the Chicago Tribune:
Permit me to say, through your col
umns, to all the women in this city who
are out of employment, that | am not pub
fishing paper or carrying on any busl-
ness which requires assistance; and that,
when | was, / never employed man,
woman, boy, beast, or machine. because
he. she, or it wanted work, but always be-
cause the 10ork lCGnted them that, if need
ed five hundred women. | would not en-
gage one who came to me with top
heavy load of feathers, flowers, bu9leS,
beads, bows, and bands, on her head, pre-
sented painted face behind a masque vail,
or wore a dress either trailing in the mud
or benounced, befOlded. and befuddled,
until she looked like French hen with
her feathers all turned up, while she COM
planned of hard times and want of employ
ment.
L do not know any one who wants copy
ing done. or wishes to employ woman
to do office-wOrk. / have no influence
with any publisher by which | could in
duce him to publish anybOdy's letters, or
'pOmes," or stories. know no one who
has any genteel employment for which he
or she is willing TO pay large wages; and
my time is of importance TO me. am %
years old have spent the fortune my pa
rents left me in helping the slave TO free
dom, and women into a position where
they might help themselves. / gave my
health, and nearly my life, in hospital
service am literally worn out, poor, and
entirely dependent on my own labor for
living, except when l break down alto
gether, and am obliged to accept the assist
ance my friends are always ready TO
give me. l live in very plain lodgings,
and wear very plain dress and bonnet
from ten to fifteen years, because l
cannot afford new; for | could rGs VI l
would. and would not if | could. G2 hat
kind of literary work for which there is a
ready market and a high price. One
third of my work goes into editorial waste
baskets because | spoil it with my idiO-
syncrasies; but | never grumble, and try
to owe no man dollar. If were out Of
work and threatened with want, would
90 into family to render such services as
| could-cooking, dishwashing, general
hOHsewOrk, or any specialty-and take
such wages as | could earn, whether it
was 81 a week or so cents; and no en-
plOyer should put me out of my place,
wherever that was. | should never be
found in the parlOr when the kitchen was
my sphere, and should take pride in being
good servant. Such being the stand
point from which view life, cannot, of
course, feel sympathy with the fine ladies
who come, every day, rObbIng me of my
time and strength in listening to their re-
citals of sentimental sorrows. SO. TO all
women out of work. say, take of your
furbelows and set about the first honest
labor which presents itself.
JANE GREY SwIsSHELM.
p. S.-That Detroit Free Press man
knows very little about bonnets. Mine
which he mistakes for model of patient
industry, is only bit of silk basted loosely
over frame. made it in one hour. and
it cost SI.45. Neither is it ancient, as he
hints for have only worn itthree sum-
mers. take it off in church and all other
public places, because anything which pro-
tects the head out of doors must be very
injurious to the brain if worn in q heated
room. and because would not mock the
Apostle Paul by substituting any modern
milliner's invention for that covering OF
the head which he required the women of
COrinth to wear when preaching OF pray
ing in public, and which to-day finds its
only relative in the slat sun-bOnnet COM
mon in rural districts. j. u. ).