Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-10-15


LONG ago women's work, which in it.
self is SO profitable, was estimated at its
true value in Paris. Wider fields of &C
ton are daily opening out for increasing
wants, develop increasing resources, and,
whilst waiting for the fruits expected from
the technical schools fast multiplying
each woman, who has vocation or tai
ent of one sort or another employs herself
in earning something for her family.
In days gone by hand labor implied In
most cases certain degree of ignorance
on all points outside itself, the worker be-
ing considered mere tool; but now we
have discovered that every trade Is more
quickly and probably exercised when
general education goes hand in hand with
technical training, becoming, as it were,
kind of skylight through which pene-
trate air and light. The result of this is
that well-bred and well-educated women
no longer look upon work as disgrace,
and that an increasing number of them not
only accept but seek it as dignity The
nature of my own work has brought me
for several years past into intimate rela-
tions with crowds of women who live by
the work of their hands. Before took
up my work shared to q certain degree
in the prejudice which attaches stamp
of inferiority to manual labor; but was
soon cured of this by observing women
engaged in hand labor who, by their edu-
cation, their good manners, their talents,
were the equals-often the superiors-of
women who never worked for money.
In order to work proftably one must
not only be in need of work-one must be
able to do it well; and this consideration
alone should suffice to inspire non-work-
ing women with respect for those who are
sufficiently Intelligent to exercise pro-
fession. With the exception Of few
whose dull minds find it easier to accept
ready-made prejudices than to think for
themselves, we Parislans are no longer
imbued with the false idea that one wom-
an is superior to another simply because
she is incapable of helping to support her
family. So entirely have we vanquished
this prejudice, and so thoroughly is the
necessity of. giving every woman the
means of earning her own livelihood I'M
derstood amongst us, that many of our
richest girls study hard to obtain the di-
ploma which in case of need would assure
them a good position as governess. 9th
ers learn painting on china, not after anna
teur-that is, second-rate and useless
fashion, but thoroughly, so that they could
training is becoming a la mode others be-
come firstrate milliners, dress makers and
plain sewers. This movements altogeth-
er a good one, and it is impossible to
encourage it too much, especially by join
ing it. If it had no other results than
that of making work respected whenever
it is we'll and honorably done, it will not
have been useless; for it is impossible to
deny that the absurd and unjust sneers
bestowed by idlers upon workers have
excited and envenOmed class antago-
nism.
But, besides this, work has virtue pc
culiar to ITSELF it satisfies, Gains, or it
may be consoles, those who know how to
work. AS soon as we can work really
well we delight in our work, and no
longer wish to give it up. I am perfectly
well aware of what will be the result of
these remarks. A week from the date of
the appearance of this article l shall be
inundated with letters from all parts of
the country entreating me to provide the
writer's with work. OF course this is an
impossibility. In the first place am so
busy the day rarely sutices for my own
affairs and in the second there are plenty
of hands in Paris who can do Partisan
work far more conveniently than 1t could
be executed by people at a distance.
There is large class of very small
novelties and third-rate novels which al
ways put me in humor, because they
spread the most untrue, most impractical
ideas on this head. In their pages are
found those wonderful women and young
girls who keep their families not only in
necessaries but luxury by painting fans in
secret, or by spending one or two hours
day in working embroidery for the Paris
ian shops There are in these stories as
many mistakes as words. Save in the
case of very few workshops, Partisan
work is done in Paris. There are, how
ever, plenty Of industrial occupations
which can be pursued, and profitably, too,
in the PROVINCES; but | know very we'll
what my correspondents would say if I
told them so: at is impossible for us to
work in our own neighborhood, for we
should lose caste; so we must come to
Paris, because it is large enough and mys-
terious enough to hide the shame of work.
What would Miss say if she knew /
worked for pay? and what airs Mrs. -
would put on if she knew had profess
sion." Now, what matter does it all
make? Can it be possible that we have,
and do not hesitate to avow it, more vani-
ty than pride? Those people who ale
capable of respecting the idle more than
the industrious present us with the meas
/ ure of their minds and souls, and it is such
very small one it is of no account.
In these days it is not only amongst
teachers and artists that we are exposed to
meeting our superiors; it is now absolute
ly necessary, as we'll as useful and right,
to be polite to tradeswomen. Have you
high opinion Of the aristOcracy? | know
dressmaker, milliner and a plain sew
er, each of whom has a title and very
authentic De. Doyou honor services rem.
dered to the State? Take care! Nothing
more likely than that your dressmaker is
the daughter of an officer in high posi-
/ ton. Do you appreciate talent? Your
plain sewer and your corsetmaker are
tirst-rate musicians and draw splendidly.
Then why, you will ask, are they dress
makers, plain sewers, corset-makers and
milliners?. Because, let me whisper it,
they find they can, when really clever in
these branches, make a good deal more
than if they gave lessons in French, music
and drawing.
The truth is that women's work is only
profitable when exercised openly and
when sufficient degree of perfection is
attained in it. The work that is ashamed
of itself, the work which hides itself, de-
string to live sncog,sito and anonymously,
brings In nothing worth having. Let us,
then, give up all subterfuges, all mystery.
Amateur work can never be really re-
munerative because the preference will
always be given to professional work
women. ~
In conclusion, let us relegate to dream
land that pretty vision of fabulous sums
earned by working one or two hours a day
unknown to our neighbors) at any oc-
earned in Paris it is not only because sal