Smyrna times., 1875-05-12
What Women Can Do.
ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE LIVES OF FEMALE
CLERKS IN WASHINGTON.

80 " '0lilli Stoll COTTcSp pOnucnJ OF The
Albany JoutM gives some interesting in
formation concerning women employed il
the bureaus of the government. The writ
or, speaking of the clerks of the interior
says:
That black-eycd musical voiced beaut,
whom you see conversing with the head O
bureau is one of those creatures Won hay,
often read about and never vet seen. who
III tn" warmth and vcr,lancy of maiden
hood, married their fathers servant. and
thcn-disowncd--ostraciscd. This was he,
freak. She had spent Il year or more, IN
travelling over Europe with her father. who
was wealthy New York merchant. Sb,
was tutored i'll the best culture and walked
IN the social path of her parents. but Imdcl
too strict surveillance. The only man She
came III close contact with outside of her
relatives was her fathers coachman. He
was young and fine looking. as servants
often are
Her heart was captured, and the coach
man. though Fortunately a man Of CON
SCIENCE could not resist the opportunity.
They were married and the bride was ban.
lshrd from her home to the humble level
OF her husband. But She accepted her fate.
glrded up her courage, made most of her
talents and went to teaching and vritino.
Finally She secured employment under tbo
government i'll preparing official reports.
etc, and She not only holds that position
now' but IS literally paid contributor to
periodical literature. Her love for her hu,
band has never grown cold; blt Ln do..
what work h" can; though her mother
and brother still live cher father is dead in
opulrncc ii New York, She has never been
called home nor forgiven.
AT that desk stand, the mother Of five
two Of whom are dead. one lives
IN New Mexico, and the other two are sun.
ported by her own efforts. Her age is 3.
In her grlhood her parents moved from
to Kansas in the DAYS that
tncd mems souls. There She married =
young printer about the time Of the Pike.
Icak gold fever and they took for their
bridal trip a journey to that ,lelu,iyc sum.
mt-a distance Of over eleven hundred
miles. According 10 her published account
OF the journey at the time. She was array,d
IN calico pants and dress Of the same ma.
tcrial, reaching to the knees. Indian moe
,asims and hat
she travelled on foot much of the way:
walking from four to ton miles a dav. AL.
nirimg the endless valictic, of flower, =,
heir feet, and was charmed with tie wild
solitude Of the uninhabitcd plains. She is
doubtless the first woman who ever made /,
bridal trip in such a travelling suit. The
'dventurcrs actually followed Frcnont's
ootsteps nearly to the top of that Glnlou,
'cak where he heard the bee sing. From
Pixies Peak they joumcycd into New
lcXico, and during her stay there She be-
'amc mother.
Longing to return to civilization and
ncnds, the couple returned. The war
vas then IN progress, and they entered the |
work OF educating the negroes in the Soutb. |
vest. From there they drittcd to Wash. |
ngton. The husband secured clorksbin
nj the wife commenced writing for tLc
'rcss. Like too many printers. the Inns.
and was bound to be poor he would keen
tranlln@, lost his clcrkship and became
Contaminated with free love. Poverty and
eaututlon crcpt closer and closer To- tbn
'mlIy, long sickness overlook the wife.
nd III this dire misfortune her husband
bandoncd her and disappeared down the
ErlstronI of free love- The wit. recovered
aimed Il small cIcrkship, and contributed
the press, though it was a constant struc.
Ic to make both ends meet.
Serving as photographer in a private
NEE IS another unfortunate wife. whose
omc was for a time i'm Ohio. She r,r,.;.d
cry young. Her husband, She says, proved
be tyrannical and cruel. She fled
ON him and emerged INTO what seemed
Y contrast II heaven ,,.e struggle of y
me weak woman for bread. The hus-
ana obtained a divorce, not on ground
dcsertlon, but on false and slanderous
largcs, and this, too, without the knowl-
igc OF the wife. But 50 glad was She on
arnlng she was free, that she never
Fought to correct the record. She was
)t, however, to be crushed. She com
ehccd canvassing for pictures and study
e short hand, and in an incredible short
'riod was able to command living in the !
'actico of the latter art.
On q street is the daughter of million
ro, and the recent holder of small posi-
Dn III the grccn-bacll printing bureau, but a
no to-day doesn't know where She can !
It her breakfast on New Years day. Her c
ther was Philadelphia manufacturer, v
ld, retiring from business, the posscssor i
great wealth, he purchased beautiful
te IN St. Mary's county, Maryland, Just i
fore the war. In the commissions of those =
'ys advcrsity overlook him, and also politi. +
] prosecution, Ill health finally followed. s
'ceping away the entire family except the n
ughtcr. But now, alas she is one of h
e three hundred who wero dieoIo o,i -