Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-04-14
A Woman Who Had no Chance,

WE are tempted to give a sketch of a
woman, still living, because hers is SO
common character and history that any
village or inland town may claim half a
dozen originals of both; there will GER
tainly be no danger of recognition. On
one of the earlier days of this month the
woman of whom we speak went to Phila-
delphia to lay in stock; she keeps small
dry goods and trimming store in thriv-
ing town. She went out to look at the
Centennial buildings, at the department
for wOmen's work, for which women
alone have paid; she saw, too, some of
the Executive Committee of her own sex
at work. Noticing her wistful face, one
of the busy ladies said: "Can you not
do something for us in your own town ?
Women of intelligence and patriotism
ought to come to the front now to help
their country" 81 can do nothing"
replied the visitor. 90 am not a woman
who can come to the front. My daughter
Is at work for you, however," she said, q,
with slight glow of pride. She went
home with bitter feeling of Humiliation
She was born, she thought, generation
too soon. If she were young girl now,
what careers were open for woman of
ability-and she knew she had ability.
There were chances now on every side TO
develop ones self and to help others. She
must die as she had lived-nothing and
nobody. There is plenty of such morbid
maundcrlng among women nowadays.
Mrs. = White, let us say Qhere are
hundreds of her class among the whites
and blacks and all the other colOrs)-went
home to her village and her shop. 1t
was shop where she sold the plainest of
wares-she had neither money TO buy the
pictures or bric.a brac for which her soul
longed in the city, nor customers to whom
she could sell them; the village was an
isolated one, where the crops and gossip
supplied subjects for all mental exercise.
Some day perhaps facts and thoughts
from this wider outer world would pene.
trate its dull atmosphere, but not while
she lived; she had too nearly run her
course for that.
The history Of the woman was this. She
had great beauty when girl; not mere
prettiness, but rare absolute beauty. She
had also a lnimble receptive intellect, of
quite as good caliber as those of the women
who have made themselves public name
and position; in short she began life with
! good capital But opportunity was want
ing 10 use II. Her beauty made her the
belle of the county. She married we'll
4 Io-uO idllhcit VINO lOst MS properly by
mismanagement, died and lett her with a
house full OF healthy, headstrOng boys
and girls &c feed, clothe, educate and
bring up nationally and piously. She
did not sit down 10 sew; the needle was
too small a tool for such a weighty work
She opened dairy, laundry, vegeta.
bic garden. As one staff broke down she
tried another, finally settling down in the
shop which she now owns, which is the
largest in the county. tHaa aL4lLN'
In the meantime she had had tough
struggle 10 pull the children along and
up, for she was resolved that they should
rise above her own standing ground.
There was one son, whom she sent to col.
lege, and who began to drink as soon as
she had him at work attending the lect-
ures at Philadelphia. Twice the poor
! woman crossed the mountains and ran