The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-07-21
FIND YOUR WORK.

afraid to speak occasionally words In
advocacy of human rights, our eyes fell
upon the following paragraph:
Let woman, then, find her work, and do it
IN the dawn, and not in the setting of her
youth. Let her do what she likes best to do
what she can do well and heartily.
The paper dropped from our fingers,
and visions of vanished spring-time
of life came vividly before our mental
view. Having, like thousands-aye,
the majority of girls-learned to knit
and sew and do fancy work; to cook and
sweep and make beds; cut and fit our
dresses, aud mend our gloves and stock
ings, we imagined that we were well
fitted to assume the duties of life, and
that nothing was to be done but wait
for the years to bring them. No
thought of a trade, an avocation, busi-
ness, or anything that promised a live
lihood in case the future should compel
us to earn it. For had not custom and
precept taught US to expect our work to
lie entirely within the charmed circle
of home? and were not homes supplied
and maintained by men? So, well
fitted to follow the prescribed rounds of
"woman's sphere" the early years of
our womanhood went by literally upon
the wings of the morning. True, we
sometimes felt that we might have done
this, or excelled in that, but where was
the need? The children were neatly
clad, the household well-fed, the house
taken care of after the established Gus
tom of good housewifery, and what
more was ever to be expected of a
woman? What, when one day the
children were fatherless? What now
of woman's sphere, woman's work, and
woman's duties? What but that,
under the spur of necessity, these still
had to be accomplished, and the work
of solving the problem of "what shall
we eat, and what shall we drink, and
wherewithal shall we be clothed" for a
family of five, in addition thereto must
be undertaken.
~ AAObAlClos II JOu NOuAh Save yOui
daughters from the possibility in the
future of this feeling of utter helpless
ness-as if the ground whereou they
stood was by swift, stunning and re-
morseless fate swept from beneath their
feet terribly conscious of the dread re-
alities of life, with power totally made
quate to meet them; dividing theiI
grief for the dead with anxiety for the
living; forming in the wierd hours o.
the night plans for procuring a support
for children scarcely more helpless thar
themselves, which daylight would dis
pei; If you would insure them against
all this and more, see to it that they
have some object in view while life i!
yet young and unencumbered, whereby
they may have certainty of gaining {
living, should circumstances force or in
clination prompt them to do it. INSTEAD
of having to acquire a trade or a pro
fession when pain and care have sappeC
your energies and grief is tugging a
your heartstrings, see to it, girls, tina
you have one already learned that only
waits your occupancy.
Last simmer a faded little woman
upon whom the adverse blasts of lif
have blown cruelty for weary years
sought this city in the hope of obtain
ing work that would promise supper
for herself and family. Ready to en-
gage in any labor that promised homes
and fair remuneration, she sought thi
place and that, inquiring for work, re
turning at night to restless slumber
and rising in the morning unrefreshe
to 60 through the routine of the day be-
fore. Amply qualified to follow th
beaten track of "wOman's sphere" sh
was yet utterly helpless outside of i
and yet she was forced outside. "If yo
will spend three months in the sho
learning to finish off clothing, "
can give you good wages" said the prC
prietor of clothing store. All, if sh
could have done this when she had
fathers house to shelter her, and a fail
er's table to sit at, it would have a
been we'll; but nooU, where was mel
and drink and shelter to be obtaine
while she prepared herself for this work
No, something must be done to SUI
ply present necessities, and there WI
no alternative but to place in the ma
ket her Wanted womanly accomplish
ments, and they brought her just S
per month as scullion, chamber-mai
]aundress and cook in a family wi
would not allow her to sit at table
bring her sewing into the sitting-roor
"There surely must be something tn
can do to earn a living" said d
spairing voice a few days since, as an
ious eyes and pale quivering lips spol
eloquently of sorrow .bravely borr
"WhGt9" said we thoughtfully, al
with great throbs of pity we listened
the catalogue of housewifely accoI
plishments was rehearsed. All IL
"what" should have been definitely 81
tied years before, when she was in
condition to make terms with the wor
Few indeed can understand the brave
that must be brought to the task VIII
a woman at middle life, youth goI
strength departing, beauty fied, sets
work to redeem her wasted years, a
unahle tn furn backward the f1iphf