The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1876-08-18
a FarmER's EXPERIENCE.
Tho New ccniuryl

HOOu Clftuinrtoh'ocs a"s W. 49,
fifteen years, during which my bevy
Of girls have been blooming, one after
another, into beautiful womanhood,
my means have been becoming, in
spite of all my efforts, more and more
contracted; while the wants OF my
household have naturally been increa'
sing with the advancing years. = i.
Under these circumstances my girls
began early to turn their attention to
some means Of earning their own liv-
ing. And I have thought that few
Of their experiences in this respect
might be interesting to the readers Of
the New Century. .
Bessie, my Oldest daughter, having
some artistic faculty, concluded she
would enter the school Of design. This
called for an expenditure TO begin
with; but we Judged she would soon
be enabled to earn at least sufficient
to defray the cost Of tuition. She ac-
cordingIy entered the school and COM
menced the requisite studies to enable
her to design patterns for carpets, wall
paper and other manufactures.
After she had been at the school Of
design for shout year, at an expense
which though not very large to those
who have plenty of money, was Sc
rious draught upon my already over
taxed means, ! began to think it was
time she was Gaming something. Sc
] said to her one day, "How are yos
getting along, Bessie' Do you begin
to use my silver lining to the cloud
yeti"
Bessie shook her head sadly. "Ah
papa" she replied, "they say nov
that good training cannot be acqu'r
ed in less than FIVE or six years.
"why, CT course not. Bessie; but
still you might be earning something
DO not the manufacturers want otter
simple designs, not requiring the high
est degree of skill in the artist?'
II don't know, papa. The Other
day Mr.. Johannes, who is very
wealthy manufacturer, and agreat pat
ron of the school, set our class to de
signing certain pattern that he re
quired-but nothing came of it,"
"Why, how was that? Could not
succeed in pleasing him%
al don't know, exactly. He came
to the school, looked over ther pat
terms, threw most of them aside as
useless, but picked out one of mine, as
having considerable merit"
"Ahl / am glad to hear that. II
is beginning, anyhow, Bessie"
Bessie's face assumed complicated
expression-her eyes looked like cry
ing, while her sweet lips looked like
laughing. "What do you think ht
did, papa? The pattern was in two
figures. He said, / will take one Of
these two figures, and pay for it.
Then l thought FIVE dollars at least was
coming. But he took his pen-knife
and divided the pattern, taking the
half he wanted; and then put hi;
hand in his pocket and handed we the
magnificent sum of twenty-five centsl'
20, Bessie! Mr.. Johannes, the
wealthy manufacturer and patron Of
art, did not do that?"
"Here is the twenty-five cents, pa
pa" laughed Bessie in reply--"I keep
it for luck. think that twenty-five
cents cost me at least ten dollars
After the conversation, j thought
well to drop in upon an intelligent
manufacturer of my acquaintance, land
ask him what he thought of Bessie:
chance of making money as design
er Of patterns.
"Smithson, my dear FRIEND" sait
he, "your daughter may SO on study
ing in that branch for the next ter
years, and be no nearer making liv
ing at designing patterns than she il
now. You see there is certain kint
of practical skill required, which cal
only be obtained by being in constan
communication with the manufacture
and the market. The men, who.ar,
employed in designing, understand ex
actly how the design should be prepar
ed to suit the material employed
They also have a pretty good idei
what the public taste requires-which
Is generally something very difieren
from what is really most refined anC
beautiful. Now, do you see that pat
tern, for instancef" and he pointed \
n certain piece of goods.
"That." said I, sis horrible, vulgar
tawdry."
My friend smiled. "rhat show
how much you know of art, Smith
SON. he replied, ironically; "tha
pattern is one of the most popular an'
taking now in the market"
! told him about johannes. Ill
laughed heartily. "Oh, Johannes,
he said. although a millionaire
thinks twenty-five cents very larg
sum indeed. Probably he is one o
those disinterested philanthropists VIII,
advocate female labor because h
thinks its effect will be 10 reduce b,