Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-01-31
Great Expectations.
CHARLOTTE SMITH.

The other day a smart little girl #
seventeen confided TO me the secret that
she had great expectations. Expecta-
tions of whatp "Why, that | shall
some day or other, marry rich and in
fluential man." Poor, deluded girl, !
thought. / did not tell her how she
was destined to be disappointed in the
end-but she will be. Just now there
is much real suffering in the ranks OF
these ambitious beauties; for they, in
large numbers are impecuniOus. They
have no bank account, and if they had,
it would not be many days before they
had none. Their vanity has been liz
orally strained, if such thing can be.
They have, for the last three winters.
been turning their dresses; and, | be-
lieve, il mnst be confessed that they
have exhibited a sort of heroism in this
matter-while the agony they have en-
dured in this trial has been intense and
heart-rending. And now, as times are
not mending a bit, the feminine soul is
shivering with a cold chill over the
prospects of this winter, that, TO say the
least, is very uninviting. The strain
has been too great. A young lady's
idea of economy is not much like India
rubber. 1t will snap if the strain con-
tinues for some years. 1t must be re-
membered that the pressure. caused by
panics and scarcity of money, has been
very wearing upon the souls of fash
ionable women, and some that are not so
fashionable. If there is anything par
ticularly offensive to nice, dashing
young lady of really few expectations,
it Is to have 10 make a little money go
great way. There are so very many
beautiful things in dry-gOods palaces,
in the jewelers. windows, in many
places, that ought TO be bought and
worn and used up in some way; and it
would be worth the trial if one just had
the money TO give 10 one of these beau
ties and tell them to 60 on to the end OF
the string, There would be some tall
shopping for fortnight or so. But as
the times grow worse the desire for
moneyed men TO marry seems to de-
crease; and hence the outlook for
pretty faces with small incomes is not
the most cheerful. Ii might, indeed, be
vastly more satisfactory than it is.
Now, / never did regard this mercenary
preceding of catching rich husband
with anything but disgust; this species
of horse and land purchase, or, rather,
barter of affection and beauty for
money and husband. And am glad
the business is getting less profitable
and less successful. ! have no doubt
that the present state OF things is open
ing many eyes TO the necessity of look
in some other direction besides matri-
monial match for settlement of the
impending crisis. Perhaps many OF
those who have waited for something
to turn up during these last three years
something that would go to make
them happy forever more-have at last,
come TO the conclusion that they must
find themselves, in their hands and
brain, the means through which they
shall gain a competency. l think it Is
much better that this fact should stare
them in the face, than that they should
be reading love poems for year or 50
yet.
II people had something useful for
their hands and brains TO do, would
they be making geese of themselves,
coauetting and sentimentaliZing all the
beautiful spring-time of youth! / am
told that in the great city of New York,
there is an increase of ten per cent. OF
young ladies engaged in arts, sciences,
and ayOcations to make them independ
ent. Many have drifted into the field
of wood cutting, porcelain painting,
and shorthand reporting, book-keep-
ing, telegraphing, engraving, and type
setting, And so | might mention many
other fields, where talented, Industrious
ladies, sick of the eRRHi of sentimental
trash and great expectations, have
taken a hand and succeeded beyond
their pleasant dreams. L don't know
that this is exactly as il should be, for
no one can persuade me that wOman's
real place is any other than at home in
the midst other family, domestic duties
and joys. ! can't conceive that the nat
ural destiny of woman points in any
other direction. But these are strange
times. The hunt for rich husbands has
background. 1t means that we have
been living years and years in extrava-
vaganc and now we are face to face
with ruin, financially. We have been
acting these long years as if money was
the end of all happiness, and that if it
be in our possession all worldly giories
would come with it. l wonder if some
of us have not found out that the love
of money is the root of all evil? 1t has
wrecked the hopes and blighted the
dreams of many bright-eyed girl. But
no matter about that, the young girls
of ambitious dreams will never take in
sail because other crafts went TO pieces
on the rocks.
But | have intimated that the sphere
of woman was not, as a matter of fact,
in the world, battling with men in the
shops and OIL the forum. | mean just
that. do not know, nor have l ever
advocated the propriety of a woman
competing with men in field not sub
ject to her taste or nature. But the
present is an uncommon period. We
must take things as we find them. The
women of the Revolution assisted their
husbands to conquer the invader and op-
pressor. We have now a more formida-
ble disturber of our tranquility. We
have poverty and want all over the
land. We have had it for some years.
The prospect for better times are not
promising. Perhaps better day may
come; and when that day does come it
will not disorganize society much for
women TO pass out of the busy factory,
shop, and Office. Ii is high time that