St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-07-25
Hints for Girls who want Employment.

A writer in the Chicago, 1nter-Ocean
gives this advice to girls who are called
on to support themselves: "What field
of labor would you choose to enter 7
Our cities are full of milliners, dress
makers, teachers and clerks. You have
no profession. You have not expert
ence or ability to fill places of RESPONSE
bility. You would shrink from the toll,
the ceaseless, patient, labOrious study,
the care and anxiety of literary labor,
or if YOU would choose this in prefer
ence to other employment, yOu may
not have the ability or talent 1T demands
or the wears of study it takes to begin
in this department of labor. But, girls,
there is a field of labor in the city and
country that needs willing, competent
hands. The Overworked wives and
mothers of our country are begging for
efficient help, and Ignorant foreigners
cannot supply this need. There is de-
mand for intelligent, competent girls
who can take little of the RESPONSE
bility and care upon themselves, and
thus relieve our women of one OF the
greatest trials. Many of you will look
upon this work as beneath you, and
some of You will read this with feel
ing of scOrn, and yet this work is far
easier, better and pleasanter than many
of the employments that you look
upon, with your experience, as elegant,
easy and refined. With a months
study and experience you could become
good cooks OF hOusekeepers, and you
could take with you to your labor all
the dignity, sweetness and graces of
your wOmanhoOd, and thus dignity the
work you look upon as beneath you.
If girls would go to these homes with
kind hearts, sympathy, and a deter
mination to do their duties cheerfully
and well, they would soon win the APP
probation and respect of their mistress,
and if in true goodness and nObleness
of character they are her equals, they
will be treated as such, and find them
selves esteemed members OF happy
families. By doing their work sys-
tematically they would have many lei
sure hours for culture and self-imprOve-
ment. But they must learn to appre-
ciate the fact that nothing can be won
without hard labor, and to do cheerful
ly what necessity cOmpels them to do.
Our American girls have not been
taught the dignity of labor, but they |
are the girls best adapted to elevate
the work that must be done in our
homes.
There are thousands of women who
would give intelligent, faithful girls al
most the love and consideration they
would their own daughters if they found
them worthy of their regard, and would
assist them in their efforts at
self-improvement. Let our girls see
the plain, unvarnished truth of this
matter. Let their ambitions be to be-
come useful, industrious, womanly wo-
man, and if they find they are too poor
to dress and move in fashionable best
society, leave such society. There are
plenty of worthy, intelligent poor who
are quite as good, and often better COM
pauy for our girls. That girls are not
well paid we admit, but they would be
better paid if they would give more
study and care to their work. 1t is not
the work we do, but the spirit in which
we do it, that elevates or degrades us,
and the girl who sweeps room cheer
fully and thoroughly makes as royal an
of the broom she holds as the
golden sceptre of a queen"