The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-17

WHAT CAN WOMAN Do A cores
pondent of the Gristian Weekly answers
the above question in the following sug-
gestlons
1t is to be supposed that every woman
who has reached maturity, and especi-
ally middle life, has discovered that she
can do some one thing better-with
more ease to herself and more s~atisfac-
tory results-than she can do anything
else. Ii she has not made that discov-
cry she has probably led a useless life,
and will hardly succeed In any effort she
may make for %self-support. But taking
it for granted that every woman has a
special aptitude for some kind of work,
her labOrs for a livelihood should by all
means be in that direction. flood has
given a talent he intends it to be used.
Some women are natural cooks.
wonder and envy o their friends. They
can give away the recipes by which
they make the delightful compounds,
but they can not impart the ''knack'
by which they bring about such wonder
full results. Such a person can always
turn her talent to account If thrown
upon her own resources. In any city,
town or ever small village, she can find
ready market for her cake, her pastry,
her home made bread. | know a
woman who is supporting her family in
this very way. Ladies send their ma
terials to her, and she, for a liberal con
sideration, transforms the sugar, egg,
-four, butter and fruits, into the most
marvellous cakes that ever decorated
table or tempted palate.
Another woman excelled in canning
fruit, making jellies, preserves and
pickles. Thrown upon her own re-
sources, she made it known that she
would do such work for private families.
She is kept busy at high wages, from
the time of the earliest strawberries till |
the last fall fruit disappears from the
market. She told me she made from
two to three dollars per day, and of
course has her board in the families
where she works.
Some women have a positive genius
for repairing gentlemen's and boys
clothing. They can clean coats, work
over trayed bu%ttonholes, put in new
facings, put on new binding, set in in
patches, and make auld claes
look amaist as well as new in a manner
that to the uninitiated seems little short
of miraculous. A woman with such a
gift has means of procuring a comforta-
BILE livelihood at her fingers ends. I'm
pleasant work. is it !? 1t strikes one
that starving is unpleasant work, too.
How can one get such work 2" The
shortest way is to bravely put up a sign
what one can do. and the work
will be pretty sule to come.
There are other women whose ability
remake old dresses is really wonder
'ul. They go to work at an a%ntiquated,
lilapidated dress very much asa general
would plan a siege. They detect the
weak points at a glance, likewise the
capabilities of the article under con-
Where there is a weak spot
mend or a stain-there they make
he greatest show of strength by skilltul
trimming. What more could military
,enius do? Out ofthe most unpromising
they bring the most halmoni-
us and pleasing garments.
Such women need never ask, "What I
we do" Let it once be known that I
hey will use their talents for the bene-
of the public and they will have t
,lenty of work. 1t will pay quite as !
veil as regular dressmaking, because l
here are SO few who can do such work +
Fashionable mOdistes do |
ot like to make Over old dresses and a
lady leave the work to others v
Madame Elizabeth Patterson Bona