Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-03-21
THE LTTTLETON REFORNERS

Littleton society, or at least tho feminine
portion of it, was in state Of active fermen-
tation which, so TO speak, "boiled over" at
the sewing circle, n meeting somewhat above
the average of those devoted to fancy-work,
or even missionary clothing seasoned with
gossip.
The truth was that all Iittleton had a supe-
rior tendency and took to solid reading and
earnest discussions; and however great may
be the scorn with which we allude to pro
toplasm" or theories Of evolution" as com
mon parlor talk, still there is room for thanks
giving that some foreign interest can prevail
over our small, every day griefs and worries.
The sewing circle had been established in
war time, when every one was enthusiastic in
doing her part for the soldiers, and then,
when that need was mercifully over, it was
agreed not to disband, but that once a week
each Indy should take her plainest, most nee
essary sewing to the meeting and some one
should read aloud to the company. 1t was
not quite aspiring enough TO call itself liter
AIRY club. partly because few had time, how
ever great their desire might have been, TO
do the thorough intellectual work needful to
make that success. But the little attempt
had been very pleasant--the women felt it a
relief and benefit to meet on some other
ground than the common one of fashionable
calls and tea parties.
To-day there was a full assemblage, and a
very lively attractive company it looked
three or four young girls just at the most
delightful stage Of freshness and prettiness,
with wistful, grave questionings in their eyes
of the life opening out before them; twice as
many wives but little older than they except
from the added care and womanliness in their
faces, and several of the brightest most tax
ing old maids one could imagine. Add to
these "a sufficient number of gray haired mat
rons to give the company weight and digni-
ty, and the assembly is complete.
How many theories there are about living
now" said Rose Perry, laying down the mag
azine from which she had been reading a
sensible article on the needs of every day
life. Il don't see, after all, that it grows
any easier"
why should il be easier ?" said Miss Pru-
dence Trucft, unroling her yarn with jerk.
1t puts me out Of patience to hear so much
groauing over the times and manners! Don't
you take it up, Rose It's enough to have
every third man or woman specializing on
ideal communities and Utopias, without the
second one adopting it. Upon my word, |
can't see any aspect of what is said but that
people are lazy and want to shirk their birth
right, so they try to invent some perpetual
motion by which the world shall do its work
without their help"
Rose flushed little. II don't think you're
quite right there, Miss Truefit," she said
bravely. II don't want to shirk honest, hard
labor, but to my mind things are hard in the
way of getting work to do. To take the
merest personal ground, here am /, an ex-
ample. I've been out of school six months
waiting to earn my living, but the world, at
least the little corner of it l know, won't let
me do it. Now isn't there drawbac some
where, when the earth has apparently no
room for its workers Z"
There was minutes silence, while honest
Miss True6t was making up her mind how
best to retire a little from her first position,
when Kate Hapgood, famous for rushing
headlong into whatever occurred to her,
broke in.
Eyes, here are three of us in the same fix
Rose, Nell and l, and when we've been fight
ing for months to get any kind of situation
in any kind of a school and have failed, you
certainly can't believe that the wheels of the uni
verse turn without any friction, now can you
l leave il to you, Mrs. Cavendish, if it isn't
rather tough for three girls to long with all
their hearts to earn their bread and butter
(aRd preserves y and only to have the prof
ect frowned down by the Fates" Somehow
everybody appealed to Mrs. Cavendish for
sympathy and encouragement sweet, SIM
pie lady with soft white curls and face lit up
by keen intellect.
YES my dear, think it is rather hard to
bear" she answered "And | see Just what
you mean in saying there is a strain in living
now, but believe too, that if the conditions
of life were simpler it need not be so. For
instance, don't you think that if you were
content TO dress more plainly and so reduce
your expenses, you could get along with loss
worry? But why do you all teach-why not
try some other work for which there may be
fewer applicants 2"
The real reason is" said Kate honestly,
because We can't get so much money for
anything else, not being specially trained or
educated for any art or profession. 1t costs
too much to live for one TO disregard an ex-
ira dollar a week, and even if one don't have
the prescribed number of ruffles and founces,
still there are certain saperiuities in which
one must indulge in order to be on speaking
terms with society. Now | want to take a
course of music lessons but until can earn
some money that is an impossibility."
And see how much nerve and brain force
you'll have to spend on your piano after six
hours work in school, said Miss Prince, the
Grammar school teacher whose bright black
eyes mirrored her clear common sense. ''If
anybody knows what an un-ideal thing teach
ing is do believe Pm that person, but con-
sidering all that, / honestly think no one
ought in justice to herself to take it up as a
makeshift a stepping stone she hates over
which to reach something beyond. l have
faith that there are a gifted few who, like
Rose Perry here, could wish to make teach
ing their life work, and wish with all my
heart it could be arranged that we who hate
it could withdraw and leave the field TO those
who belong there"
"But where shall We withdraw" said Kate.
with a face of mock despair. 'Is there to be
an asylum for incapable school mistresses ?"
"Oh dear, 1 don't know" sighed Miss
Prince in her most hopeless tone, and some
times, it must be confessed, she was fathoms
deep in the 'blues." 'And the worst of it is
you feel it is one incessant grind for bread
and butter. If one were only teaching the