The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-10-09
How Some Women Have Carved Out
"'' Their Fortunes.

A WOMAN shall / say lady p --she
had had her own, pleasant home, had
kept a servant, and lived u pleasant,
cared-for life-lost her husband not
by death, but by the wickedness of
another woman; and in her distress
begged gentleman friend who had often
visited her husband and herself in their
home to tell her what she could do for
the support of herself and child. upgt
d. ~ know nothing" she remarked;
81 can not even embroider; all l know
is how to keep my own little home and
take care of baby.'' i a'''
The gentleman thought a moment.
q" Mrs.. Blank" said he at last, "you
make most delicious kind of dumping;
have eaten it at your house; it would
make your fortune in restaurant; why
do you not open lunch-room in bust
ness neighborhood? l will be your Sc
curity to certain extent, for am GER
tain you will succeed. Make one or
two specialties, among them my dump
ling" ,puE 20 r""7r~" 'n.'" -'
The idea struck her favorably-
she acted upon it. She made
delicious fritters, watfles, and some
good at a restaurant. Her one
room, with little kitchen at the back,
had to be enlarged. Large parties of
gentlemen would come in, attracted by
the fame of her buildings, her waffles,
her oyster fritters, and her old-fashion-
ed fried chicken, with which she always
served currant-jelly OF her own making.
The lunch-room grew into a restaurant
for dinner and lunch parties in fashiona-
BILE quarter, where she COMES in coupe
and takes the money, but no longer
makes the fritters or the watfies, and
fried chicken, has been banished from
the bill of fare. But a shabby-looking
man shuf1les in every day, takes his seat
in an Obscure corner, and eats his din
ner free ); no bill is ever handed him,
and if, on rare occasion, the mistress
of the house meets, she does not speak
to him. The employees suppose him to
be a poor and disgraced relation, for
they have been ordered to attendsto his
wants, and if he viii, care for him; but
they do not know he was once the hus-
band of the reserved, self-contained
woman they know as a wealthy proprie-
tor, or that she began her seH-stpport-
ing life on the strength of knowing how
to make dumping, and with barely a
thousand cents, much less dollars, as
capital.
oOne of the most novel and interesting
ventures made by woman with a thou
sand dollars or thereabouts, was by put
| ting it in laundry. She was q large,
healthy, handsome, and especially what
would be called wholesome-lo looking
woman, with one daughter. She had
been well reared and educated, and her
friends expressed at, first both surprise
and disgust at her choice of a profess
sion. But she had thought the matter
out for herself, and was determined to
work it out. Her daughter was sensible
like herself, and happy at the prospect
of having a home with her mother,
rather than taking place in a store.
The lady-she was a lady-set herself
up with a washing machine and a small
mangle. She offered her services for
families or gentlemen's washing, Her
beginnings were very small, but she used
improved methods, and soon became in
great demand by gentlemen. who found
their clothing washed in superior man.
ner, and so well cared for by buttons
put on and occasional stitches taken,
that better prices were volunteered than
they had been accustomed to pay. Help
she had for the toughest work, but
she always sorted and superintendent
the soaking and other processes herself,
her daughter keeping the books and
helping q little maid upstairs to do the
work Of their own apartments '9 's.