Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1880-11-17
Shall We Sell or Abandon Our Girls

"What shall we do with our girls" is an
old and oft.repeated question. The Cir
cassians sell them to the Turks. Some
times the Americans do the same thing
practically. This statement may be dis
puted, but we affirm ii. Intriguing NAM
mas and plotting papas have brought about
many match in which the couple were
married, not mated"
There is another, and very large, class
of people who do not sell their daughters,
but they abandon them-practcally. This
seems shoe king, and it may be denied, but
we affirm it. For when father and mother
die what ale the unmarried girls to do for
home? Live with their brothers and
sisters? They may have none. Besides,
living on ones relatives and with aimless
lives, is not always pleasant, and it GER
tainly does not develop womanly indepcn-
dence.
If the thrifty parents have left sufi-
| cient fortune to the orphaned girls, what
| then? They may not know how to take
care Of it. "Riches have wings" and the
| fortune hunter is ever abroad in the land
seeking whom he may devour. Besides
what kline. of women will life of luxuri
Gus idleness produce? That is no way to
preserve the republic. "Give me good
| tlOlItToy Sdlu TIE ilEsl Napoleon, 'anQ
will give you great nation"
The best legacy to leave the daughters
whether single or married (for the latter
may become helpless widows) is such q
| training as will enable them to earn theil
own livelihood; to be selfsupporting and
independent, the struggle for bread, all the
| world over, and especially in the case o
women, is a fearful one. Its failure help.
| tn fill lnpou hO,aos &C - fa,r
and to burden the country with excessive
criminal expense.
"Ah, yes;' says the prudent and kline
parent, 81 have thought of all that. Ed
ucation is the remedy, and have giveI
my daughters frst.class education"
Very good but what is their education
They are accomplished and cultured. Tha
is well. But if thrown on their own re
sources what can they DO except flute
helplessly in the very limited and over
crowded "respcctahle" avenues now opel
for woman's industry? What do they know
Of the practical, the life conserving affair
of this world? Have they acquired trade
Have they general knowledge of bus
ness? We will answer the question for you
In nine cases out of ten they have not
You have been to tremendous effort in on
direction, but have almost entirely negleC
ted the other, the practical phase Of educe
ton.
Every girl, as we'll every boy, should b.
, come an adept in some special calling
Unlike riches, that kind Of wealth canno
; take wings and fly away. On the contrary
it will add to health and happiness; civ
. aim to what may possibly otherwise be a
} aimless life, and if death calls the parent
: first they will feel that their children ar
} not driftwood on the sea of life, but ski
fully guided barques, fitted to buffet tn
storm. crested waves, and with the be:
{ guarantee of avoiding shipwreck.
; Therefore, we say, Give the girls
chance" 1t is due them and due societ,
r Don't sell them to the Turks nor abando
them on the Ganges of homless lif
. You can give them as great blessing
j Jacob bestowed, and in after years the
t will rise up and call you blessed, and r.
r we're your memory with a reverence an
S enduring love that no other inheritanC
d can inspire.-Hawkeye.