Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-05-25
What is She TO Do 7
tNinetee nth Century.1

(Ninetet nth Century.1
If woman is not strong enough
to be maid OF all work, if she is
not smart enough to wait behind
counter, nor ingenious enough to
make bOnnets, nor clever enough to
keep lodging house, nor sufficient.
ly educated TO be a governess nor
sufficiently intellectual to translate
foreign books into moderately good
English, nor yet strong minded
enough to write novels that will sell,
what is she to do! In each of these
occupations the struggle "for the
survival of the fittest' is most sc.
we're, and those whom nature and
education have not made strong
enough to succeed must starve, or
be supported by private chaity,
which is degradation, or by public
charity, which means the work.
house.
| remember
when was young, more than half q
century ago. seeing beautiful girl
at TivOli who was much courted by
the youth of the place as being in.
industrious and capable, and likely
to make an excellent wife. She sat
at her loom weaving from daylight
till midday, aud then embroidered
till sunset; when she arrayed herself
in some of her own work and went
to enjoy the public walk in all the
bravery of her picturesque costume
and the acknowledged supremacy
OF her own loneliness, till the stars
announced suppertime, after which
she spun till midnight. Her name
was Rosa Dante; and she enjoyed
hSr own creations in cOlored wOrsted
OH linen, she had herself woven
more then her great namesake ever
enjoyed the creations of his own sad
and majestic genius. We can not
dwell on these pleasant pictures of
the past without wishing to revive
them, as far as we may, for the
benefit of al least some of our coun.
trywomeu. But English girls are
mostly ambitious. they are the
boys equals at the board school
classes, and help to cram thier little
brothers for the examinations, and
helping, also, the drudging mother
at home, they despise her sordid
life and emulate for themselves a
higher future. Some who, though
very poor, belong TO the better class,
work at night in the art school of
their district, or they read for d.
plomas, and strive for college hon
ors, admitted, though not awarded.
They try to become doctors, and
failing in that, they fight the doc.
tors on their common platforms; the
hospital ward, a melancholy sight
tor gods and men; they are all seek
ing 10 do good, but thy are not yet
entirely educated to the sense of
what their position must be, and, if
we believe all that is said, it ap-
pears that there is none that doeth
good-nO not one. Yet surely, one
thing that woman ought TO be fit
for, is the nursing of the sick, also,
the teaching of little chldren; but
the scboolmastcr is abroad every.
where, and the village schoolmis.
tresses are few and far between. In
both these professions the ranks are
filed. There are already too many
nurses and teachers; and the pretty
and innocent crowd of girls who are
still young enough to hope are press.
ing forward. They crush, many,
fall, and their cry is still for bread,
and for the work to show for it.
The strong man emigrates, but there
is no phase of life in the bush for
women yet, though some OF he colo.
MES are beginning to send for do.
nestle servants and wives.
An American joke is as far
beyond the intelligence of the over.