The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-26
a Chance or Culture.
cottage HEARTH


eff could only get an educatienp ex-
claims some young sewing-girl, 81 wouldn't
mind about being poor But Just to work
and eat and dress and sleep and die. That
is all nv life amounts TO, unless / marry
and get home. And, even then, should
like 70 know enough to teach my children,
or so that they wouldn't look down upon
me as an .g0oramus when they grow up.
But am too poor and too old to go to
school now"
Is it necessary, my dear, that you should
30 to school for an education3 Are you
sure that you need always keep on at this
dead level2 Just think. Can not you
make the getting of an education your pur-
pose in lite, then bend your time and ener-
gies toward that end? This very evening
could you not save an hour for study by
putting three instead of five ruffles around
that skirt2 Can you not choose the simplest
and easiest fashions for your dresses2 They
are often the very prettiest. Do you think
the people in this great city will notice the
plainness of your dress2 No, they are too
busy. Or, if they do notice, it will be to adj
mire and feel the sense of rest there is in
looking at a plain dress. Believe me. my
dear, that plsin dress can be made to look as
dress is not synonymous with beauty
neither is plainess synonymous with ugl-
ness. Some pretty little neck-gesr will mako
you look as pretty in a plain dress as any
quantity of work in the way of folds, ruffles,
or whatever is the fashion of the hour.
"What is this book lying hereY"
"Oh, one of Mrs. Southworth's novels. II
is perfectly charmingi' L sat up till y
o'clock last night to finish it."
"When did you begin7"
"Night before last. Just opened it Il
few moment after supper and never laid it
down until balf-psst IL"
$50 you spent two whole evenings and
robbed yourself of sleep for it. Don't you
think that your mind is WORTH of better
food. Don't you think that half the time
which you have spent on this b0ok-if you
had spent it on history, say-woGld have
have been one good step toward that eou-
cation which t'e best part of your soul
longs fort Suppose you swear Off as the
work. What would you like to study2"
"Oh, French and history and English lit
erature and music and painting and-every-
thing"
"You can't learn everything at once,
but must take up one study, Which do
you think would give you the most solid in
formation and help you most7" %.
81 uppose-history. But-I-don't like
it."
perhaps you will learn to ike it. You
see this light reading hes spoiled your taste
little Surprising you take up that ofyour
own coSntry, the United States"-
ooh. mol" she breaks in with a gesture Of
IT Il 81, Il II
never could keep the Presidents straight. If
i must take history let il be English /
should like TO read that story about Alfred
going into his enemy's camp in disguise.
And wonder if that story about Queen
Elizabeth is true-about thering, you know.
And then would like to know the rights
about Mary Queen of Scots. Yes, 1 think I
could wade through an English history--if
is WA an interesting one"
s.Well, Charlss Dickens 'Ckiid's History
OF England is vtrg Interesting. lie prob
ably " rld pleese you l like An1ers0n's
scoooi history. Dsies.are gwen hut ,hey
40 not Mode prominent, and hc mases you
want to turn to larger histories Cor fuller &C.
counts. He leads you to other books, too
For instance in the introduction he tells US
about the legend on which Shakespeare
founded his tragedy, king Lear and
would you believe it, that legend places
King Lear's reign six centuries before
Christ.
when you read about John Lakeland
you will want to read about Shakspesr's
King John. Then if you read 'Ivanhoe' by
Sir Walter Scott you will not only read
one of the first works of literature but form
o better idea about how people lived in the
days of Richard, the Lion Heart, and his
brother than by more solid book, because