The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-06-09
SUGGESTIONS FOR INDECENT MAIDEN
LADIES.


1T is therefore natural that I should
know the pecularities of this class and the
problems of life presented to such minds.
Why not suggest to others some of the
answers to these problems which have
occurred to me in my own bewilder-
ment?
ssIf had my life to live over again.
I'd live it awful differenter," remarked
my pet Irish housemaid the other day.
And indeed If most of US knew at twenty
that fifty would find Us still maiden
ladies, and still INDECENT, we should, no
doubt, proceed very differently.
But at twenty there are so many pos
sibilities that It would be almost wrong
to narrow our lives, as we should If we
were sure of the future that awaits Us.
AT twenty, woman who is good for any
thing is often so ''glad to be alive" that
she is also almost "glad to earn liv-
ing" If that is the reasonable thing for
her 10 do. She loves to be independent,
she wants to help the whole world, and
she wants untold money. She likes
heavy silk better than alpaca, and seal
skin mittens better than worsted ones.
But without entering at all into the
Women's Rights question, we are justi-
fed in saying that she viii not be able TO
earn very much, try as she may. and il
she is sensible, she probably will not
trouble herself much about silk or seal
skin, though in q moment of strong
temptation she may buy six-hutton
gloves with money which might have
been put into the bank.
But when she has economical TO tho
utmost IN dress, she still needs money.
She wants concerts and lectures, and
books and pictures, private German
lessons,a piano, trip to the information.
al exhibition, one little delightful vaca-
ton with the Touriee tourists in Europe.
She must have these things, not for
PleasDra alone. though she dearly likes
that, but far education; she wants the
fullest life, she ~ on ere ta Saaa ali her
faculties.
But she cheerfully economies In all
these things, and still there Is q struggle
to make the ends meet Shall her fathers
house be mortgaged when she can help
him:about the grocer's bill? Shall her
mother be overworked when she can
hire servant? Why can not Tom go
to college? And what shame that Fan
ny's wonderful voice should not be cul-
tivatedl Here economy ceases to be q
virtue.
L
living who lives beyond her means, bat
neither have ever known one who laid
aside any money before she was thirty.
With all their poor little economies,
their salaries are too small for that.
From twenty to twenty-five, such
EFomeH huctuate between black despair
and glorious happiness. Happiness pre-
walls, on the whole, because they have
D~-4
and one possibility after another disap-
pears. The fairy prince does not come
to carry of the captive maiden; the song
she was to sing, and thereby move the
world, is still unsung; the picture she
was to paint Is painted only In her burn
ing brain. And the beauty has faded
and the prince viii never know the
princess; the voice is too cracked ever to
sing the song, and dull daily cares have
driven the picture out of the mind.
This is the despairing moment when
women marry for home, or consent to
be supported by rich relatives who do
not want them, or when they learn that
they must economic in deadly earnest
But why economize? Who of us even by
eternal vigilance can lay aside enough
to live upon before old age overtakes us?
A hundred dollars is q large sum to
spare from our salaries, but how many
years we should have to save hundred
dollars before the income of our savings
would approximate to our present small
earningsl Let rs eat, drink, and be
merry. How much better TO economic
life and strength by living a free and
happy life than to haggle over a few
paltry dollarsl Surely, surely; but what
are We to do when we are past work? We
may die suddenly before that day comes;
still, We may not. Tom may be in a
position to help US; but Tom has wife
and family. Fanny may marry rich
man-Who viii not want to support her
sisters. There is the Old Ladies' Home,
and that is blessed charity.
One enterprising lady 1 know presents
q little subscription book to each of her
friends, requesting the contribution of q
penny from each. She hopes, at the age
of sixty-fYe, when she will be eligible to
the home, to have a hundred dollars
the admission fee. Another puts all her
cast-of clothing into an immense chest;
against the time when she shall no longer
be able to earn more clothing. But why
do harrow your minds? And what adj
vice have / to give? First, we must
know the truth. As for the advice, it is
not worth mnch-not anything to many
temperainents. Such as it is, it is COM
prised under four heads.
First, save something every year you
work. It viii be difficult, but I should
suppose it possible for most women who
are teachers, or dressmakers, or book
keepers, or even clerks, to save fifty dol
lars year.
I hear storm of indignation. It is
not possible, you say, and if it were,
your employers, especially the school
boards, would reduce your salaries in
stantly.
Well, that is par 1y true, and know
your vacation trip has given you ten
years lease of life, and you can wear
your seal-skin sacque till extreme old
age, so do not expect any woman IN.
der thirty to follow my advice. Still,
give it; save fifty dollars year.
Second, do not invest more than q
hundred dollars in one place. Put lit,
tie money in the bank, little in gov
ernment bonds, little in life insurance
with an endowment policy, a little in 9
cooperative store, a very little il
Western farms, etc. The interest may
be small, but it is not likely that all tht
investments viii fail at once.
Third, make up your mind at the out
set that this process must be continued
many years, so that the accumulating In
ferest win be an important item in tl.
fortune You are amassing. For instance
fifty dollars year for thirty years, if no
At interest. would give you only fifteel