The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-11-22
TWO WOMEN IN BUSINESS.
BY HELEN WILNANS.

In the spring Of 1876, finding myself
in position where it was necessary to
make some exertion for my own living,
being "ione, Iorn widder," and being
also averse to the kind of work usually
delegated to my sex, formed partner
ship with another woman whose situa-
ton WAS similar 10 my own and We went
INTO the poultry business together. My
partner Sue, Susan, Soohy or Susannah
was splnster Cprnster, according to
Mr. Weller) and just one Of the incest.
sweetest, 8 bestest and tip-topiest old
maids that ever lived. She grew in my
affections every hour I lived with her.
until Mt last she stood before me the
perfect incarnation Of al the primitive
virtues. Ii W. from her that learned
to distrust the worth Of those qualities
IN men and women that had always held
my Imagination captive, and decided
that education and geniu, and rare gifts
could never bring down the scale against
the pure goodness of simple, trusting
and lovingsorl, such as hers.
After weshad DECIDED what We wished
to do, it requircd 4 vigorous 'looLing
about" tOtiM tie p.ace we wanted. But
we did fnd It eu the banks OF Clear
lake, well up toward Its northern bound
ary. A farIncr who occupied large
tract Of land, and had bull! line house
near the center cf it, left his old one
standing In an isolated corner, the pict
ure of loneliness and despair as seen
from the eyes OF the rich, but very
haven of rest for two tempest tossed and
homeless women, such q we were. And
then it was OH the banks OF the Iake-a
fact that made amends for many disad-
vantages. Oh, that lake, thirty miles
long and ten miles wide, dotted with
evergreen islands. It comes back to me
now, like the memory OF 4 lest paradise.
MY soul grew visibiy and constantly be-
meath its influence. Ittaught the lesson
of repose. It sought to induce in its
beholders the attitude of the angels.
Behold us, then, settled, with 100
hens, fifteen ducks and dozen turkeys.
Mr.. Worth sold us Ton of wheat "on
tick" and We were equipped. The ducks
took to the water, where they seemed to
earn their own living, as they treated
our store of provisions with contempt.
They waddled home every night to be
shut up, and we found their eggs in the
pen IN the morning. We sold our hens
eggs, and set the hens on duck eggs.
As we kept an account of oil our trans
actions, | will now refer to my book,
which l still keep, in remembrance OF
some OF the happiest days Of my life.
I find that on March 90 we had forty
hens sitting on ten eggs each, AGO eggs
in all, with seventeen young ducks
.hatched out. On April 20 we had thirty
SIX hens sitting on ten eggs each, and
327 nice, healthy young ducks. A month
later closed out the duck factory, with
$50 small fry on hand. In the meantime
the turkeys had not been idle, though I
am free to confess to this day my hope
leos ignorance Of the turkey character
and my inability to cope with ths insti-
tuition on its own grounds. The ways
at . turkey hen are mysterious and past
f3nding ont; she Is either the most CON-
sammate idiot on the universe or else /
myself am slightly touched. Her ~
gqriss are such that no mind in its nor
nal condition can apprehend thsn.
What tho hallucinations Of delirium
txemens would do to help ono ont do
nOt know, but ~ last resort hang my
hopes on il until shall see it tried.
One turkey hen to whom We had given
thhH-six young turkeys was in the habit
oe wandering Oh wherever . vagEans
lanoy led her. Al Last il entered hss
simple Middle 10 sleep away from homo.
Now, as the country abounded in "var-
mints, we considered her conduct reck-
len, unworthy, and in tho highest de-
gree reprehensible. We expostulated
with her in vain. She would meander !;
her whole soul was eiven to the explora-
tioa Of unknown placeA Many . qils