Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-01-19
Work.

A recent number of the Christian
at Work contains an article entitled,
stHow Shall Women and Girls Earn
Living?' And the writer in clos
ing asks: "Will not some brilliant
mind enlighten the breathlessly wait
ing world ON this intensely interesting
subject?' @
Now, in my judgment, this is
problem which woman must work out,
| each one for herself, and all the light
which the most "brilliant minds" can
throw upon the subject. is not as
helpful as one short term of study
under that stern yet faithful teacher,
Experience. AS one who has paid
great price for lessons learned in that
school, / venture to write few plain
words of counsel, with the hope and
prayer that they may be helpful to
those who have the same toilsome
path to tread.
In the first place, I would say to
every woman who would earn liv-
ing, learn first of all to do some one
thing thoroughly and we'll. If the
discipline of life has not furnished
you with the requisite training, per-
feet yourself in some one branch of
industry at once, at any cost Of time
or trouble make yourself mistress of
that which you would undertake to
do.
The world is overrun with an army
of incompetent people, clamoring for
places and positions for which they
are in no wise fitted, and which they
could not fill one day except by the
patience and long suffering of their
employers; and it is such as these
who cheaper the value of women S
work in public estimation. l believe
there are few trained, energetic, sens
ible and worthy women who are, OF
will long remain unemployed.
But you will say, perhaps, GLOW
shall we get our training, we who
have known little of the practical side
of life, and who are, without warn
ing or preparation, thrown upon oIr
own resources we who are, per
chance, young and inexperienced,
and who cannot even tell what we
could do until we have tried? How
shall we find space to try in this jos
tling, crowding throng?'
I sigh as write the words, aud a
feeling of deep commiseration lies
at my heart, for know there are
many such; but l devoutly believe
: that there is place, and the right
place for every woman whom Goo
8 has sent into the world, and if she
has heart brave enough to bear an6
0 learn the hard lessons of life, and {
firm trust in Him, He will surely give
h her abundant opportunity for work
But repeat, by all means fit your
self for some one occupation and ad
here to that Let whatever you have
:, shown most genius for in your owl
= home, teach you what you can bes
do for others, but be content to be
). gin in painstaking, faithful way a
e the beginning, and work up. If yol
have no time or money to educate
o yourself in a preparatory way, thel
s take whatever offers at once, though
it be housework, nursing, the care o
s children, sewing and make begin
Ii ming there. Do not be afraid if yol
;, are lady, you can never lose you
right to that title through honest work
But | beseech you, be willing to par
+ at once with the traditions of you
n past estate, enroll yourself among tn
s ranks of "working women," and lool
upon yourself as one. This will
o emancipate you from any burdel
y which will weigh heavily upon yol
while you attempt to fill two station
at once; it will free you from thou
# sand expectations which are sure II
r end in disappointment, and will Civ
you freedom to give your mind t.
:. that which is now, for you, the chic
s business of life.
Do not cherish your Incompetence.
as mark of social superiority, bu
It learn to take pride in good homes
: work which will bear inspection, ant
;, be ashamed to be paid for anything
less. Do not seek an easy, luxuri
. GUS home, such as you have know
: hitherto, for in so doing you ma,
+ bind yourself with chains more gall
ing than you dream OF. In thes
r days when society is, as it we're, turn
II ed upside down, when wealth has fall
e en- to the lot of many who had nj
previous preparation for the use o
it, and when many who had lived il
IL luxury are compelled to labor 70
! those who are their interiors in all bu
h the possession of money, it canno
but come to pass that great dissat
70 isfaction and heart-burning is the re
n suit. 1t cannot bat be painful fo
5, proud sensitive woman to accep
y work at the dictation of one whom
le she feels to be an inferior, or to Civ
up life, liberty and the pursuit o
:, happiness to the exactions of a quer
! ulous invalid who regards her, per
d haps, as having been created solel
20 for her behoof, and who never dream
that money will not compensate fo
r the sacrifice of independence, society
a freedom and the devising of her ow
ID way.