Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-04-03

governess or shop assistant. so long
as he lives. the girl has home; but
she knows that when he dies, leaving
nothing, her fate will be to face the
world without having any means Of
earning her bread. Ofcourse, she hopes
TO get married, and this chance of mat
rimony which Providence throws like
q lottery ticket into the lap of every
girl tends to keep her In day-dresm
of expectation so long as her youth
lasts; but IL takes two TO make mar
riage, and the plain, unaccomplished
girl does not easily find suitors. Good
ness knows what frantic efforts she
makes to bring her small talents under
the notice OF curates, young doctors,
simple-minded gentlemen farmers, and
shy old bachelors with money. She lets
il be kaown that she can cook, that she
can sew, that she loves parish visiting
(or looking after farm stock, rs the case
may be), that she adores children, and
that she thinks womsn's function In
Afsisse be the slaye ef her. husband.
and to make him comfortable home.
There are some who, watching these
antics, are amused by them; to ME they
have always seemed Infinitely pitiful.
\ woman scheming for husband uses
just about as much base artifce ms n
man striving after Advancement In his
profession, but no more; and the eN-
cuse is greater in her case-for the stake
she plays for Is immense, social custom
having made of marriage almost the
only career for women above the lower
classes. There Is no reason why this
should be so, considering the number
Of situations there are which men now
monOpolize, but which might be quite
as suitably, if not better, filled by
women.
Why should girls who have not found
husbands be consigned, as they now
are by the tyranny OF social usage, 10 n
debasing dependency upon their rel.
atives, aud be forced to lead lives utterly
useless and unprotitableG That glftcd
aud amiable woman, Mrs. FawcetG,
some months ago contributed paper
TO the NinteeHth Century, in which sh,
dealt wlth ,ne question, of women's eul-
pluymrut In the most sensible manner.
She supposed the case OF "A family OF slA
daughters, three uf whom married,
while the others remained single. VIVA
are these three spinStrrs 10 do? They
have" say. Mrs. Fawcett. "no real az
sufficient occupation. They pend theiI
time making their dresses, aud euGeay
oring, bv shipping, altering aud turn
ing, always to be in the latest fashion,
and so make f2O year or so-which
they have for pocket money-go rs far
as EDS or fi0. This Is surely an un-
healthy and unnatural existencc-tor
why should the labor OF three strong,
active young women produce such an
insignificant result? Further, these
girls are apt 10 present, as time goes on.
the unlevely spectacle of middle-aged
spinsters aping the appearance and
manners of girls Of eighteen" This is
true enough: and Mrs. Fawcett goes
on 20 point out how far more proper it
would be If the three sisters had tried
to turn their talents 10 good account, as
men do, by graduating at GirtOn or
Newnham, 10 prepare themselves for
the higher branches Of teaching, or by
studying at medical college to become
physicians.
Il would not be fair TO dismiss "ugly
girls" with the Implication that they
are all useless in their generation, even
when they do nothing to earn the poor
bread they eat. Some Of the kindest,
most lovable, and womanly souls ever
known have been ugly spinsters, who
have been denied the happiness of be-
coming wives aud mOthers. The old
aunt who is n confdante OF youthful
troubles, and who helps to smooth fami-
ly jars; the maiden sister who acts So
nurse when there is sickness in the
house; the middle-aged unmarried
daughter who keeps house for an invalid
father and mother, and who soothes the
declining years of the old people by her
dutiful, unselfish attendance-sll these
are types of women who may be found
in ho small numbers among "ugly
girls" Nor is the old maid who dey ote'
herself exclusively TO her pet cat, her
parrot, and her dog, an altogether un-
lovely picture. Ask the dog what he
thinks about It. 1t would be a bad day
for him il he bartered his ugly mistress
kindness for the pleasure of being call
ed Beauty's dog, at the cost Of bearing
Beauty's caprices.