The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-25
A Sensible Girl.


New York Sun.
This is a letter from a very sensible
young woman OF North Carolina, and
we give it prominence the more gladly
because it comes from the South,
where labor, according to a frequent
accusation, is held in less esteem than
here at the North:
~ am an unmarried young woman, have
finished the course in one OF our Southern
female colleges, have good health and
character, but, u%nhappily, have been
thrown upon my own resources Tor a liveli-
hood, and, not havin, been fitted for any
special calling ] am a. a loss what to do,
family. Teaching school seems to be the
only thing the average Southern woman
ever thinks OF doing for a living. ] would
prefer the place OF a servant-that OF
nursery or lady's maid-in a refined iami-
ly, to the position OF teacher in our public
schools, but our wealthy families will not
employ white servants. spent one year
though nave earned something by the
knowledge OF drawing acquired there, lean
not make that support me. am quite
willing to do anything for a living that a
Nlrtuous christian woman would do, and
can give the best OF references"
The handwriting OF this letter is that
OF an educated and cultivated woman,
and yet the writer does not feel that
she would suffer any degradation in
going into domestic service, which she
wisely perfers to the occupation
sought after by most girls other train
ing, associations and antecedents.
The ordinary American young M
who hos hon liy;,,, +p ,,,ot-n a,-,,, ,.hn,
she has none of the advantages of
training which have been enjoyed by
Il correspondent, rejects with scorn
any proposition that she shall go out
to service in a family.
81 a servant?" she exclaims. "Iwill
starve first"
The very term is odious to her, and
vet, all the same, il she is to earn her
living, she must be a servant OF some
sort-in a shop, a factory, a school, a
telegraph Office, or elsewhere. She
will not be an independent being, for
nobody can be who has to work for a
living. She must be under orders,
must obey discipline, must submit to
much she does not like, and daily and
hourly subordinate her will and her
wishes to those OF Others. Whatever
she may be called, or whatever she
may call herself, she is q servant.
A domestic servant, too, is no more
under subsection than any other kind
OF servant, and, as a rule, the author
domestic service than outside of it.
The shop girl and thefactory girl must
ordinarily yield unquestioning ODE
dience to laws which take no account
OF sentiment; but the household SER
want, one OF few in family, can gem
orally obtain treatment which regards
her feelings and her condition, and
which often is careful to the point OF
affection. She has q home, suffers
from no lack Of food is paid wages
which are higher than those obtained
by women in almost every other en-
ployment and is sure OF q place if she
is Of good disposition, trustworthy
and competent. She is not obliged to
be out in all weathers to fight her way
against male competition, but is I'M
der shelter and is working at a bust
ness OF which hersex have in large part
the monopoly.
Therefore we applaud the resolution
OF our North Carolina correspondent
to seek domestic service in preference
to any other. If she is strong and
healthy, has been properly trained in
household duties. and is ready to oc-
cupy her thoughts with her work
rather than herself and the inevitable
drawbacks OF the lot OF every
body who has to work unuer
the orders OF others, she viii be
SURE OF steady employment and
wages which will enable her to put by
money against Il rainy day. Such a
girl as she ought to make an admira-
BILE nurse for children, an occupation
OF which women have the complete
monopoly. The more intelligent and
refined the nurse the better for the
child and the mother. The demand
for women like her to perform that
especial and peculiarly feminine duty
is always great, for the injury done to
morals and II Of children by
coarse and rude nurses is incalcuable.
OF all servants, the one to be chosen
with the greatest caution is the nurse
OF children, and it is a noble occupa-
ton, in which the proudest of women
may take satisfaction, and the most
intelligent and cultivated of women
can find an opportunity for the full
exercise OF their best qualities.
We do not doubt that if the North
Carolina girl, evidently so we'll train
ed, can show her fitness to be a nurse,
she will not be long in obtaining en-
ployment in the North at good wages.
1t will only be necessary for her to ad-
vertise for the place and show her