Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-15
SOMETHING TO DO.

A bright-loolSing girl came to my
door the other day, and | stepped for
ward to we come her, saying, as ! saw
she was a stranger: "What can / dc
for you. my child?n She answered, the
color deepening in her check: 81 want
something to do. ! thought that you
might help me to a position. or at
least give me some advice. Mother
thought | would better come and see
you. You must have influence Of some
kind.
1t is perfectly surprising how this
idea that some one has 'influence, " and
that some other one is waiting 10 be
influenced prevails among and is ac-
cepted by the unthinking. Ignoring
my visitors last observation, and seat
ing her, ! proceeded, as any motherly
woman in my place would have done,
in the circumstances. TO investigate the
applicants claims aud fitness for work
OF any description.
What have you learned?' | in.
quired.
Nothing in particular. am just ont
OF the school-room.
''Ah! Then you have been graduated,
] suppose and have discovered which
line of study suits YOU besto You have
been industrious to finish the course so
soon. ~
She hesitaled, her eyelids dropped,
then gathering courage, She frankly
avowed:
Il did not stay to graduate. hate
school and study. | want to work and
earn some money.
But by no cross-examination could |
find that this aspirant to enter the
ranks Of the worlds bread-winners had
taken the slightest trouble TO prepare
herself for any trade. avocation OF pro-
fession. She seemed confidently TO expect
that work of some kind, like golden fruit
on low-hanging bough, was waiting to
drop into her hand at a touch; that she
had only TO make her wishes known.
and some light, agreeable, lady-like
occupation was sure to present itself
| could see how she would insist on
something appropriately described by
the final adjective Of those three.
Nothing demeaning to her ideal Of
gentility could 50 much as allure her
for a moment. Her honest thought was
that she might be an amanuensis, a
copyist, a cashier, a teacher Of little
without ever having under
gone an apprenticeship in any Of these
Of business; and her mo-
tive, broadly stated, was not the desire
to swell by her work the great sum OF
the worlds work, but to earn little
money for spending on herself, and.
possibly, for assisting the people at
home.
Now, lest any girl should misunder-
stand me, let me say here that the wish
to earn money is a perfectly laudable
and legitimate one, and that money
earning is entirely right and noble, as
proper a thing for the girls Of the
as for the boys. But no really
good work. in any line. is ever done
only for the money or with that as the
sole motive of effort and only end in
view. We should love the work OF our
hands for its own sake, because God has
given it US to do. and because through
/, in some way or other. we are able
% benefit our fellow beings.
a charge to keen have
a God TO giouiy,
'ays the familiar hymn, going on, in
practical common-sense spirit, with
TO serve the present age,
Ny calling to mi.
oh may it all my powers engage,
TODD the NJ ster's Will
To my girl friends of The Interiors
yreat family, / recommend. whether
hey have a present desire to earn
money or not, whether there is a pres
mt need or not for their doing 80. the
retting ready for the emergency, by
earning some art or trade thoroughly.
lust put the emphasis on thorough ~
'lease. The blunder, the fatal defect
n the training Of many women. is TINT
hey never learn or acquire any thing
thoroughly. Half knowing in world
# competition is almost as bad as not
at all.
Find out for what work you have a
and then learn to do that
york perfectly. Put your whole heart
n it. without reserve, and do not forget
hat work means work. not dawdling
Ior play. And do not receive the
tupid impression that per Sc, one kind
4 work is more dignified than another.
Katie, who is making bread in her
kitchen, or doing homework
n the home of kind employer, if she
o the work well, is as honorably en-
aged as Mary is. who sits in a studio
transferring colors to canvas, and see
ng pictures grow beneath her brush. |
III good WORK, by which mean honest
FORK, well done. is praiseworthy. It's
ketchy. unfinished. seamy or half.
earted work which is a disgrace.