The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1888-07-06
A CONSERVATIVE RE
MINDER.
BY A. NJ. L0VETT,

While those who habitually con-
Germ themselves in the worlds
welfare are signing gloomy preGic-
tions of the new order which is
bringing women into the pursuits
monOpolIzed hitherto by men, that
order advances surely. 1t would
be wiser tor such TO view the lnev-
liable in a spirit OF optimism, and
cease opposition to a movement
which has gained too much mo-
mentum to be ever checked. There
are enough Of minor evils-if we
may call any evils minor-attend-
ant upon an advance, to demand
the energies of ardent workers.
There is an ever recurring ten.
dency, particularly with the young
and ardent, to forget that reform
implies advance, and consider that
il is contained in change of any
sort. Therefore, when the self
young woman became
a clear possibility and a fine factor
in a social economy, hundreds Of
young women, explaining that they
were bettering the condition of
things individually and generally,
rushed into the various occupations
newly opened TO them. Even with |
those who were actuated by sin
cere wish 10 relieve parents in
straitened circumstances, there
was often miscalculatIon of means
10 the end, and an investigation
will show that many others, de-
ceivlLg themselves and their fami-
lies by the same Lrelense, sought
IN reality to escape from certain re-
;lrictions imposed by home life
md TO gain a freedom of action
which is tacitly yielded where
here is the occupation of money
earning. There can be given indi-
'ldual instances, but all instances
hat can be multiplied.
An old friend, whom 1 see less
eldom as the busy years pass, has
i've children, two of whom are
,rown daughters. AS a result OF
BUSINESS mlsfOrtunes within the
asst few years, the amount of her |
husbands income is uncertain.
hey live in a pleasant city neigh {
,orhoOd, and the household pos
esses many comforts; yet the hun !
red necessary demands of grow !
lg family often necessitate con- L
iderable stretching 10 make the G
nds meet. Shortly before | went q
D see her after a long interval, l 9
earned that one of the girls had 7
cen studying shorthand. u
$50 Jennie has gone into busi- '
ess 2" | asked after the talk. v
"Yes, she knew Of so many who u
nd learned shorthand that she E.
as determined TO try it. She said u
le knew she could do well with u
(; but it was so long before she =
,uld obtain a position that | vas Ct
Orried. 1t seemed so much money a.
lay out at the time. At first she II
lly had eight dollars a week, but o.
ew she has ten. Lena was very L
lxious to learn it, too. but / could u
)t afford it at the time for both. D
ut she seemed to think she must u
, something, and we happened to e.
Ear, through some friends, of a n
,ntleman who is connected with u
visionary work and wanted a
eat deal of copying done. He b
d not need a slenographer, but W
anted some one writing a good d,
md, which Lena does, She goes a
,es TO his house every day and p'
Is seven dollars a week. "
rs she gone all daYp p pi
"No, usually she is home by the dl
iddle of the afternoon, but she b,
Is been doing some extra work fo
is week and is only just in" nj
IL am very glad; ! know it will ST
, a help to you; still / should ol
ink you would miss their help a III
eat deal in the house, Ii
~Well, it does seem sometimes as d'
il would be more help 10 me il nj
G of them was at home. But l 10
low it's more pleasant for the 81
rls themselves 10 feel independ- d'
1 about money matters. They "