The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-11
WHAT WILL THE GIRLS DO?
Avenues of Employment fol
Women.

! Avenues of Employment for
Women.
| Literary Work-Cierking in Stores
| Factory Life-Hcusekeepin a
Lost Art Among American Wives
! Good Advice from Eva Gay.
Girls, what are you going to do?
That question out to be easily answ-
F., cred. 1t has doubtless occurred to all
, OF you several times lately. This i:
about the time of year when you have
plenty of time for reflection. Mid
winter days seem to bring with them a
period of leisure, when the mind care
fully reviews the past and forms plans
for the future. The particular class of
girls with whom / want to talk are
those who have lived in moderate cir
cumstances, always went to school, and
probably have had as little care about
how their food or raiment came as
have the lilies of the field. There is a
difference, girls, now. You begin to
feel within yourself the first faint,
tremulous thrills of coming woman
hood. Childish plays grow tircsome.
There is world of thought and action
all about you. There is place in it
for all of us and you being too weary of
the restraints of school and home, long,
ing TO take your place in the busy
throng, where all are struggling for
position, wealth, or fame. That notion
of yours is perfectly natural and an
opportunity of some sort is likely to
come soon.
But have you decided what place you
want:e Now is a good time to think
about that. There are many wise peO-
pie who still believe that woman's
true sphere is at home, and that the
woman who fits herself for good wife
or mother fulfills her highest duty.
Oh. you hadn't given that any thought
had you? But that blush aud smile tell
us plainly as words that you have some
times dreamed that a Prince Charming
would some day claim your hearts love
and you both would be happy ever
aftcrward, as the story books say.
''All that is SO far in the FUTURE YOU
say; Il want to do something now"
Very well, we'll let that rosy future
take care of itself. Let's see what can
be done now. You know something of
arithmetic, grammar, reading and Or
binary. branches usually taught at
school. When you go out into the
great world you will find hundreds who
know just as much of those branches as
you do, and there is no particular place
for them. Not but that commons school
knowledge is good thing and the
foundation upon which good educa-
ton may be built. Yet you must have
something more. Now, this is the time
to make up your mind what you will
do, and put your mind to learn the
necessary requirements for that sta
ton.
About nine girls out of ten would
like to write poetry and magazine arti-
cles, have themselves in print, see the
newspaper reviews mingling fattery
with notes on their personal appear
ance, be the center of an admiring lit
erary circle and having everybody
talking about them. All very well for
an air castle, girls. Let it 60 at that,
don't waste time over those fancies.
Let me tell you a few reasons why YOU
can't be an author. In the first place,
even the most ordinary newspaper
scribbler must be able to write a clear,
legible hand, spell correctly, punctuate
properly and have an instructive notion
of the sort of articles that will please
the public. Then the real literary
genius must have an insight of human
nature and a talent for portraying it so
that her readers will see the charac-
tiers true to life. just about one woman
in a thousand possesses even the
smallest amount of those faculties, or
that genius and perseverance rather,
that make an author None of us are
tina: one. So let's skip the heartaches
and disappointment of those who try
to be literary and come down to some
thing within the realm of the possible.
You would like to be clerk per-
haps. Such position would be pos
sibie with your present education; but
you will find hundreds about you, all
struggling for the first place. Yet
there isn't any reason why you
shouldn't succeed if you are faithful,
pleasant, and prompt.
Then there's all kinds of factory
work. If you are strong and not afraid
to work, better wages can be earned
than in the stores. But you will have
to work in dirty, badly-ventilated
shops, listen to coarse and rude lang
uage, have to obey orders in short
everything will be different from the
home and school to which you have
been accustomed. Good common sense
ard a pure heart are your only safe
guards. Begins to look rather hard,
doe5cnt it?
Lastly there are all branches of do
mest,c work. say lastly because SO
many of you think its such a terrible
thing TO do houscwork. Yet in This
,espiscd work 1. girl who is competent
to do what she attempts is practically
her own mistress, for housekeeping is
becoming lost art among American
wives and is largely left to the girls
One fact don't forget, that whether it
be shop, factory, or domestic work,
some training is necessary in order to
keep q place, and much training and
in order TO hold the place
or rise above the average level.
The more you study the question the
more does the fact come home to you
that the world is very hard, practical
sort of place. So It's. Not at all such
u charming abode as you thought
Now in deciding what branch OF work
TO pursue don't forget one essential: To
which arc you best adapted? Settle that
without delay, then the time spent in
learning that is less irksome and a
positive gain to you Then how much
time will you spend nj that? Are you
willing always to be clerk and never |
rise any higher? Many are SO content |
and stay for years at the same counter. !
IL you are satisfied to do that, all right. |
II not, lay your plans accordingly.
'.But, girls, no matter in what kind
Of work you find employment there are
some qualities which always count;
promptitude and reliability
will keep YOU II place where many a
brighter girl fails. DO you possess those
qualities? 1t takes seine of us q lifetime
to thoroughly acquire them. Might be
,. good time to practice them while wait
ing for something to turn up.
Then, during the fe,s years that you
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