Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-09
THEY CANNOT RISE.
Many an Ambitious Girl is Kept Down
by Lack of Opportunity.
THERE is A WILL But no WAY.
A Toilsr Takes Mrs. Leslie, Bessie Brambls
and Others to Task.
THE INFLUENCE OF A HAPPY HAND
rxrrrrrN ZOE THE p1spArcH.I

Was It the inspiration Of moment that,
some five or six years ago, caused an un-
known "Orphan Girl'' to venture into the
untried field of journalism, or was it the
keen-sightsdness of the managing editor Of
a leading newspaper Of the day in discover
ing her capabilities in that direction, that
gave to America the courageous, indepen-
dent, self-reliant Nellie BLY, whom the press
OF the entire country 90 enthusiastically
eulogizes for having completed the circuit
of the earth in less time than was ever before
accomplished by man or womsn2 Five
years ago, when "Orphan Girl" was given
an opportunity to test her capabilities for
| journalistic work, the fetters that held cap
tive a restless, resolute spirit were sundered,
and from that liberty to do and dare has
been evolved the Nellie Bly, of whom Amer
lea is talking to-day
1t is not the intention to make q Fourth
of July speech over this subject, but in re-
versing the method and going from effect
to cause we have been, if possible, more
fully convinced that actions are more potent
for good than words. Instead Of volume
Of advice to "perseVere and in time you may
accomplish something" the action of her
first journalistic friend proved the open
sesame to success, and the latent powers Of
the "Orphan GirP' were aroused into such
| activity as is already known to the public,
That there are Nellie Blys innumersble-
perhaps not in her particular sphere-Dut
girls Of great force of character, fine sensi-
bilities, willing and anxious to engage In
work adapted to their tastes and capabii-
ties who but aRait the aid of some one in
position to ''lend hand" cannot be de-
denied; and wonder il Frank Leslie, Ella
| Wheeler Wilcox, Bessie Bramble and their
kind have exhausted the subject of 'womsn's
work." If from their gifted pens would
fall some practical suggestions as to the best
methods of possible escape for class Of less
fortunate women, who from force of circum-
stances are not permitted to range
through fields of their own choosing,
what an army of fettered sisters
would arise and call them blessedl
1T Is EASY TO TALK.
Rare indeed, exceptional we may say, are
the cases nowadays in which women Of the
class referred to succeed in obtaining en-
ployment suited to their taste and ability
without the assistance of someone already
sat the top Of the ladder" possessing inAu-
ence and heart enough to lend a helping
| 4EAbcs ySb AOH bluC Vic saving AuC
standpoint changes the view" It is an
easy matter for those who have reached the
"highest round, looking down upon a mass
OF struggling workers, to say: "Do thus and
80. fIf you fail in literature and art for
lack of means to perfect your chosen work,
} 90 into the kitchen, where the culinary art,
} the literature of the latest approved cook
books, will afford wonderful scope for the
} exercise Of your powers"
t Yes, the standpoint does change the view.
} We have due Difference for the plueky little
: woman who redeemed her husbands
financial affairs, bringing success and pros
perity to q business threatened with disaster;
we would not pluck a single laurel she has
won. Hers was q courage, energy and
fidelity to principle deserving high praise,
but when that same little lady from her high
social and financial position views a class Of
struggling women possessing ability 10 ELL
avocations eongenial to q naturally refined
taste-when, we repeat, Mrs. Leslie not only
advises but urges such to become mistress
of kitchen ''-even though that kitchen be
the property of another-then she becomes
ridiculous and our admiration diminishss
correspondtngiy.
AN INSTANCE OF PATIENT WAITING.
No, no, dear reader, Mrs Frank Leslie
would no more enjoy reign in Dinah's do
main than would her less for
tunate sisters, who, owing to cir
cumstauees which they are DOW
erless to change, may not engage in work Of
their own choosing. We have in mind one
who, possessing a refined and sensitive ma
ture, has an intense longing for an svocation
: in lie more congenial to her taste and ao-
quirements than the monotonous round Of
household drudgerY which heretofore has
. | baau bar Iot With uutirinU zaal and euarUv
: this little woman has struggled through life
not an idle dreamer, langulshing and re-
pining over the "might have been, but
doing bravely and well the drudgery which
falls to the lot of the commonest menisl, yet
not enjoying tiff 1 except the enjoyment
derived from sense OF duty performed--a
whfL more than would Leslie or Ella
Wheeler Wilcox enjoy coming from their
! literary world, their poetry, painting and
art And this is but q single instance ont
of hundreds perhaps, whe, reading the stale
advice of these literary goddesses. smile
as they read, and naturally wonder
why these queens Of society and
of the sanctnm do not by personal expert
epce illustrate what may be the possibilities
hidden within the realms of the Kitchen
Queen" Do not understand that we deprs-
ciate the value of thorough domestic train
ing, nor yet that we deem the work of the
kitchen ignoble, but as all were not by na-
ture endowed with the gift of poesy,thA
taste for literature and art, neither upon sfl
were bestowed qualifications to insure ideal
Bridgets Sidney Smith says: BE what ma
ture intended you and you will succeed, but
be anything else and you will be ten thou
sand times worse than nothing"
THEY ARE NOT ALL BRIDGErs.
IF Bridget-good soul-fnds her highest
endowment in the domestic world, let her
revel therein. She could not, according to
the nature Of things, be content in any other
sphere.
On the other hand, take subject who in
every particular is capable OF filling posi-
ton conducive to the growth Of intellect
culture and all the higher attributes of our
nature, yet utterly unable to get beyond her
inharmonious surroundings place her
with Bridget and instead of the down.
right enjoyment the natural-born do
nestle finds in her work, the
more delicate organism Of our second SUBJ
ject from the very inmost recesses Of her
nature rebels against the fate which sub
jects her to the daily routine of drudgery TO
which she Is in no way adapted. Some one
may declare: ''Where there's q will there's
9 way; true merit never fails to be
recognized, etc., etc." But, my dear
opponent, your keenness OF observation u
sadly deficient if you claim that out OF ~
worthy, energetic, capable women VINO ap-
ply for positions above the place Of COM
mon servant, more than one succeeds IN oo-
tanning desirable situation unless aided oy
those already in power. If any one ieels
disposed to dispute this assertion, II Is open