The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-11-04
AN OBJECT IN LIFE.
A Little Talk with Girls Oh This Inn
pOrtant Subject.

A Little Talk with Girls OH This Inn
portant Subject.
Every American lad keeps before
him, during his school and college life
the trade or profession which he ex-
poets to practice in his manhood.
While yet very young, the boy talks
about what he is going to be, and the
boys father begins to plan and save
and order his own business, that he
may give his boy good start, when
the junior is still in knee pants, orplay-
ing ball on the sidewalk with the
neighbors' boys. The result is, that
mapliness is developed in the growing
boy at very early period in his
career, and he feels the pulsations
of the future before the first faint
shadow of a mustache dawns on
the sturdy upper lip, which is to
brace itself by and by to meet the ups
and downs of fortune The boy shares
his fathers anXieties and enters into
his fathers ambitions; and the boys
companions preceptors, and erybody
else who has to do with him, assume
that he is in the busy world with pur-
pose; that he must be energetic,
thorough and equipped at all points
for the struggle of life.
This is the fashion of thinking and
talking, when boys are in question.
How is it with you, dear girls? am
afraid that you are less impressed with
the idea that you too are to take your
place, and bear your share, and lend a
hand in the work that is going on. !
don't feel very much inclined to blame
you, if this is the case, for everybody
in your home and in your neighbor-
hood, until very lately, has behaved as
if you had nothing higher to hope in
life than to be an ornament; as if you
were to be petted and INDUCED, and
made Of as little practical use as pos
sible.
If l were girl to-day, I would set
before myself an object in life and l
would give my father and mother NO
rest, until they should consent to let
me fit myself seriously and thoroughly
for this end Simply that you may
make the most of yourself, and gain a
noble womanly character, it is impor-
tant that you should have the independ.
ence that comes of being able to dc
something which the world wants, and
will pay for. Now, every girl, and
every girls mother, too, knows that the
weak point in our sex is in our quick
ness. We have an almost fatal facility
in catching the general idea of thing
and, because of this, we are tempted tc
( be superficial. John plods away labor
iously, while Jenny snatchcs a thing al
glance. 1t is the old fable of the hare
and the tortoise over again, and in the
life-j journey, the long stretch between
youth and middle age, the tortoise i:
| the winner.
There are so many paying occupa
tions open to the girl of this period thai
it is worth her while to select one, ant
study it from the alphabet to that stage
in which she may practice it with east
and skill, going onward thence to the
ever.receding ideal of perfection. Fol
instance, can count on the fingers o
one hand the names of those womer
who are able to command the highes
prices as illustrators of books; and thi!
in the face of the fact that the publish
ers are on the alert to discover and pay
the best artists, and that the public
clamors for pictures in it's papers ant
books Yet there are literally thou
sands of girls studying art in on'
branch or another. 1t is very discour
aging to present clever girl friend t.
the man who manages the art bust
ness of a great firm, asking hin
whether there is any chance fo
her work in his department, ant
then, after the pause OF grave
kind, critical scrutiny is over, to SCI
him shake his head, with the remark
1.-THE drawing shows promise, but thu
young lady needs to study a long whil'
yet" 1t is the exceptional girl who il
not hurt at this rebuff. and who willing
ly settles down to the long, severe stud,
which is the condition Of success. Blu
that girl, by and by, will succeed, ant
be in the enviable position of the per
son who has more to do than he cal
comfortably undertake.
Since the typewriter was introduced
many girls have learned its mysteries
and have found themselves in great de
mand. But business men pay thes
young women, as yet, no higher com
pliment than to say of one: "She work
like a man. She does clean work. Sh
asks no favors." Every girl ought Il
do such thorough work that peopl
should reverse this order Of speech an,
say: "She works like woman"
Even the little girl, still in the com
mon school may prepare herself for he
future vocation, by being diligent
prompt and self-reliant in her regula
school work. The daily tasks of spell
ing, of grammar, of writing, Of com
position will all help you forward,
you never slight them, if you do you
best every time, so that you may be DE-
pended upon. All things considered.
anticipate that the girl will be bette
housekeeper and homemaker when sh
grows up, If she be at the top and nc
at the bottom Of her classes in schoo