The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-28

possession of her. But this the aunt would
not hear of.
Finish your education, Mary, want
you to GO TO school two years longer, then
you can learn q profession, If you want TO.
but you can't leave school and go into q
dry goods store while you live with me-"
Perhaps Mary thought this was very
hard-hearted. At all events her dissatis-
faction grew into stubbornness. Argu-
ments, entreaties and persuasions were tried
in vain. She had made up ner mind that
the time had come for her 60 Re indspend>
emit. Other girls were 50. other women
went into the world, and why was she de-
MED the privilege?
But" demonstrated her aunt, "you do
not know enough yet; wait until you have
studied longer. You can finish music aud
take music pupils. and be as independent as
you like when the time comes far independ-
ence. You can study bookkeeping IL you
like, and you can learn to be something bet
ter than girl at fancy goods counter"
The upshot Of the matter was that the
foolish creature took her own way. She
deliberately went back to her fathers home
and found q place in a store. And to-day
she is earning her living on the salary that
such ignorant, foolish girls are paid. Very
likely she regards herself In the light of a
, martyr and considers that she displayed a
womanly spirit al the cost of personal graft
ficstion. She is not happy ct home. She is
beginning to see her folly and has made an
attempt to regain her aunt's favor without
giving up her work.
But this does not alter the point of the
story in the least. She may, from her
standpoint, be successful. aud If she lives
thirty or forty years longer and works
hard, gain place as head of department.
with much better pay. With her unfn-
ishsd education and humble start, she GER
tainly cannot do as she might have done by
beginning higher up. This girl threw away
solid advantages, and q chance with more
study. of making herself good position,
for the sake Of foolish notion that it was
fine to start out on her own responsibility.
Such Stiffness should not be dignifed by the
name Of independence or nobility Of mind.
This spirit is not new. It used to break
out in q different form. 1t showed itself
just as forcibiy in the silly girl who insisted
on marrying the young man with capital
Of q good sized moustache and $40 week.
In those days such a girl was called head
strong, and frequently arose up in after
life to thank the people who had prevented
her from making a fool of herself. To-day
the spirit is the same, although exhibited in
the fashion Of the age.
1t is certainly right for every woman to
make her own name and place ia the world.
No woman who works herself can depre-
cate the feeling which prompts her to wish
1t. And il girl at the age OF II or IA is
compelled to earn her own living, it is hon
orable and right for her TO take the best
work she can get. and do it as well as she is
apie. But If no such necessity exists, she
does not show sense, but folly, when she
dashes into woman's place when she Is IN
fitted for its duties and its trials. The boy
who runs away to sea, or to work on land,
before he has finished his apprenticeship of
boyhood, the girl who rushes into matri-
mony-the ancient woman's only honorable
profession-before she is prepared for the
conflict, should expect to meet disapproval
of their infatuatious Should not the girls
of to-day show more patience and wisdom!
ELEANOR KIRK,