Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-22
CONFINEMENT.
A Lesson That should BE Taught Every
Daughter i'm the Broad Land.

Daughter In the Broad Land.
If had a dozen daughters-which ]
haven't-there is one lesson l should try to
teach them above all Others, the lesson of
simple content. | do not mean that
should wish them to be drones; to be pale
and listless, with no hopes, no ambitions:
TO sit down meekly and say. We'll, it is
fate and there is no use trying TO change
it; might as well be satisfied" like people
who work ont their plans steadily and
faithfully, and who never give up. But oh,
this mad fever Of unrest that has crept into
our veins
He must be rich enough 10 dine with
princes, or he must have a fame that will
entitle him 10 a place, even though ii be
the lowest, at an earls cable Look at our
young girls. What dreams they have Of
everything under the sun save busy, sim
pie and useful life. One longs 10 be SO
ciety queen, another an actres>-tO elevate
the stage-anotLar an elocutionist, another
a public singer Eow few select by prefer
ence some work Kat will not demand that
the ''maddiug crowd cast flowers and
laudations at their feet.
How few select work that means living
a simple, clean, innocent life, doing what
soever comes 10 their hands and keeping a
song in their hearts for the dear ones who
make up their little world. Take the aver
age maiden, too. of this same great middle
class, and discover her ideal of husband.
Is it the strong bodied, broad chested no
bleman in working clothes, whose strength
could crush her, but whose heart is tender
as a child's-who would love her, protect
her, work for her till he fell dead:
Or Is it the dainty young man, who has
white hands and great display of collar
and cuff; who wears snowy finery and some
daring diamonds, and rolls pretty cigar
cites, with a peculiar tint at the ends of
his fingers-all on fifty dollars a month ?
l once heard a young woman who was
engaged 10 such youth say, with toss
of her proud, foolish head: Il shall have a
servant George doesn't believe in women
doing household drudGery, and neither do
l. He says we will dress we'll and be gen
teel, even if we die in a poorhouse when we
are old"
Poor child. That set me TO wondering
what they would have for dinner, If serv-
ants and cheap finery were their idea OF
"gentilty," on the enormous salary of
, 500 year.
On the other hand, l once had dear
friend who mad been accustomed from in
| fancy to every comfort aud luxury heart
could desire. She married a young
preacher whose salary was fifty dollars
a month. They furnished three small
, rooms in the plainest manner possible, set
i blooming flowers in the windows, and
! singing birds outside, let in the air and
/ sunlight, and in every corner they Sc; up
| an invisible altar TO love. When I I 80
! picture content l think of that home.
| There were two people with refined
tastes who longed for books. pictures, mu-
| sic, concerts, lectures, luxuries, all the
| pleasant things that mean money, and
| they gave up everything and everybody
else that they might he together, might
make happy sacrifices. one for the other
| 1t requires more strength, more faith
more nobility to live such a life-and live
it beautifully and cheerfully-than it does
TO become a great actress or great singer
or society queen. But such life, dear
is what l mean by conteut.-Ella Higgin
son in West Shore.