St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-21

queer SuUJcCIS COlHC up loi uioSuoolOh
h newspapers occasionally. Not long
ago someone, supposedly girl, wrote the
New York Recorders woman's depart
ment this note:
am a constant reader of your paper, and
ike it very much. l should be pleased with
your opinion on the following question:
DO young men think less of girls who
work, or more of those who dolnot?"
My curiosity was aroused by hearing sew
eral girls who work, like myself, say they
could never think of letting their gentlemen
friends know that they did. ENGLISH.
Anxious TO see whether men did or did
not think less of girls who worked the
Recorder offered two prizes of IS each
for the best letter from man and a
woman on the subject. Hundreds of
letters were received from men and
women. That letter of English's raised
whiriWind of Indignation among the
workers, and the men have been most
ardent in their denals of the lmplica
zion against their sex. TWo-thlrdS of
all the letters received were from men
filled with vigorous protests, to their
credit be it spoken. 1t would look to
an unprejudiced observer as if man
who would object to girl simply be-
cause in the vicissitudes of life she has
been obliged to earn her own living,
were not the sort whose opinion self
respecting woman would care about.
The letter selected for one of the
prizes was written by Frederick Howell,
of 659 East One Hundred and Thirty
sixth street, and is here given:
In reference to the query put to your
numerous readers by English | trust |
may be permitted to express my opin-
ion. am positive that it ennobles a
girl to work; it not only enhances her
own value, but as general rule she is
admired for being able to be useful, and,
therefore, to a great extent independ-
ent.
From my own experience | married a
girl who worked, supported herself and
helped her widowed mother-Iam proud
to own it and her. We have seven chill
dren. She has nursed them we'll through
various SickneSseS, proved herself thor
oughly domestic, and clever also with
the needle. She has been a boon and
blessing, and | would say to all your un-
married readers that had | my time over
again would not hesitate to do exactly
as | have done.
Again. | urge that it is more happi-
ness to the girl herself to be able to
work. If she does not always have to
we never know, she is enabled to fall
back upon it, and by so doing help to
stem over the tide for the time being.
Lastly, Ii am of opinion that ''Work''
brings Glove" and should | WIN a prize
you kindly offer | will give 1t to my
work GIRL" as | know she will make
good use of it.
The other prize Of S5 was awarded to
Eileen Moretta, who wrote:
DO men like girls less because they |
work? Certainly not. There would
be few likable girls left to like If they
did. BY that | do not mean to detract
in any way against the, in proportion.
small class of "ladies of elegant
LEISURE" who are doubtless all that is
charming, etc, to the small class OF
gentlemen who have elegant leisure"
sufficient i'll which to study them. But
if the vast, vast arm of maSculinity that
works had eyes of admiration only for
the small small class of femininity that
do not, why there wouldn't begin TO be
One-half enough girls in theyuniVerse to
''go round"
Why, it is work-good, honest toil-of
both man and woman combined that
is the handspring that "makeS the
wheels 90 round" of all the world. No
matter if 1t be the work of the hand or
work of the brain, the work-your work
whether weaving thread in factory
or thoughts into a fiction, decorating
cigarette wrappers or china plaques to
give thyself thy daily bread, it is all the
same - ennobling. 1t gives you the
right to hold up your head and eat that
bread. whether plain, buttered or spread
with pate de foie gras, with honest
pride and independence.
The toiler has no time to nurse imag-
mary woes, to bewail weakly over
dreadful nerves." to c0nfabulate ana
.coquette with Satan. 1t is the daughter
of idleness that that gentleman is after.
The heritage of the working girl is good
looks, a clear mind, sound body, and
sturdy, honest, blessed independence.
And every man realizes this, and
every one of them takes off his hat, to
mix up metaphors, deep down in his
heart when the working girl goes by.
They knoW-trust them for that-that
if she be a true working girl her heart
is honest, her mind healthy, her nerves
steady, and her soul clean and loyal.
And they admire and respect her, and
if they can persuade her to let them do
the work they are glad to love and
marry her, for they know she will not
be one fitful compound of "nerveS" and
irritability, heavily charged with ca
prlciOuSnesS and dissatisfaction, but
Just AS sincere and cheerful and stanch
and helpful III her home as she was in
her particular niche in the worlds
workshop.
Why,even old Zantippe. Pll be bound,
would have been much happier wom-
an and more amiable spouse if she
could have had typewriter and pound
ed out her husbands nice sayings every
daV on the keyboard
No, girls; let's work and not be
ashamed to call it work" Don't let us
talk of ''going to BUSINESS" and ''Shop
ladies'" and working ladies'" A
working woman! There isn't nober,
prettler title in the land, and the men
who do the work of the world-and they
are the only men worth discussing
know it and honor it, and if we are
gracious end true and womanly, there
isn't working daughter of us but can
be a varitable infanta in chivalrous
democratic hearts of mankind.