Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-05-27
EARNING A LIVING.
TIE HARD PROBLEM THAT GIRLS ARE OFTEN
CONFRONTED WITH.
Sonora Sara Cites Some Observation-Disclosures
Of Some Forms Of Domestic SsrVics-A Girls
Plucky Victory.

with everybody else they got to discuss
ing one Of the burning questions" OF
the day-questions as hard OF solution
as the problems propounded oy JOB and
Jeremiah. One of the daintiest OF the
whole dainty party musingly made the
foregoing remark. The girls all set about
telling her what she might do If thrown
upon the cold charity OF the world, ana
they had q merry time OF IL lndeea.
None of them were what might De
called rich, but they knew very little
about the actual work OF life. 1t Is the
misfortune of city reared girls that ser
wants are always at their beck and call,
and some Of them have TO learn In sor'
rowful after years those things winch
If taught them by careful mothers,
would save them many heartaches. HI
len, the young lady who was the reclpl-
ent OF so much good advice, was rather
more fortunate than the others, Tor she
was fond of house-wifely duties, ana OF
little children. So she was told that she
could go as cook, cham bermald, nurse
girl, lady's maid, but the preponderance
of suggestion was in favor OF the COOKS
place, because, as one OF the girls SAID,
she could get up the daintest OF din
ners and lunches, and serve them SO
charmingly.
never have thought that any gen.
eral principle could be laid down as
solution of the social economic ques-
tion, for the solutions must be almost as
i.,6i uiA no No hqUa
to work them out along with their own
salvation. The ways for women TO
earn q living are as numerous and
varied as the helpless females who are
daily thrown on their own resources.
These resources are appalllngly inslg-
nifcant sometimes, and 1t isn't much
wonder that so many girls and women
get pessimistic and think that life Is
not worth the living, and that it were
better to shuttle of this mortal coil than
suffer the "wnips and scorns" or 1ost-
ling OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES world
any longer. That feeling becomes al
most insanity sometimes, and causes
MANY q girl to enter forbidden paths,
because the straight and narrow one Is
spread with thorns TO the very edges.
FACING THE HARD REALITY.
twas pitiful little note that came
to me yesterday morning, that set me
to thinking of this subject again, sub
iect fraught with vital Importance to
both men and women just how. The
note was tear-stained and bIotted, and
was signed ELLEN" My poor little
friend had been brought face to face
with her necessity sooner than she or
any of us expected. will not give all
the note, for there are some sorrowful
reflections In IT., on those who should
have been kind to the child in her hour
Of trouble and were not
"What an awful blank this life will
be without my father and mother? the
note began. "And o, what am to do?
Please advise me, for l am well nigh
helpless. don't know any
thing we'll except homework. 1t looks
as though there is nothing left me to do
out to go into somebody's kitchen, and
that seems so degrading, or is 1t just my
false ideas OF what is proper? l never
thought of 1t that way in our own
kitchen, and you know you all used to
saw that it was my vocation to be a
cook. Shall 1 do that? Maybe, now
that am thrown on my own resources,
can rise above it in time. DO tell me
what is best TO do"
What q text that letter Is to preach a
sermon to mothers upon! Here is the
average American girl, the daughter OF
the average American father and
mother, who lived, as the average
family does, only for the enjoyment OF
the present, and lived we'll. They edu-
Gated Ellen, an only child, In the hap
hazard way common in this age, with
smattering OF languages, a jangle OF
music, and in the art" OF spelling nice
white china and canvas with Tolls"
Death took both of them In one week,
and then chaos reigned in the "lovely
little home"
PLACE AS COOK.
A rented home, with unsubstantial
furniture, of which it was looted In a
day to satisfy the demands OF creditors.
Then the daughter was set out In the
world utterly defenseless, except for her
natural gift of housekeeping" which
was a mockery with no house to keep.
twas pitiful. Yet the same thing
happens almost every day to some one.
l knew Ellen was not fitted for public
life, for she is far too pretty and much
too confiding. / was as nearly at my
wits end as she, but wrote q note to a
friend and got a favorable answer; then
I wrote a note to Ellen and told her
how to reach the lady, whose address l
incIosed. and encouraged her to take
whatever was offered her. knew what
that would be, but did not believe for
a minute that Ellen would take place
"a cook. There is wide difference be-
tween theory and practice. Advice is
good deal like castor oil-easy to give,
but hard TO take. l was delighted
when Ellen came at night with shining
ewes to tell me that she had secured a
place!
II simply hated you for moment,
after getting your letter." she said
frankly, "but had to do something at
once. / was nearly desperate; but / was
determined not to accept charity as long
as could work, so started to see the
lady, and before / got there was quite
recouciled. After all, work is work, no
matter whether one wrestles with IL
over the cook stove or the counter.
have q much prettier room than half
the department clerks, all to myself,
and the incest and most nutritious food,
which know is clean, for l cook IL my
self. My kitchen has all the modern
improvements, and have only to go to
the telephone to have sent to me all
the delicacies of the season. There
are only three people to cook for, be-
sides myself, and do no laundry
work and no mending. am TO get all
this and $50 month besides. If were
a clerk in a store. might get. possibly,
L..s 4 col he