The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-06
OF EARNING A LIVING.
HARD PROBLEM THAT Girls ARE
OFTEy CONFRONTED WIN.
Sonora Sara Cites Some Instances-Advsn
tages of Some Forms OF Domestic Ser
vice-A Girls Plucky Victory.

were gathered at our house, ana
In common with everybody else. they
got to discussing one of the burn
ing questions" of the day--questions
as hard of solution as the prob
lens rropounded by Job and Jere-
miah. 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 and they
had merry time of IT, indeed None OF
them were what might be called rich
but they knew very little about the actual
work of life. 1t is the misfortune Of
city reared girls that servants are al
ways at their beck and call. and some
Of them have to learn in sOrrowful after
years those things which. IL taught them
oy careful mothers, would save them
many heartaches. Ellen, the young lady
who was the recipient of so much good
advice, was rather more fortunate than
the others. for she was fond of house
wifely duties. and Of little children. So
she was told that she could 20 as cook
cnambermaid. nurse girl. lady's maid
but the preponderance Of suggestion was
In favor Of the cooks place, because, a
one OF the girls said. she could get up
the daintiest of dinners and lunches, and
serve them so charmingly.
never have thought that any general
principle could be laid down as sou-
lion Of the social economic question, for
the solutions must be almost as numerous
as the individuals who have to work them
out along with their own salvation. The
ways for women 10 earn a living are as
numerous and varied as the helpless fe-
males who are daily thrown on their own
resources, These resources are appalling
ly Insignificant sometimes, and II isn't
much wonder that so many girls and wO-
men get pessimstic and think that life
IS not worth the living, and that
It were better 10 shuttle OFF this
me rial coil than 10 suffer the whips and
scorns' Of jostling to-get-there-or-
gO-under-world any longer. That feeling
becomes almost insanity sometimes, and
causes many a girl 10 enter forbidden
paths, because the straight and narrow
one is spread with thorns to the very
edges.
1t was a pltiful little note that came
10 me yesterday morning. that set me
10 thinking of this subject again, sub
Jet fraught with vital Importance 10
both men and women just now. The note
was tear-stained and blOtted. and was
signed ELLEN My poor little friend mad
been brought face to face with her ne
cessity sooner than she or any Of us eN-
pected. / Will not give all the note. Tor
there are some sOrrOwful reflections in II,
on those who should have been kind to
the child i'm her hour Of trouble and were
What an awful blank life will be
without my father and mother! the
note began. And O. what am 10 do?
Please advise me. for l am well nigh
hopeless | don't know anything
well except homework. II looks as though
there is nothing left me 10 do but 10 90
into somebody's kitchen, and that seems
SO degrading. or is ID lust my false ideas
OF what is proper | never thought OF
il that way In our own kitchen. and you
know you all used 10 say that II was my
vocation to be "a cook. Shall | do that
Maybe. now that | am thrown on my
own resources. | rise above II IN time.
DO tell me what is best to do"
What text that letter is to preach a
sermon to mothers uDOni 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 educated Ellen, an
only child. In the haphazard way common
in this age. with n smattering Of lam
guages. a iangle Of music and i'm the
art OF spelling nice white china and
canvas with oils" Death took both Of
them In one week. and then chaos reign
ed in the lovely little home"
a rent-d home, with unsul stantial fur
niture, Of which ii was looted i'm day
10 satisfy the demands Of creditors. Then
the daughter was set Out .n the world
utterly defenceless. except for her natural
gift Of housekeeping" which was a
mOckery with no house TO keep IL was
pitiful, Yet the same thing happens al
most every day TO some one. | knew
Ellen was not fitted for public life, for
she Is Ear too pretty. and much too con-
fiding ] was as nearly at my wits end
IS she. but ! wrote a note 10 friend,
and got a favorable answer; then ! wrote
to Ellen and told her how 10 reach the
lady, whose address / inclosed. and en-
cOuFaged her to take whatever was Of
but / did not believe for a minute that
Ellen would take place as cook. There
is a wide difference between theory and
practice. Advice is n good deal like cas-
tor Oil-eaSy 10 give. but hard to take.
was delighted when Ellen came at
night. with shining eyes. % tell me that
she had secured a place.
after getting your letter" she said frank
ly. but | had to do something at
once | was nearly desperate; but | was
determined not TO accept charity as long
as | could work, so / started 10 see the
lady, and before I got there was quite
rec0nciled. After all, work Is work, no
matter whether one wrestles with IL over
the cook stove or the counter | have
a much iTettier room than half the de-
partment clerks. all 70 myself, and the
incest and most nutritious food, which
know is clean, for | cook II myself
My kitchen has all the modern improve
ments. and | have only 10 go to the
telephone 20 have sent me all the delica-
cies Of the season. There are only three
people 10 cook for besides myse T. and
| do no laundry work and no mending
I am 10 get all this and $40 a month be-
sides. II We're a clerk in store |
might get. possibly, so month, but |
would have 10 be very valuable l. get
that. In the government employ | migat
earn so a month in an unhealthy office:
and, I'm either case. AZ least $50 would
20 for room and board. and the rest
for clothes. At the end OF the month |
would not have a dollar left. and wou be
IN mortal terror Cf that yellow envelope
all the time. am pretty sure that my
pun paste and pies VIII be a better
cal Influence. and / know that the moral
Is purer, too" she concluded
with a laugh that did my heart good
to hear. | saw that her sunny nature
was recovering. its natural tone under
the stimulus Of independence.
Now. there are some girls who will
turn from Ellen. believing that she has
lowered k,rself In fact. / know OF
TWO. who heard the perfectly awful"
state OF affairs this afternoon, who have
decided not 10 know" her But bless
you. it will not hurt her in the least.
one Of these girls lives on an income
derived from shady gambling den. and
her father does not appear at any OF
her "at homes" because she is ashamed
Of him. The other girl lives In a splendid
home, and the life is harassed
out of her poor father TO support the
style she and her mother deem neces-
fore she is placed in like position. Then
what will she do? She can't even cook.
A friend with whom l spoke OF the
courage that Ellen had displayed said
that she would not stay there long. for
she was too bright She will work up
INTO something better" she said. Why ]
not work UP wnere she Is? Fabulous sums /
are paid for cooks. To be sure, they are /
called chefs" after they get over I
hundred dollars a month, but they are !
cooks all the same.
The stomach is the seat OF the soul. and |
yhat better work can one have than feed |
ny the immortal part of man? Mind Is |
MI right, but you can starye IL and the