Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-02-01
OUR GIRLS.

There is so much being said about
me young girls and to the young girls
fhat it is becoming something of a
question whether or not there is at this
dime room for anything further on the
1bject.
Sweet young girls, dear young girls,
bender buds just blushing into woman
hood, with what trepidation we write
ahese lines for your perusal; but we are
constrained to do it In the interests of
the future Of your lives.
Don't chew gum. A girl chewing
ynm looks and acts like COW chewing
her cud; it is all right for the COW for
that is her nature, but il is .horrid to
see pretty pair of lips and fine face
moving up and down like the gyra-
lions of teeter snipe on stone look
ing for a worm. Don't think that the
man you marry is paragon of perfec-
lion. Ifhe was, you know yourself,
tbat your own imperfections would
drive him insane. Don'tlmagine that
you can make man with any brains
happy by elegant dressing, fine cos
tnmes and brilliant jewelry. If he is
the man you ought to marry he will
look for good thought, fine culture and
the domesticity of good housekeeping
and practical application of real princi-
pals to the every day work of life
These are jewels which never tarnish.
Don't think that the man you marry
does not need the sympathy and sup
port of good practical woman in the
work of life. He does. and If you are
10 exert the right kind of influence
With him you must be prepared to help
him bear the burdens which are laid
npon him.
Do not imagine that if he was not
just what you supposed he was, that
you are therefore to spend your time
in your closet weeping over your mis-
take, or like Jepthah's daughter, go
wailing on the mountains. You are to
meet the disappointment with woman
y fortitude and lift up the man to your
own plane by helpful, hopeful, woman
~ work. Crying will make your nose
ned and your eyes look like burnt holes
in a blanket and repel the affection
which should he cultivated in order TO
better the conditions in which you find
yourself placed.
We would close this little story with
gem in English literature from the
mind and pen of the celebrated John
Ruskin:
AYou may see continually girls who
ave never beeNtsught 10 do single
useful thing thoroughly; who cannot
sew. who cannot cook, who cannot cast
m account, nor prepare a medicine,
whose life has been passed either in
play or in pride; you will find girls
like these when they are earnest heart
ed, east all their innate passion of reli-
gious spirit, which was meant by God
sosupport them though the irksome-
ness of daily toll, into grevious and
vain meditation over the meaning of the
great Book, of which no syllable was
ever yet to be understood but through
, deed; all the instructive wisdom and
mercy of their womanhood made vain,
End the glory of their pure conscience
wnrped into fruitless agony concerning
questions which the laws of common
sesviceable lifewould have either solved
Tor them in an instant or kept out of
their way. Give such girl true
work that will make her active in the
dawn, and weary at night, with the
consciousness that her fellow creatures
have indeed been better for her day,
and the powerless sorrow of her en-
thusiasm will transform itself into
majesty of radient and beneficient
peace. "-New Hampton Courier.