The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-11-16
lRG VI. THURSDAY. NovEMBER I6 1899.
Country Girls Should Stay at Hcmo

Country Girls Should stay at "eHe'
The question OF bringing lot OF
girls from the country 10 Richmond
TO be employed Al the absurd salary
Of three dollars pog wetk Is one when
is entitled 10 more than passing
consideration.
L. the first place, this Is no isolated
case of some poor gitl who, berett OF
support, is obliged to seek employ
meut somewhere to sustain herself,
aud must make g beginning at what
ever she can get and take her chances
with the world
But the ides of attempting to IN
duce as many girls as will come, 10
leave whatever home and protection
,hey have, aud seek a livelihood here
st S3 per week seems to us as little
short of crime. There are doubtless
many girls IN this State whose homes
are far from being attractive and
whose lives are not filled vita sun
shine. They are predIsposed TO break
away from the lies of home and the
restraining iIA1cnces of sedate com
muuities, aud need but ht;le eucour-
sgemont from any source TO hy from
their routine lives to the lIvcher
scenes Of the city. Al best there l.
jeopardy in turnlug immature and
inexperienced girls into city lte'
without the guidance or solleltude OF
single relation or trustworthy
friend and then to provide them with
but s. week up)u which to live,
dress, and meet the other natural aud
unavoidable expenses OF life, Is risk
that few people ought to be wiling
TO take.
Tue country girl must be kept as
she is. Fresh as the h)wers that
greet her at the dawn with her If
running as the clear,spsrkling stream
beside which she sports with mind
AS unclouded rs the cerulesn skies
that look down upon her, aud with
thoughts as cslm as the hush OF the
evening, she is at peace with her
spirit and with the world.
Transplant her TO the city hall
70 ms, aud let the intelligence Of suy
man draw the picture Of her new
existence. There are false lights thst
allure, and there are siren songs that
are not the yocsl choruses Of the
woodland birds whose notes she
knows so we'll The rustic simI LEFTY
turns to shabbiness 10 the city, and
S3 per week does not furnish q single
substitute for the unrestralned free
dom of her country life.
We do not intend to argue that
there are no girls whose strength Of
character is sufii cient to combat any
position on eartn that challenges her
modest worth, but we do insist that
human nature at best is but human
nature still, aud there should be an
Effort TO throw around every girl all
possible protection rather than cifer
her A condition that compfls the
exercise Of the very strongest and
most rigid proprety.
WHAT is this for9 Is somebody
seeking to benefit the poor glIls OF
Virginia Why not call for the men
and youths of the country 1t work
must be done. Why not employ men
who have families to provide for aud
pay them living wages for the labor
of their hands.
We have no faith in, no sympathy
with, this call for girls from the
country to work here for 50 per week.
Better let the work remain uudone a
thousand times than bring into dam
gerous fields one single girl whose
later life might De living reprosch
to such a scheme. 1t is a dangerous
experiment.-RlchmOnd Times.