Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-07-12

peculiar sense OF interest in the fu-
ture, if at about six o'clock that even
ing, as he went out of his office and
with strange reluctance started for
his home, he could have seen In a
house not two blocks from his own
young woman eagerly reading the
advertisement and talking to an old
er woman in strangely subdued, but
at the same time positive, manner
concerning it.
Barbara, what you say is impos-
sible! 1t is so strange that no one
but yourself would ever have
thought of it. You must give up any
such plan"
The young woman listened thought
fully, holding n newspaper in her
hand; and, as she looked up from it,
the older woman had finished.
"At the same time, mother, will you
tell me something better to do?"
There are thousand things. Any
thing except this"
"But what, mother? I have tried
for everything. Our friends" cher lip
curled little as she said the word)
have all tried. No one seems to
need me unless 1t is this family. Here
seems to be real need. 1t will be
unselfish. mother, don't you think, to
do something to fill real demand,
instead of always begging for .
chance to make living somewhere"
| She took up the paper and read the
| advertisement slowly.
"wanted-A competent girl to do general
| housework. good cook able to take
charge of the housekeeping for family
of five. American girl preferred. Good
wages. Apply at once to Richard Ward,
| No. 36 Hamilton street"
II call it a good opening, mother.
And it's only two blocks from here.
And seem to fill all the require
ments. I am competent am a
good cook am an American girl
And am able to apply at once be-
cause have nothing else to do. So
I do not see why l should not walk
right over and secure the place before
some one else gets it,"
She rose from her seat. and tho
mother turned an appealing face to-
wards her.
Barbara! you shall do no such
crazy thing. At least, you shall not
with my consent. It is madness for
you to throw yourself away! To
think OF my daughter becoming a
hired grill Barbara, It is cruel Of
you oven to suggest it. 1t is part
of your college foolishness. You have
i heen iNafinu with mo
"No, mother, dear. have not" Bar
bara walked over to where her moth
er had beer sitting, and kneeled
down by her, putting her hands in
her mothers hands, and looking af.
fectionately up to her.
| mo. mother, am not jesting. I
Sam very much in earnest. Look at
me! Barbara Clark, age 81; graduate
Mount Holyoke. Member of church
and Christian Endeavor society. Plen-
ty of good health. No money. Edu-
Gated for a teacher No influence
with the powers that be to secure
position. At home. dependent on
and a burden to" here Mrs Clark
put hand on the speakers mouth
and Barbara gently removed the
banda burden to good mother
who has no means besides small
legacy, daily growing smaller, and the
diminutive interest on an insurance
fund that is badly invested in west.
ern land. There's my biography uI
to date. Do you wonder that want
to be doing something to be making
! soIpe money, even if it is only little
TO be breadwlnner, even -
But to be hired GIRL, Barbara
Do you realize what it means? Why
it means social loss, it means drop.
ping out of the circle of good society
1t means daily drudgery of the hard.
est kind. it means going to the bot.
tom of the ladder, and always staying
there! And you, Barbara, of all
girls. fitted to teach, an exceptionally
good student, bright and capable. O.
how does it happen that girls who
are your interiors have secured good
positions and you have not succeed.
ed?"
Pulls" said Barbara, briefly.
Mrs. Clark looked troubled. is
that college slang?"
mo. mother. Political / mean that
the other.girls have had influence. II
father were alive"
"Ah, Barbara, if your father were
living, there would be no talk of
your going to work in kitchen. And
you shall not go, either. 1t is the
height of absurdity to think of it,
But, mother" Barbara began, after
moments silence, "do YOU realize
the facts, the plain, homely facts, o.
our existence? Every day you are
drawing on Uncle Wills legacy, and
next months rent and grocery bill
will eat large hole in it. ! have
been whole year at home, livingiin
idleness, and eating my bread in Bit
terness because l could see the end
coming. There is no one who is in
any way bound to help us. Why
should l let false pride keep me
from doing honest labor of the hand
And there is more of it than you
imagine, mother dear. 1t takes more
than low order of intellect to man
age the affairs of family as a
housekeeper, doesn't it?"
Mrs. Clark did not answer, and Bar
bara went on: "You know, mother, I
made a special study in college of So
cial economics. The application OF
those principles to real, live prob
lem had great fascination for me
Now, the hired-girl problem in this
country Is a real, live, social and eco
nOmic problem Why shall 7 not he