The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-16

sore straits. che II cufureds tnCe1n-
gent womanty woman Business rewerses
have left her utterly dependent upon her
own efforts Tor a living. she had been IN
cnieaEo two weeks ana had suecaedad IN
rnding no remuSerstive employment--noth-
ing by which she could earn even her ex-
pcnses until something better turned up.
wherever condition exists there is always
a reason back Of Il. when she came to me
] tried 20 ind that reason. but the subtle
ties Of the case were beyond me In an
hour OF idle dreaming put myself in that
womau's place. The dream time next day
became an action time. I resolved 20 nnd
out as nearly as could Just what OBJ
stacles lie 10 the path OF inexperienced
woman workers 1 said TO myself, You
are no longer Jean Cowgirl. dabblcr In
Journalism, with a ready wit which brings
you a stated income instead you are
another woman, one OF your sisters more
unfortunate than you, more helpless per !
heps less sturdy, not so well able to nsht
ilfes battle. You have been a woman OF
resource and position Misfortune has over
taken ron. You have no longer the means
20 buy beautiful dresses. 70 1--we at tine
hotels. to ride IN carriages. 20 have the
thousand and one luxuries which have
made your fe pleasant. All these things
ere in the years that he back OF today. |
There is no road open for you now but
work. and you must do it brayeiy'
TRAMPS STREETS TWO DAYS.
Next morning / set about ending from
personal experience the things woman
must overcome before she obtains lucrative
employment. For two days ! tramped the
streets Of Chicago over in search Of WORK.
any honest work that woSld sGord me =
lvlug. sly experiences we're many, Most
Ct them were pleasant. Those which were
not were for the most part humorous. A
sense Of hum0r is a saving sense IN most
cases. II win carry person through moro
trials and help him jump more pitfalls than
any Other emotion or sensibIlity set down
IN the book Of psychology.
Before started out on my journey OF IN
vestigstlon { liked definitely In my mud
!ust the manner Of woman ] was 20 i'm.
perscnate she was a widow who had sud.
denly lest her husband and her property
she was educated as the ordinary every
day Intelligent woman is educated college
bred, high school bred; It matters little,
but utterly inexperienced as far as earning
her living was concerned. She had resolved
10 leave her old associations rather than
be dependent upsn friends and distant reia-
tives. After an the bills, big and little,
were paid. she had her fare TO Chicago ana
had IS left over 70 carry her across the
bridge into workday land. Can IL fancy II
you VII. Idle dreaming but remember al
ways ! wanted to live thst woman's llfe
until found out what It really meant un-
Ger those conditions
CABMAN GUIDES TO LODGINGS.
The beginning Of the tale was at the
Northwestern depot, with my IS In my
purse / asked caoman the way to a
sheap but respectable hotel. lie looked me
over from top to toe and made answer;
well, now, lady, I can tell you on5
that's cheap. where you'u be safe, but
STINT quite certain whether your think It's
respectable. How many days do you want
70 stayr
"only two or three" ] said confidently
pertain that before my So was gone
should be earning a living. He directed
ne 10 a hotel on Clark street. It IS q
5heap hotel, but they gave me clean
room. / had travelled all night aud was
tired, so any spot that gave my weary
bores chance 90 rest was a haven.
Ny room cost 10 ceuts n day realized
as came through the office, that my dress
Gas not IN keeping with the surroundings
80 after my trunk was brought up by tnt
expressman ana bad rested for an hour
Or two l put on n rainyday suit and started
put in search FOR employment
Chicago is big city. The crowds on tne
street were diseouraging. Everybody
seemed to have n definite place but me.
had looked over the advertisements IN
the papers on the train that morning
There was none giving any encouragement
70 an inexperienced woman / mad nc
friends in the city OF whose good assistance
might make use. ! was hut one OF 2,UU1.
10 entities that somewhere. somehow
exist, tSurish, starve, suner, grow plump
With content or waste away from the
wounds left by shattered hopes or tue
eeaselees attacks OF unseen. unnamed
forces. Everything was action; the crowds
rushfd on, unheedlng me or my hopes and
ambitions, but in the rush and swing OF it
Ai was some subtle stimulant. witch nlied
ne tcii OF courage, made me set mr.
shoulders squarely in the gray damp Of
n" morning and breathe In the murky air
In long deep draughts.
FIRST CALL ON A CLERGYMAN
II was but natural that my nrst cali
should be upon a minister. The aid he gave
ne is briefly told He was sorry for me,
could do nothing himself personally. but
would bring my name and circumstances
up before some ladies' OF his congregation.
WHO might be able TO help me- RMS was
not at all what l wanted. In the rrst
place, it was not business and In It saw,
no opportunity to fail in line with the
great army Of independent workers.
thanked him for bis courtesy ana started
ON 10 ind position Tor myself.
Nol showing anyone, 1 went into a cloth.
ing gtqre, asked for one OF the proprietors
ami tAcn inquired OF him the best place
10 secure employment lie was sorry fol
me, genuinely sorry. and referred me to
business womans club. There / was re
ierrod 70 a registration office; ia the regls.
tration office they asked me for ST. whien
o. course 1 could not pay, having In my
possession express charges and rolls aud cor.
zee deducted from my 50 left me 425.
quite uncertain as 10 the kinds OF WORK
they might require l begged for informa.