Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-02-17

came TO work next day late and stupid
and sleepy, SO that they did their tasks
laggingly and made mistakes Miss
Norcross was obliged to call them to
account, therefore they disliked her,
made fun" of her behind her back
and to her face SO far as they dared.
They called her "Old Maid" and even
"Crossbones," sometimes odd Maid
Crossbones," and she heard them once
or twice. They giggled, perpetually
giggled- after the way of thoughtless
young girls. They considered that the
most dreadful thing in this life was TO
be a single woman. OF course they
expected TO be married, every one of
them. and get cut of work. not know
ing in their awful ignorance that the
lot of a poor mans wife who is as
crude and unframed as they were is
nearly always ten times harder than
that of the old maid who is earning a
comfortable income.
Expecting to marry. these girls adoIH-
ed themselves in gewgaws and kept
their weather eye out morning and
evening to catch the men who were tG
release them from work. as they fool
ishly imagined. They were not always
very tidy as to their skin and clothing
In truth, they sometimes hurried tie
work in the morning with tangled
tumbled hair, but they always wore
upon II the huge tapping hat with
leathers-of that you may be sure-and
they always and everlastingly giggled
Now, for better or for worse, il is
quite natural for girl to look forward
10 marriage. 1t is also natural if not
wise, for her to try to attract men, il
she wants a husband. But girls, an
swer me this: Do you think il is Ell
ther gentle. good tempered. womanly
OF polite to make fun of woman
only because she is an old maid? One
hRes to think Of girls as sweet. bright
creatures whose minds are occupied
with pleasant, kindly thoughts, whose
manners are always courteous.
BESIDES, was the lot of the married
women they knew so delightful and en-
'iaoIe that the girls | speak OF We're
JusIlned IN Jeering at Miss Norcross he.
cause she was single? The women they
Knew had been mostly working girls
IKE themselves. They, too, had worn ex-
"sgerated hats and squeezed themselves
nearly IN two at the waists and danced
away TWO or three years of young life in
d sort OF dream. They walked up when
lhey found themselves fast married
ana tied, with string of children
ddhSlng to them and not always money
enough to buy shoes all round. Some
u. unieS even they had drunken husbands
ihey lost heart" then, as weak, ig-
noraht women call it, and did not care
no" they looked any more. They be-
eanhe Dad tempered slatterns. They,
w. IN their youth made fun of old
malus. Now they envy he neat and
uuy single woman who respects herself
anu is getting on well in the world.
Is there any reason to expect that the
~ Aa'e OF the girls who jeered at Miss
"".Tross VIII be any different from that
Vi tle girls who went before them?
MISS Norcross had to take care of a
eOAly mother. She began it when she
vas sixteen and kept it up till her
"olher died. She had no time to 90
" 0anS' and her money had to be spent
"a tne housekeeping. Meantime she
mastered perfectly the business she
Sa engaged in and was promoted TO
s, "a present place. She has now con
80 money in bank. But many q
- her heart has been made bitter |
, ~ OF the rude and ignorant girls. |
me time is quite likely to come when.
.ho 'u OF making fun of old maids |
VIII envy these with all Their |
SUSAN PEPPER.