The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-27
THE WOMAN WHO WORKS.

Tho woman Who Works" is the wo-
man with whom the twentieth century In
America is occupied
Never Iii tho history OF tie world has
the working class or fcninnity been
brought so prominently forward and had
It's claims upon tho sympathy and re-
apect Of humanity so fully acknowledged
ard so fully repaid.
4 The different classes OF workers among
women answer the demand created by the
various kinds Of work to be done. The
number OF those flling the higher grade
professions and becoming lawyers, doc
tors, great artists md great literary
workers is Of necessity smaller than
those who adopt callings where the posi-
lions to be ncccptably filled require n.
different sort Of training and n different
Kind OF Individuality
But wherever q new sphere Of activity
develops, woman's ambition fills the
void. Nothing daunts womanly courage.
Nothing seems too great for It to UNDER
take, even though 1t may sometimes fall.
short in accomplishment through excess
OF confidence.
Women are act.lntcd In their work by
many and widely different motives Tho
woman OF wealth and leisure turns to
arr, TO music. to philanthropy. or to.
theosophy, sometimes TO s,ife5 the ache
or disappointment, the sorrow OF loss.
or the lack OF companionshIp In her
daily life Sometimes tho gay round OF
5 pleasure at her command becomes dis
tasteful and unsa tlsfying. Sometimes tho
! need OF something wholly different brings
new interest. occupation and breadth into
The narrowing circle which seemed fast
closing In and about her
Inc woman to whomfwork comes as in
]lerltnncc. who takes II up as d duty. or
who inclines to itnaturally for the gra,,-
ilcatton Of a mind nthrst, Is worker
from another sort OF inspiration and
4 ilong divers lines. Work that comes
down through gen tlons OF forbears,
whether It means the filling OF the iields,
as In Europe. tho East. or in some parts
OF A1ncricl; whether It brings with 1t
the vocation OF lace-makng. tapestry
weaving or cotton-splnning. Is more
often than not accepted with an apathetic
and pathetic sort OF resignation that ac-
companies tho fulnllmcnt OF the 1inavoid-
able and the inevitable. When the burden
OF duty takes the form OF work. the bur-
den may be bornn patiently and bravely:
z love may swcctcn its cross and glorify
IT'S Sprtvntions; but It can never be the !
JOY or crown OF an existence.
The full. free wonlnnly worker Is the
woman who says In her heart:
love this age OF energy and force.
E,xpectantly greet each pregnant hour,
E1ferg!ng from the all-crentiye source.
supreme with pronise,S imminent with
power" a
10 her work seems the natural out
let Of all healthy life and well-developed
N fIs aTfy fsl ff,y4 Ia -
preston and purpose OF what she most
Il desires and enjoys. Rs
She works, not because her father ana
mother have worked before her, not be- \
cause work is imposed upon her by, tho
law of necessity. but because all tho
highest tendencies OF her being, mentally
and spiritually are attuned to the
measure OF effort and achievement. She
as profoundly In earnest and being SO,
the Invisible powers that work with the
worthy, come to her assistance and bring
her n rich reward,
The end for which a woman works de-
tcrmlncs the quality and the kind OF her
work Sometimes. work in her hands
is only n means to an end. II this end
resolves itself into the purchase OF clc-
CANT attire and the arraying Of the
81 working woman In purple and fine linen,
there Is as little real force and thought
expended In attainment as possible, for
written large over all work Is the Mt
tltude and intention with which tbs
worker has taken 1t up and carried It
through II to the goddess OF success
I, woman sacrifices all else In her work.
ing aims, her recompense cannot fail to
he both swift and sure, for tho SUCCESS
I. OF to-day Is the failure OF tomorrow.
while lofty ideals and brilliant hopes
wither vainly as tributes laid on the
unworthy shrine Of fickleness and In
stability.
The virtue that tho woman who
works needs most to cultivate and cher
ish is the divine virtue of patience. First
the seed. then the blade, then the fun |
corn in the ear Of fruition. Not immc-
dlate result. not even Immediate promise.
but the answer In work to that faith
which believes and hopes and reaches