Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-12-26
that things will go on just as they are
doiun Of ,,raaontO -

erlue, lS IL rlBuL tudI SiIis ohouiu po
treated so? We are born with the
same desire for happiness as other
girls. We could enjoy, like them, beau
tiful things and lives of ease. And OH!
look at us. There is not single lady
in this great town who invites either
of us to her house; there is no chance
Of meeting q gentleman, unless it is the
kind Of gentleman who speaks to girls
in the street. Happiness! What does
IT mean? We do not know what it
means. We are sentenced"
Katherine sighed heavily.
"What good Is it to rebel" she asked.
"Let us accept out lot and make what
we can out Of 1t. What can we do
more In the way of work?'
II should like to do nothing. We
were made to do nothing. That is
why women are not able to lift any
thing and to fight. 1t is the business
of men to work, and Of women to sit
down and enjoy the fruits of their
labors. Besides, men like work-and
women don't"
What can We do. however,"
II can do nothing. I never was
taught to do anything. None Of us
were"
"Well, but"
II can copy, think; that is all am
really fit for. I can copy documents,
and can go to the Museum and make
n~fron+o oIcn rrh 7 1nnft
suppose" she added, with candor, that
should ever find anything, but could
try, II any one wanted me to find any
thing. Some girls seem always able
to get search-work to do. But then l
know nobody, and have got no interest.
And oh, how many there are who are
trying to get the work"
"You can teach, lily"
"No"-her black eyes, which had
been heavy and sad, flashed with
anger-"No; l can not and will not
teach. hate teaching. loathe teach
ing. want to kill the children; they
drive me to madness. The last time
I tried teaching ran away from the
place or should have done something
dreadful. Fortunately I don't know
anything. l can't add up and divide.
I can't tell you the capital Of any coun-
try, and I do not remember a single
date And I've forgotten all the Kings
Of Israel. Katharine, would rather
make buttonholes for shirts than
teach"
4 We'll. dear, there are other things"
IT could do clerks work, but no one
will have me. could write letters"
"Let US be hopeful. Lily. You are
very pretty, and perhaps-who can
tell? AS for me, that is all over; but
you-Lily, are you sure you have no
rela tions?"
II know of none. My father came
to London from the north. But don't
know where. He brought his inven-
ton with him, but somebody stole it
from him, and then he became clerk.
He lived a moody and lonely life,
and he made no friends; but he always
hoped to make another invention"
"What was his invention?"
'I don't know. Something to do with
machines. My father was always max
ing pictures Of wheels. l have no
friends and no money. What have l
done, l ask again?"
at isn't what we have done, dear,
l told you; 1t is what our fathers did"
Lily made as If she would say some
thing really severe, but she refrained.
"Well," she said, mildly, tomorrow
you will begin the round. only hope
she said this as one who has no
hope-"that you will be more lucky
than l have been"
Then the other residents began to
come upstairs, and Lily retired to her
own cubicle, and they all went to bed.
Would you follow these two girls In
their quest of work and bread?
1t was hopeless quest, because the
things that they would do were so few,
and there were already so many girls
to do them, and they had no friends or
private interest. All that Katharine
could do well was to undertake the
teaching and care of young children. or
of those girls with parents to whom the
curriculum Of the high school does not
appeal. She could bring to her task, as
she had done with the Emptage chill
dren, affection and care such as one
hardly has right to expect for ten
times the salary. Alas. she found that
for one place there were fifty candi-
dates. And like Lily, she was always
too late.