The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-10-04
Olives
Opportunity
BY PRISCILLA LEONARD

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"Pd like to see the people who
write about How to Live on Ten Dol
lars Week try to do it themselves"
said Olive, hopelessly. ''It's all very
well, Eta, to put down the items in
a nice neat list, beginning with Board
and lodging, six dollars That read
beautifully up in Vermont, where half
the price would do if you helped round
the house. But down here in New
your board is eight dollars, and prices
going up all the time. Just look at
how we were crowded in here, two of
us. in room only meant for one and
a half, and paying seven dollars and
a half apiece for it."
"And glad enough to get it at that"
said her roommate from Indiana. My,
but didn't I wear out pair of shoes
looking for that fifty cents off! If
Janet Sanders hadn't told you about
this and you hadn't let me in on it, I'd
be climbing stairs still and meeting
ACW oOI 10 VI QlSct5L CCdOlC ldAuldulCO
in each street-but all alike on the
prices. Father sends me fifty dollars
a month. He's an angel, and it's more
than he really can spare, and so try
to cut down on it. But forty-ive is
my lowest record so far. If it wasn't
that an art student is expected to look
shabby, I'd be lost. and as it is, really
am shabbier than the rules"
Nonsense! Lucky you!" said Olive.
Fifty dollars month is riches. Forty
is restitution. Janet helped me out
because she knew. She tried it her.
self, and she was, like me, lone or
phan-only she had an uncle who once
sent her ten dollars, and haven't any
body nearer than Cousin Eliza, who
hasn't ten dollars to send, and
wouldn't send it if she had. I've rent.
ed the old house at home, and can't
go back to it. I've come here to study
art, and I'm going to do it. 1 have
enough to pay for the art course and
my board. But unless you can inform
me, Eta, how to do without shoes and
a winter hat, not to mention car fare,
/ shall soon be sitting on the street
corner with box of pencils in one
hand, and the other held out for nick
els. The higher life is being forced
upon me-a dollar week higher than
my present possibilities. That is what
makes me so low in my mind"
Janet Sanders painted things to
sell, didn't she?" said Eta. Il heard
she made quite good deal on orders
for menu cards and favors."
Janet can do anything" returned
Olive, uncheered. 'She's won the
scholarship, and goes off to Europe
this autumn. She is foreordained
success. Where five hundred girls are
trying to make both ends meet by
painting menu cards and favors, only
Janet can get orders. I've been to
every store and every exchange in
New Cork, and nobody orders any.
thing of me. l haven't the touch TO.
painting dainty trifes-I can see that
myself"
mo, you get broad effects, and have
to work that way" said Eta. But
there must be an opening somewhere
Olive"
"Etta Laurence" replied her room
mate, II used to think the world was
like a seive-all openings. But for the
last six weeks it has been high board
fence. l even tried the want adver
tisements yesterday. went to place
where they advertised for girls to ad
dress wrappers, and to another where
they wanted a girl to amuse children
At the wrapper place they wanted nc
one who could not work from seven in
the morning to six in the evening. Al
the other place the woman wanted tc
call me by my first name, and put 6
cap and apron on me, and have me
eat with the colored housemaid and
butler and my hours were from sly
in the morning to five in the after
noon. Besides. you ought to have
heard the children scream when We
went into the nursery to look at them,
If l must go hatless and shoeless,
must. But don't ask me to answer
any more want advertisements"
There must be some kind Of al
opportunity waiting for US some