The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-01-28
Olives
Opportunity
BY PRISCILLA LEONARD

I'D like to see the people who
write about How to Live on Ten Dol.
lars a Week try to do it themselves. -
said olive, hopelessly. Its all very
well, Eta, to put down the items in
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
York the littlest hall bedroom with
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
half, and paying seven dollars and
half apiece for it."
And glad enough to get it at that"
said her roommate from Indiana. my.
but didn't wear out a pair of shoes
looking for that fifty cents of, IL
Janet Sanders hadn't told you about
this and you hadn't let me In on II I'd
De climbing stairs still and meeting
new sorts of disagreeable landladies
In each street-but all alike on the
prices. Father sends me fifty dollars
month. He's an angel, and it's more
than he really can spare, and SO try
to cut down on It, But forty-fve IL
my lowest record so far. If 1t wasn't
that an art student is expected to look
Shabby, Id be lost, and as 1t is, l really
am shabbier than the rules"
"Nonsensel Lucky you!" said Olive
FIFTY dollars a month is riches. Forty
is restitution. Janet helped me out
because she knew. She tried IL her
SELF, and she was, like me. a 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 1t II she had. I've rent.
ed the old house at home, and / can't
go back to 1t. I've come here to study
ART and I'm going to do it. | have
enough toRay for the art course and
my board. But unless you can inform
me, Eta, how to do without shoes and
winter hat, not to mention car fare
shall soon be sitting on the street
corner with a box of pencils in one
hand, and the other held out for nick.
els The higher life la being forced
upon me-a dollar a week higher than
my present possibilities. That is what
makes me so low in my mind"
Janet Sanders painted things 10
sell, didn't she?" said Eta. 81 heard
sne 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. a foreordained
success Where FIVE hundred girls are
trying to make both ends meet nv
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 for
painting dainty trihes-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"
Eta Laurence" replied her room.
mate, Il used to think the world was
like a seive-all openings. But for the
last six weeks it has been high board
fence. even tried che want advsr.
tisements yesterday. I went to a place
where they advertised for girls TO I'D.
dress wrappers. and to another where
they wanted a girl 70 amuse children
At the wrapper place they wanted no
one who could not work from seven fin
the morning to six in the evening. At
the other place the woman wanted to
call me by my first name. aud put a
cap and apron on me. and have me
eat with the cOlored housemaid and
butler and my hours were from six
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
II ] must go hatless and shoeless
must. But don't ask me to answer
any more want advertisements"
There must be some kind OF an
opportunity waiting for us some.