The Washington herald., 1909-03-03
FROM WOMANS
POINT OF VIEW

A woman who worked forty-one years
IN one family-wIthout pay. she swears-
has brought suit for large SUN Of mon
ey and stands a very good chance Of
getting it. Yet she does not deserve q
penny simply because she has shown so
little spirit IN all those years. She should
have Insisted upon a fair compensation
from the beginning, and gone elsewhere
when she failed TO get It at the end OF
the first week. She should have had
more sense than TO rely upon promises
Of bequests at the death Of her employer.
If one searched long enough. possibly
there would be found an interested ad-
wiser who expects TO share in the dam
ages. same years ago there was case
in a small town which attracted consid-
erable attention. A family which had
EMPLOYED a half-witted woman 80 do the
rough work Of the house was wiped out,
bv disease and the heir found q nice case
on his hands. The domestic had been a
burden TO her own family and there was
general rejoicing when she was offered
a home and clothing for her services.
She vas well treated and her wardrobe
was better than any found among the
members Of her own family She received
occasional small presents OF money
which were instantly seized by her lam
ny. but she was perfectly happy as long
as her employers lived.
4 few acres Of land. q roomy cottage.
and a few thousands in The bank fell 20
a man who needed them and was capable
of taking care Of them, but with them
came a flock Of claims. mostly bogus,
but necessitating the employment Of legal
services for months. Among them was
the claim Of the half-witted domestic for
ten years. wages. fled by her brother-in-
law. II was stubbornly fought and even
tuallv lost. and then the poor creature
was sauffie6 of 20 the poorhouse, her
probable destination II she had won her
claim. because she would never have
seen a penny OF IT,
Some scheming brain was responsible
for all this trouble The woman had no
Just claim, Of course, but she would
have been substantially remembered by
the heir had matters remained as they
were. At all events. she received the
worth Of her labor during those ten
/ years. for she had board and clothing
and independence Never before had she
/ earned a living. so 1t is safe 10 say that
/ she was well paid. II seems 10 me that
a woman who is willing TO spend forty
odd years Of her life on expectations de-
serves nothing, not even sympathy
]
1 used TO have a maid who spent three
years in bondage TO her sister and never
thought Of attempting an escape Sh'
/ earned good wages and was not alloveC
to keep car fare When her clothing
reached the ragged stage It was srudg
ingly replaced at the smallest cost Th'
married sister had paid her passage q
this country and gave her new clothes
and had been pai0 over and over for he
kindness. but she made both trouble an'
( expense for. the girl before freedom va
secured Perhaps more years would havu
elapsed before the girl gained sufficien
spirit 10 rebel had she not met shrew,
man VINO had her in mind as wife afte
she had accumulated enough TO begin
housekeeping The woman in the presen
case was taken into the family at tn
age OF seven ana clothed and trained
That was a money equivalent. Whei
her employer agreed 10 put away
monthly sum for her IL was time for be
10 assert herself and insist on the priv
lege Of handling her Owl money. II sh
i ever receives damages. she win need
guardian as well for she has plainl
shown that she IS not able to take car
Of herself BETTY BRADEEN.