The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-13
THE FARM GIRLS CRY StS1-r-p
(By S. M. CLINTON.)

(By S. NJ. CLINTON.o
Farm girls who envy the girls O
the city and imagine tina they leac
lVes or comparative ease and pleasure
Woul have their eyes opened if the,
really knew what city life means e
the working girls. The girl who ha.
10 earn her living with her hands il
a greaf city IS doomed to a life o
drudgery. The great army of scruf
women who swarm down Iwn 81
eVen1ng to clear up the great office
buildings and stores tell the story O
disappointed lives of city workins
! girls.
Most Of these women come from
the great army Of young wome who
having becom too old to serve az
cooks or maids in the smart homes O
the rlch, or who have married poo,
men unable to support them and their
families and are obliged to AXE VI
the hardest and most mental work
that falls to the lot OF women They
toll all night long s~crubbing, cleanin2
cuspldors, busting rugs and furniture
and earn only a poor, bare living. Tc
this bitter end thousands come ever,
year
Working girls IN a big city taste
little OF the sweetness of life, but
much Of its bitterness.
II INC ~ i've 14ASdpiy lucy 1iS
rent rooms in the suburbs-a long dis
lance from their places OF work. They
rise at daylight. ride many miles In
crowded cars. after standing. pushed
and jostled by rough men and after
long hours Of hard work are pushed
iostied and crowded in the fight for
standing room in the homeward-bound
cars at evening.
Many Of them are but little better
than CfaVoS Tho MAY NIB hiVn +h>-r
get every ounce of work out Of them
that they are capable Of W%ringing
They are obliged to register the tim
of arrival at the workshop and their
departure. They cannot leave tn.
WorkrOom without permission. They
are often compelled to work with mer
ana boys. and in many cases the sur
roundings are often decidedly unpleas-
ant and even revolving to girls OF gooC
morals and clean minds.
No factory girl can hope to carr
more than a bare living. Her clothes
must be Of the cheapest quality anC
her food limited to actual necessities
Her pleasures are few. because wher-
ever she goes she must pay, pay, pay
She must count every penny for living
expenses. n when they are counted
there are none left for pleasure.
She has no social advantages, and
her acquaintances are limited to hey
mates in h shop, who live miles
apart and can never be seen outside
of working hours.
If she marries, Il must De to some
man who, IKE herself. earns his li>-
ing with his hands. and seldom little
more. The day she marries her wages
stop, or even If she keeps on at the
factory for a few months. the first
baby stops her earning capacity. Then
there are three mouths to feed with
her husbands earnings only, and the
condition is worse than before. Pow
erty is the evil OF the city, and falls
heaviest on the women and children.
The country girl may well contrast
her own condition with that OF the
city girl, and she will find it vastly
better. She has q home with good
food and bed and clothing. and enjoys
the society OF her relatives and neigh
hOrs.
She is Independent and free from
the terror Of old age and poverty,
which clutches the heart Of every city
working girl who has passed the in
nocent n hopeful sta ge Of youth and
realizes what the future holds For
her.
The country girls opportunity for
marrying wen and rearing a family in
comfort and independence is vastly
better than that Of the city girls. She
has to work hard, naturally. hut not as
hard as the city girl. and her sur
roundinEs n conditions OF life on the
farm in every way are healthful, hope
ful and full Of the possibilities Of use
fulness and happiness In old age.