Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-22
THE GIRL HAS HARDEST
ROAD TO GO OVER

The girl alone has, perhaps a harder
road to travel than any other member
of society; and if she must depend up
on her own efforts to make a living, life
often seems to her a very empty affair.
The world demands much, yet gives
back nothing. The average girl is ex-
pected always to be we'll dressed, and
must at all times appear gracious and
happy; but the girl who knows no
mothers affectionate care--who has no
place that she can call home-very Of
ten finds it impossible to play such a
part.
In the first place, the girl who boards
never knows the comforts of home She
always feels more or less uncomfort-
able. for the reason that she is practic-.
ally a stranger among strangers. How
ever, if many girls who are struggling
along trying to pay board, laundry
items and other incidentals that every
girl and woman must meet from week
to week. would hire a couple of rooms
and begin housekeeping on q small
scale, they would find they could live
less extensively and more comfortably
than in the average boarding house.
Every girl and woman is a born home
maker, no matter how eager she is to
surrender that title for the coveted one
of an advanced woman; and in these
days of firelesS cookers, the girl alone
need ask odds Of no one as far as
preparing meals is concerned Then the
greatest advantage of all is the fact
that one has tiny spot that can be
called home. Girls think nothing Of
camping out during vacation time, do
ing their own cooking. marketing and
so on: yet the thought of really keep
ing house" never occurs to them.
The girl alone should take every pos
sible care Of her health. and give up
unnecessary amusementS. II the young
woman who is blessed with good
mother takes cold through going out
from an overheated theatre into the
cold night air, she knows she can stay
at home until she has fully recovered;
and Furthermore, she is well aware of
the fact that she will receive the very !
best of care in the meantime; but the |
girl alone, who becomes ill through the |
same cause, must be removed to a hos |
pital if she cannot take care of her |
self.
Going around too much never pays In
the eEd. No employer wants young |
women who are ill or complaining of |
illness in his office or workroom. He
knows such girls are taking serious
chances. He doesn't want them to con-
tinue at their work when they are not
able to do it, and, as he needs their ser
vices. he would much rather have them
go home and stay there until they are /
physically able to resume their duties,
whatever they may be.
The girl alone in the business world Il
should read good books. keep her
clothes fresh and presentabIe by re-
pairing and pressing them and should
retire earlier than the girl who doesn't
have to set the alarm clock to awaken
her. Life may not seem any too pleas
ant to poung women who are strlIg-
Cling on alone. but after all. if thew are
blessed with good health, they have
much for which to be thankful. Few.
il any. persons are entirely carefree.
so why not try to forget whatever gives
us cause to feel downhearted, and {
make the best Of things in general? All t
assure us that the darkest {
hour is just before the dawn, and the ,
girl who is trying hard to make her
way alone will be generously rewarded.
Young women dependent upon their
own efforts should give a thought to
tomorrow as well as today. The cir, s
alone hasn't any one to look after her
interests, so she must guard them her {
self. She should keep track of how she !
spends her salary, and should also ioin s
: good benevolent society, so that in Il
the event OF an illness or an accident ,
she will be assured of proper medical t
-reatment. and at the same time re- !
'eive the benefit all such organizations =
provide. luis