Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-02-08

} that they have received the "divine
call" they do not take into consider.
alton that it is not one, but many
qualifications that go to make III
ones fitness for that calling. People
have not even yet rid themselves OF
the idea that an actresses life is not
one long, beautiful dream, inter.
spersed with The plaudits of the null
titudes and champagne suppers. In.
stead of which, it is one of the hard
est professions, and the making of a
successful actress means something
more than to possess the desire to go
on the stage and have a pull to get
one the chance.
Similarly with a writer's life.
Something more than the desire to
see ones name in print is necessary
to warrant ones starting out to make
it life work. There is no royal road
to success, and any work can be made
just as dignified rs what girls are
pleased to call the "ladylike" profes-
sions. Housework can be made Just
as interesting as acting, or writing,
or anything else. The only difference
is that in the one case you have to
be satisfied with the commendation
or the criticisms of the few instead
of the many.
Don't get wrong viewpoint on
work. Take account of yourselves,
and don't waste either your time or
your God-given energy trying to do
anything merely for fame. Make
your ambition one that Is worthy of
the best that is in you, and do away
with idle longings and with reaching
out for the unattainable.
81 am a stenographer," writes an
other girl, "and a good one. In fact,
/ have my work down so pat that |
can do it with both eyes shut; yet |
don't seem to be appreciated, for
some one else is always promoted
above me, and have been right here
for five years Poor girl! There are
any number of girls like her. Prob
ably she not only could but does do
her work as If her ewes were shut,
which is to say that she very likely
does it mechanically. You see she is
appreciated-at par value.
Now, then, girls, just make up
your mind that If you are going to
get on you have to attain more than
par value. There is such fierce COM
petition everywhere in the business
world that good mechanical work is
turned out by machine. What
you've got to do is to bring to your
work thought and interest. You
must perform your duties as well as
the others, plus. You really only
begin to count with the plus" Bring
fresh ideas, fresh enthusiasm, some
thing new to your work every day.
If it isn't appreciated, still bring
these things to the performance of
your duties for your own interest.
Only then is work lifted out of the
plane of drudgery and monotony that
is more killing than long hours and
! over-exertion. The girl who wrote
me lacked imagination, so the other
person was promoted over her head.
Here's another lesson: A friend
of mine employs home dressmaker.
She turns out the most exquisite
things for her, but she herself is such
an untidy person, and so careless,
that it is fearfully upsetting to have
her around. The old adage about
shoemakers' children has a great
many counterparts. Do you remem-
Der that it isn't enough to be profi-
cient In the specific line we have
chosen to work out our destinies in;
we must keep up with all the other
rules Of life and right living.
Another girl, evidently very at
tractive and intelligent girl from her
letter and photograph, writes to ask
me If there Is any cure for self-con-
sciousness. She says she cannot join
in any conversation, because she does
MT seem to have anything to talk
about and that If she had any ideas
she is too embarrassed to express
them. sympathize heartily with this
girl, and all the many others I know
who are similarly handicapped, and
| am glad to say / can help her. In
the first place, she should learn to
concentrate her mind on one subject.
AS 1t Is, her wits go fitting from one
point to another. Let her select some
subject from the news of the day in
a daily paper, say, and then turn it
over In her mind, bring her own in
telligence to bear upon it, and then
talk it over with some one,; or If that