Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-06
Lite's Problems
Are Discussed
tBy Mrs. Wilson woodrow


have ever received has been sent
me by q girl whose parents in an
other country have made great
sacrifices to give her an education.
When she had finished school she
was offered what seemed to her a
wonderful opportunity to come to
America and win her way here.
One can fancy the eagesffess and
| the high hopes with which she
started; but those roseate dreams
! were not fulfilled. And now; after
five or six years, she finds herself a
household drudge for tyrannical
relative and q nurse for this wom-
ans children. She Is not permitted
any visitors, she has no friends, she
is allowed no amusements except an
! occasional motion picture play. to
which she accompanies the chill
dren.
She cannot even be called a wage
slave, for she does not get any
wages,
Her youth has rebelled. She
writes to me that she cries night
after night. She has never COM
municated with her parents, and
she Is haunted by the thought OF
the way in which they regard her
as one forgetful OF their care and
sacrifices, and selfishly spending all
her earnings upon her own pieas-
ures.
She feels that her education en-
titles her to another and better
occupation, but she does not know
how to escape from her present
| environment. She Is like a bird In
a cage, beating her wings against
the bars, all the time unaware thai
/ the door is wide open and that she
! could easily fly out.
Her inexperience and her lack OF
knowledge of the big world cause
| her to fear It; and so she keeps on
| bearing the ills she has, rather than
take a chance with those she knows
/ not of.
\ But when in doubt. the thing to
do always is to take the next step
| And the next step in this girls case
is to push open the prison doors and
walk right out. But where? she
has no friends to whom she car
turn. She has no money to keep
her while she looks about and finds
another occupation. She has no eX'
perience in any other kind of work
but that which she has been dotne
for years.
Therefore, the best course she car
follow Is to do the one thing she
knows thoroughly. She is, of course
seriously handicapped by having nc
references or recommendations
Consequently, it might be we'll fol
her to go to the Young Women:
Christian Association, and there ex
plain the whole circumstances
If she is q member or regular
attendant OF any church, she should
be able to get either the pastor ol
some members Of the congregation
to vouch for her..
It is probable that she will have
no difficulty in securing employ.
ment, an dthat being accomplished
she will find herself in a vastI.
different position from the one sht
now occupies She will. have regu
lar wages. and these she can pu
to what uses she pleases. She Will
find time to look about her and de-
eide on the next step. She will alss
have an opportunity to make
friends and go about little and go
some new ideas.
She will without doubt be treated
with far more consideration and re
gard for her comfort and happiness
than she has hitherto been accus
toned to receiving: for gathei
from what she says that abuse ant
harsh words have been her dali,
portion.
There is no necessity of tellini
her tyrannical relative OF her plans
She owes nothing whatever to th'
person who has treated her as mos
descent, humane people would no
treat a dog. But she, does owe ;
great deal to herself. and IL she con
tinues in her present state q fev
years longer she will have lost al
strength OF character. This reiativ
has much the stronger will, and sh
has dominated the weaker, MINOR
impressionabie and piiable nature 81
long that unless the girl takes he
courage in her hands and makes
resolute stand. she will lose not onl,
the power, but the will to act 70
herself.
She should realize that she Is |.
free agent and does not have Il
yield her individuality and her in
alienable right to conduct her owl
affairs to any one else.
1t is probable that when thi
relative learns of the girls decision
to leave her roof. she will resort {,
all the tricks of the bully. She viii
first storm and argue and threaten
and then weep and plead and bel
and doubtless offer her young reia
tive regular wages and make al
kinds of promises of improved con
ditions. But the girl. If she Is wis
and values her Independence AM
deaf ear to all these protestations
She should start out resolutely on
new path, and walk on 1t, neve
making the mistake Of Lots wifi
lby even once looking backward.