The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-11-17

reverses often MRS. MARTIN
did. your lady
IN reduced circumstances was as
pitiful an object as one could hnd,
and still Is. since there are few
curto pieces muddling their way
through life. Because they never
worked hard. or worried much.
their durability Is astonishing.
Their life goes on and on, not like
. song. perhaps, but endlessly. Such
women grow old gracefully because
that's the sort Of thing they learned
IN the fashionable seminaries at
tended by the young ladies Of their
day. They grow old gracefully. but
they also grow old uselessly.
A Clinging Vine
One can't expect an old lady Of
30 to be actively useful to the world
at large. but one might expect her
to be able to brew her own tea and
to keep q doll's-houSe In order. OF
course. she shouldn't. at that hon.
orable age. be alone, but there are
many self-reliant women who are
alone, largely because they prefer
their freedom to sharing q home
with their children or children's
children.
It al, ! suspect. goes back to the
way they were brought up. A useful
young woman ought to grow into
q useful old one. barring accidents
and illnesses. but nothing short Of
. miracle can turn. In middle life. q
clinging vine into q strong oak.
know Q lady in reduced circurn-
stances. q widow. who has an only
daughter. neither ornamental nor
useful, who makes q half hearted
attempt to dust and dry the dishes
while her mother does the heavier
chores and takes In plain sewing
besides. The mother explains at
considerable length that poor ,dar-
ling Ruth was brought up to be q
lady and isn't very strong, although
her appetite Is all It should be, and
more. and shes strong enough to
play. even II she isn't strong enough
to work. She doesn't help mother
with her sewing-she seems to be
allergic to sewing-and she can't
hire out to mind children because
children make her nervous. and. OF
course. she can't possibly take any
kind Of job. even though people
near and far are clamoring for
someone to help them. and ut q
reasonable wage.
Help Il Scarce
Possibly every community has q
family In similar circumstances
ladies In distress. Here's hoping
they will be q lesson to the mothers
who are now bringing up girls. In
all fairness to the present genera
ton. 1t Is willing. II not eager. to
work. Young people have no inhibi-
tions about working at anything
there Il to do. and this doesn't only
apply to women and girls who rush
into factory work. either from pa
.triotism or because 1t Is being done.
Everyone should be able to fend
for himself. There just Is no excuse
for any able-bodied female being
dependent on outside help. Mothers
must train their girls to cook and
sew and keep their house In order.
Il may seem. among the rich. an
affectation. but riches take wings
and the most amazing upsetS occur.
20 best b prepared.
Teach the youngsters to be self
reliant: encourage the adults who
insist that they are not. to do some.
thing about It at once.
When the world was not geared
to the pitch It Is today. ir1dolent
women or the lazy could, II they
had the means. hire companions to
fetch and carry and amuse them. It
isn't that easy any more. Paid COM
panions seem to be vanishing spe-
cies, unless the pay Is definitely
more than the service Is worth.
Pity the old. especially when they
are helpless. not necessarily IMAM
cially dependent. but lacking the
stamina to stand alone.