Year: 1873

their slender means, my parents wished
their mode of life to appear on an equal
footing with that of their more prosper
Gus neighbors, and thus struggle to keep
ND appearances, which is the bane OF so
many Philadelphia families, robbed both
father and mother of all peace. AS we
seven girls advanced toward womanhood
our position became uncomfortable.
grew melancholy in brooding over it,
and picturing to myself how different
our lot would have been had some of US
been boys. We could then have added
something to the common stock, instead
of passing our days i'll paltry maneu-
vers to present to the world a hollow
show mt the cost of real comfort we
could have lightened the burders OF our
parents, as we grew older, instead OF in
creasing them. The desire to bring
about q change gained firm possession
of me. But what could L do? Educated
at fashionable school, my poor brain
was laden with chaotic mass of facts,
none of which were sufficiently well di-
gested to be of any practical advantage
to me.


"All the bonnets worn in our family
had been made by me from the time /
was quite a small girl. My materials
were apt to be scant, yet / generally
succeeded in producing presentable
article. One day, in making call, l
found n young friend bewildered over
her first efforts at bonnet manufacture.
My longing to handle her profusion of
rich materials was so great that while we
were talking l took the work from her.
In less than an hour l had fashioned a
most stylish little bonnet. My friend
was in an ecstasy of delight, and told
me that if L would only go into the mil
linery business she would get me all the
custom / needed. AT once / confded to
her my desire for profitable occupation,
and the result was that she gave several
orders from her own family, with pro-
mise of others from her friends, pro-
vided my parents would permit me to
accept them.


q went home in high glee. which was
only dampened by a dread of the opposi-
ton / must encounter. When first
broached the subject the dear souls were
shocked. They would not object to my
teaching, but my father said that so
long as he was able to keep roof over





having q daughter of his earn liveli-
hood by menial exertions. How would
it be, said I, if could write book p
That would be quite different mat
ter, was the reply. Or what if could
play the organ, or sing in church |!
That, too, / was told would be consid-
cred unexceptionable. Well, then,' i
petulantly exclaimed, if the Lord had
endowed me with aptitude for teaching,
or Imagination for authorship, or talent
for music, painting or sculpture, and
these gifts had been fostered by educa-
ton, it would be respectable to convert
them into money, but it would be degra-
ding to end my present sham life in
any other way. Dear parents, let me
prove the falsity of this theory, let me
have my way, and promise you that
will win the esteem through my digni-
fed earnestness, of all those whose good
opinion is worth having. Besides, 1
will make money enough to educate
those of your daughters who are more
gifted that ] for such callings as you
now deem respectable. Those of us
who should be so fortunate as to marry
well will make much better wives for
not squandering our youth i'll idle
frivoEty.'


" Before long | was happy in the con-
viction that had converted my parents.
/ have always found that when preiu-
dice blinds truly good people, there is
little difficulty in forcing the scales to
fall from their eyes, if truths are prop
erly presented Our neighbors were
considerably Mortified when they found
that my fathers daughter had become
a tradeswoman, but L assumed, as q
matter of course, the dignity of my
choice, thus forcing respect. 1t did my
heart good to find how many girls, stu
ated as | had been, profited by my ex-
ample, and set to work. L derived such
wholesome benefit from my exertions
that i longed to go forth on crusade
against idleness, and / was truly happy
when / succeeded in earning money
enough to execute my plans for the
girls. My sister Rita developed talent
for music and a glorious voice, and has
long since repaid me for all that / ex-
pended upon her musical education. She
has n salary of $500 year for singing in
church choir, and derives nice IN
come besides from teaching music
Laura, our little landscape painter,
made the acquaintance Of her Coming
Man through the sale of her first pic
ture. She makes most dainty house
keeper, but her marriage has not lost
her to art, for her husband is proud of
her talents, and is constantly encourag-
ing her TO new efforts in her studio Sis
ter Mollie, veritable little school
marm, is being educated at the normal
school. Liza, Addie and Helen are too
young to have their future mapped out
for them, but L think the former will be
n writer one of these days. Father and
mother are delighted with the result of
my experiment.


Through friend who passed several
weeks here this summer, / became in
terested in your place, and upon COM
municutingwith Mr. Martin was induced
to plan the establishment which we hope
TO have in operation next week. A lady
will be here shortly to attend to the
dressmaking department, although both
it and the millinery will be under my
supervision. We purpose seeking as
sistants among the unemployed young
girls of your town, and anticipate soon
having a sufficiently well-trained force
| 70 ovo.,,fa o,,xy ,,,,,,,l l,o, 90 o,.1o,.u ID