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2 For Woman’s Wokk. The skies were bright, the grass all green And blossom flecked, And rose-buds, leaf and vine between, Peeped forth unchecked. We walked together down the lane And crossed the stile, Then hand in hand sped on again Through a defile Where two hills sloping downward met, On either side A stream in bands of emerald set— a tiny tide. We climbed the hillside then, my love Dost mind how far? To where a tree, felled from above, Stretched like a bar— Across the chasm there grown wide. The achievement won, All breathlessly but filled with pride We sat thereon. The merry birds had come before, And squirrels played Above us. and in chattered lore Our motives weighed. For Woman’s Work. EMPLOYMENT FOR SOUTHERN HE late Civil War, among many other sad legacies to the South, left numbers of its fair women, in the T dawn of their youth and beauty, deprived of the protecting arm of father, husband, or brother, or the warm heart of one “nearer and still dearer,” —to battle alone with the cares and perplexities of a rushing, bust ling, work-a-day world. Toothers, whose babyhood and childhood were spent among scenes of lavish Southern luxury and care free existence now known to memory and story alone, it brought a future of changed circumstances, where the problem of the wherewithal had to be solved by minds and hands ill fitted for such service. Thus it is that we find so many of our honored Southern women emerging from their hitherto shielded homes, and bravely en gaging in the hand-to-hand fight for each day’s shelter, food and raiment, side by side with their brothers who had so long been the sole “bread-winners” of the South. While regretting the stern realities of war and its attendant calamities, the ne cessity that demanded this change of af fairs was a salutary one; and the truth that “there is good in every ill” was brought out most strikingly. “It was good for us to have been afflicted,” so that our native powers and latent talents might be unearthed, —unpinned from the folds of the napkin where we had hidden them so long—and caused them to work for our own good and that of the teeming millions around us. The noble, energetic, inde pendent women of the North and West have been, for many years, setting us an example of usefulness that it has been to our shame that we had not followed, ere a cruel fate was compelled to force us to complete the ends for which we were cre ated. Before the war, how passed the days of the average Southern lady? As we are sorry to see so many of her sisters in this age of progress still doing—in a ceaseless round of petty aims and vapid pleasures; a dolce far niente life, with dainty little white hands (often as strong and nimble as a brother’s) crossed in “silKen folded idleness,” with scores of servants at ev ery beck and call, ready to run hither and thither, to spare the kid-encased little feet the trouble, perhaps, of even going into an adjoining apartment for a coveted novel. But it will do no good to reiterate all these stubborn facts. Let us thank the over ruling Power that tore from our future lives that evil of dependence, and forced us to the knowledge that we must be “Up and doing, With a heart for any fate.” The business world of men, with a few noble exceptions, has heretofore been rather slow to recognize the right, or privilege, of women to earn their own support, if they so elect or if circumstances drive them to such a necessity. They have dis couraged when they should have gladly and chivalrously tendered women the en couragement they have so sorely needed and so richly deserved. But the day is dawning for us here in “the Sunny South” more and more brightly, when our noble women may unmolested take their right ful places among the paid toilers of the earth; and a woman of energy, good inten sions, and brains will win her merited re- A REMINISCENCE. BY M. J. HEADER SMITH. WOMHN. BY LISETTE CLAYTON HOOD. We had no dial, counted not How high Sol crept. Onr souls with Nature’s own inwrought Knew where she kept Her diary; and so we searched Each graven leaf. The lessons learned while there we perched Were past belief. Such wonders from each page we drew On which to feast, We noted not when sunbeams threw Our shadows east. Well, that was long ago, but there We revelled in the mysteries taught. With guileless hearts, all free from care, Found every page with wisdom fraught, And later on, 'mid skies as bright. We on another problem wrought, And lo! Love beamed upon our sight And quite another lesson taught. The last remains unfinished yet, Though sweet will be the task, alway, Until we see how God has set, For us, Life’s plan, some day, some day. ward. There is an increase of at least fifty per cent, in the last ten or fifteen years, in the number of women supporting themselves, in this country—especially in the large cities. But it is noticeable that this change is due to what women have done for them selves, rather than what the other sex has done for them; and it is to be noted, also, that the increase has not baen in conse quence of any loud-voiced agitation in fa vor of “women’s rights,” but in spite of it. Women have quietly taken up all kinds of occupations, many heretofore considered impracticable for their sex. They have gone into artistic work of every kind, from designing buildings to high-art painting. They are skilled doctors, nurses, dentists, lawyers, photographers, hair-dressers, and in some of the cities almost the entire re tail trade is in their hands. They are hor ticulturists, florists, truck-farmers, poultry and stock raisers, and hotelists. They have pushed their way into every position in a newspaper-office, and undertaken ev ery kind of manufacture done by hand, and much of that done by machinery. All this, too, is done by that class of women who work with the least noise or boasting. They deserve, in short, the name of good citizens, just the same as any man would, who honestly plods his way to a settled income by a self-respecting life. The way to increase and help this class of women, is to give them the instruction which a workman would receive, the protection which he would not need, and then leave them to enter the market precisely as he would do. Good work, good wages, sham work, poor wages, with no question of sex, should be the inexorable rule which would bring order out of the chaos of this much debated question. Often the most obstinate and effective opposition to a Southern woman’s ability to support herself is found in her own home, or among her chosen friends in so ciety. They do not make such a furore if a girl, after graduation, announces her in tention of becoming a teacher, or of “tak ing a few pupils” in music; and they will not oppose the bewildered young creature, when, for want of something more profita ble or congenial, she turns in desperation to the martyrdom of the needle, and day and night bends her lithe young form, and strains her clear young eyes over a piece of work that must be finished by a speci fied time, in order to receive the pittance that is often so grudgingly doled out to her. Then again, a father or friend forgets that girls often feel the same anxiety about a choice of occupation, or longing for some favorite one, that boys experience. As long as these desires do not overstep the limits of womanly prudence, the daughters should be allowed the same priv ilege of making their choice that the sons enjoy. Everyone knows how difficult a matter it is to work at a profession or busi ness that is utterly distasteful or unconge nial, and which is forced upon the worker through mistaken kindness. It is not ev ery girl, or woman, who has that peculiar capacity and fitness, outside of mere liter ary attainments, to become a successful teacher. Since we cannot make teachers of all the girls, in a suppositious wage earning family, what must be (Jone with (he others? WOMAN’S WORK. How often do we hear fathers say: “I will give my girls the best education that money can procure, so that they may teach, if at any time thev are thrown on their own resources.” Very good, so far as it goes; but why not carry the principle into something else, so that if that “noble army of martyrs,” called teachers, has no vacant place in its ranks, they may be able to do some other kind of work with equal skill? Why restrict them to “the three Rs,” when they are more capable of winning diplomas in some higher and bet ter-paying business? There are some very liberal-minded men who will say: “ Be cause we fear that contact with the world of men may expose our daughters to temp tations from which they are shielded at home.” There is, at first glance, apparent reason in this objection; but on closer in spection we see the fallacy of the argu ment, for the ranks of the fallen ones show the truth of the old maxim: “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.” Give a woman some occupation in which her am bition to make either a fortune, or a name, can be gratified, at least by the attempt to do so, and she is far safer than if she had no outlet for her vanity, except in becom ing a social queen, or a leader of fashion. Half the flirtations, which often bring in their train either ruin or unhappiness to women, begin in sheer idleness. Found schools and colleges, ye multi-millionaires, where your daughters can be trained inbusi ness methods, just as you have helped to found seminaries where they may be taught music and dancing, drawing and painting, French and German. She can drop her business knowledge, if necessary or preferable, after marriage, and be none the less womanly for having the ability lo take care of herself, should it ever become necessary for her to do so. I do not wish or intend these remarks for those numerous happy, cherished, and much indulged wives, living in affluence, without an ungratified desire—mistresses of comfortable and often elegant homes. But for those who, by death, affliction, or some kindred cause, have lost their natu ral support; or who, though wives of strong, hearty, willing men, are compelled by circumstances and adverse fortunes best known to themselves, to aid in re plenishing the family exchecquer; or for unmarried women and girls, who are noble and independent enough not to wish to be a burden to an old, over-worked father, or a drawback to a rising young brother. There are thousands of such women in the South; and it is to them that I would ap peal. One of the noblest professions that befits a woman is that of a physician or trained nurse to her own sex and children. I know personally many lady-doctors, orna ments to the profession, an honor to their sex, respected and appreciated among their co-laborers, and performing a grand and useful work among the afflicted ones in this world. Who batter than a woman can understand a woman’s peculiarly deli cate organism, and her complicated symp toms of constitutional disorder, and who can best sympathize with her, and allevi ate her many sufferings? Who is the most natural, and the most wished-for skilled attendant upon a woman, when the dreadful pangs of maternity convulse her weak frame? Gentle, tender woman nurse, —whose hands are softer and cooler, whose step is lighter, whose voice is calmer, gentler, and more soothing? Who can be more careful in mixing and admin istering the healing draughts, and in pre paring dainties to tempt the delicate and capricious appetite of the invalid? And if a woman is fired by such a noble ambition, who is more eager to dive deeper and still deeper into the mysteries and secrets of the profession, and grapple with even the most abstruse technicalities of the sciences? The objection may be advanced, that the nervous system of a woman is of too deli cate a nature to stand all the exposure inci dent to the profession, and to often witness such appalling sights and scenes of suffer ing as make the stoutest man’s heart quail. But if she fully realizes all these draw backs before she undertakes her life-work, a firm will and an unconquerable determi nation and ambition will compel her to rise triumphant over even her own weak ness, for the sake of the blessings she may bring to others. There is nothing more potent than unyielding resolution, in over coming all fleshly Apollyons. There is another honorable profession which, through the kindness and courtesy of its members, now joyfully receives wo man into its ranks. It is that of journal ism. There is no profession to which wo man is better adapted than this. The physical labor is not half so trying as that of sewing, either by hand or with a ma chine; nor the mental labor half so wear ing as that of teaching. It requires quick ness of comprehension, facility of expres sion, and a talent for working rapidly on any given subject—more than strength of .mind| or superior literary attainments—to become a good editor. These qualities women often possess in a higher degree than men; while for gossipy news-letters, the faculty of gathering and detailing lit tle items of interest, she entirely “lays him in the shade.” I know of numbers of women who make capital book-keepers, and are now com manding ample salaries. Then there are crowds of milliners .and costumers, dry goods and variety clerks, etc.; and dozens of positions might be mentioned, which none better than women could fill. In my days of editing, I discovered many ladies who are successfully carrying on book stores and news-agencies. 1 think this just the employment best suited for wo man, with her refined tastes, cultured mind, and careful ways. I scarcely need allude to the department of literature, as in that field the world acknowledges that women are reaping as many if not more laurels than men. The various Departments of the Govern ment are now crowded with female wage earners, who make the best of clerks, and draw the same salaries as their male co-la borers. It may be urged that the present Civil Service Examinations are so rigid that few ladies can successfully pass them. That may be, and it is true in many in stances; but they can begone through with, as I know from my own experience, for I have successfully passed a Civil Service Examination for a clerkship in the Depart ments, and now hold a Certificate of Eligi bility. Apropos of this subject, I append the following true incident, to show the pluck and determination some women evince, when they seek to carry out their purposes. The young lady alluded to is a native of Atlanta, Ga. HOW SHE GOT INTO THE DEPARTMENT. One bright morning last spring the Hon. John Sherman was sitting in his office, when suddenly a bright-haired, pretty girl dashed into his presence. She was appar ently sixteen, and had about her an air of business, which even the cool gaze of the Ohio statesman could not transform into maiden fright or flurry. Deliberately tak ing a seat, the girl said:— “Mr. Sherman, I have come here to get a place.” “There are none vacant,” was the reply. “I know you can give me a place if you want to, and I think lam as much enti tled to it as anybody. My father spent his life in the United States army, and when he died he left nothing. The responsibili ty of the family is on me, and I think I have as good a claim as any one else on the government.” “What kind of a place do you want?” “I don’t care what it is, but I must have work at once.” Mr. Sherman assured her that there were ten applicants for every one place, and there was very little chance. She very deliber ately told him that such an answer would not do, and declared that if he would al low her she would come up every day and black his shoes, if he couldn’t do any bet ter for her. The Senator was struck with her determination and charmed by her bright face and her sprightly manner, so he told her to come back. In less than a week, she had a good place in the Treasu ry, which she still holds. Every morning she walks to the department with the step of a business little woman who is proud that her delicate hands can be the support of others. She receives SIOO a month, and supports in comfort her mother and sister. The girls of the South, as a class, are too dependent; they do not know their power, or, if they do, they shrink from exercising it. There are many vocations in which they may engage, and earn an honorable and comparatively easy livelihood, if they would lay aside the excess of pride and timidity inherited by them from an ances try reared in the lap of plenty, and sur rounded by an institution which tended to an undue development of these character istics. Beautiful utility we concede to be a most needful and important factor in our Southern girls. Indeed, there are many among us who will hail with delight such an era, when a girl will go forth into the world of workers, and shake oil with joy the manacles of dependence. We were all put into this world to fill some niche, and to accomplish some Divine purpose; and the sooner we all find that place, and work smoothly and contentedly therein, the happier we will feel, and the more wo will cause other hearts to “sing for joy.” Work is the sweetest incense that we can offer to the Throne of the Creator. Then arise, noble women of all lands and nations, and fill the spheres that have been so long waiting for you. “Labor!—all labor Is noble and holy, Let thy great deeds be thy prayer to thy God!” Give your work your best thought and attention. Close application is the key to success, J APRIL, 1896.