222 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



town factories and offices ; but also for the 

 checking of that ever-increasing rural exodus 

 of young women from the health - giving 

 countryside to the overcrowded town. 



Whilst for 1881 to 1891 the emigration to 

 the towns amongst males amounted to 7*4, 

 amongst women it was as much as 33*5 per cent. 



It is obvious then that if the more capable 

 young women are bent on leaving the villages 

 for the towns the more capable young men 

 will follow them thither. Moreover, those 

 who have any knowledge of village life will 

 bear me out when I say that young girls who 

 have left the country to take up positions as 

 smart parlour-maids, nurses, or dressmakers 

 are strongly disinclined to renew " walking 

 out " with the yokel who paid court to them 

 before they donned the cap and apron or 

 carried a bandbox. 



When the country lass returns to her 

 village for a holiday she is a "young lady" 

 in domestic service, whose patronage is sought 

 for by proprietors of fashion papers and of the 

 " Princess " novelette type of literature, and 

 she looks with a critical eye upon her swain 

 who is still over-weighted with great chunks 

 of clay upon his hobnailed boots. 



