189?.] ESSAYS. 37 



visit the Agricultural Department at Washington in the spring of the 

 year and look upon the several hundred women employed by the 

 Government putting up and labelling the seeds that are distributed 

 by the Congressmen? Note the advance in women's employment. 

 Prior to the war no women were employed in any of these depart- 

 ments, nothing but male clerks. United States Treasurer Spinner, 

 who signed the greenbacks first issued, was the first government officer 

 to ever hire women in any of the departments. Now many thousands 

 are employed in every department, and they make (of course) most 

 efficient clerks. 



" What many have done, and all can do." In many of the towns 

 in this State, and I presume other States, in the summer months dur- 

 ing the flower season, a flower committee is formed, meeting every 

 F'riday afternoon (generally at the depots) , there they receive flowers 

 donated by loyal women. They are packed, forwarded free by the 

 railroad companies, and distributed among the sick in various hospi- 

 tals of Boston and other cities. They are placed on small tables by 

 their bedsides and, better yet, the patients love to hold them in their 

 hands and doubtless do so as long as their fragrance lasts. Many 

 say, my lot in life is an humble one, I can do but little. Two ladies 

 visited the Cathedral of Cologne, they were admiring its beautiful 

 architecture when they overheard two men in the humble garb of 

 workmen say one to the other, "Didn't we do a splendid piece of 

 work?" One of the ladies said, "Pray what did you do?" "What 

 did I do?" said the workman, "I mixed mortar for two years over 

 across the street." Now if your lot is an humble one, if you cannot 

 do anything else, mix mortar, carry or send flowers to the sick and 

 helpless. Stand in your lot and by and by you will hear the great 

 Captain say, " Well done." 



An industry which is on the increase for the employment of women 

 is classified as small fruits. Home consumption has increased to 

 such an extent that many acres are raised to satisfy the demand, and 

 in the -season many women are employed in picking strawberries, 

 currants, raspberries and blackberries, they also are competent to 

 pack and ship, and in many cases supply the local trade. In the fall 

 of the year the canning factories give employment to many women. 

 There are many near my home and it is interesting to watch the pro- 

 cess of preserving the various kinds of fruits and vegetables; first 

 comes asparagus, string beans, Bartlett pears, sweet corn, tomatoes, 

 squash, apples, etc. This gives work to the old and young. The 

 packing of fruit is another source of income to women. At the South 



