WORKING TO LIVE.-II. 
ONE GIRL’S STRUGGLES. 
Y position of governess I found hard—I had three 
boys to teach in a little room detached from the 
house. The youngest lad advanced more rapidly with 
me than he had before done with any one ; so even his 
mother declared. But the elder boys missed the com¬ 
panionship and competition they would have had in a 
school, and found their tasks dry and mechanical. I, 
mys'lf, had been taught mere book knowledge in the 
way Prof. Rice so much condemns in recent numbers 
of the Forum, and knew no other way of teaching. 
When my pupils questioned outside of the lesson page 
I could not answer. I could not tell them of the origin 
of stones and stars, of birds and worms, and beasts. 
Had the atmosphere of the home been friendly and 
congenial, I might have studied and transmitted to 
them as I learned ; but it was cold and forbidding. I 
soon found that Mrs. Breezhard regarded me more as a 
hireling than a sister woman. “ Why did they send 
you to me I wonder. You are liable to be taken sick 
any time and then I should have to nurse you,” she 
said relative to my weakness once. “ Not while cars 
are near, and I can crawl,” I told her, for I was deeply 
wounded. 
When the young folks of the village called and 
invited me to amusements, she was angry, and said so, 
and that I was there to teach, not to be entertained; 
and once she took her boys to a boat launch and left 
as a task for me a dress of her own to complete. 
Afterwards when the lady who had sent the invita¬ 
tions asked, before her, why I had not come, she 
answered : “ Oh, I forgot to tell her she was invited— 
it is too bad—we had such a good time.” And in ways 
like this she made me feel that she estimated me as a 
machine she had hired. Gladly would I have left, but 
my contract was for three months, and I had to 
borrow money to go there. Always after my school 
work there was sewing or mending. My only times to 
myself were Sunday evenings. I would not have 
minded the work if she had been a little kind, but I 
was made an outsider from the first, and when the 
glad hour for my departure at last came she asked me 
to help the man down her narrow stairs with my 
trunk lest he might mar the walls ; this he, more con¬ 
siderate of my weakness, refused to permit. 
I hope and believe that the Mrs. Breezhards of the 
world are rare. Going back to dreary uncertainty, I 
resolved that though I should perish from hunger, 
never again would I take work under a woman as my 
employer. Heart starvation is hardest, and though I 
had been housed and fed, no after privations made me 
long to live those days over. I rested in the real home 
of my sister for a little while, then canvassed for a 
book on authors. Successful in the village, I failed in 
the city upon my return, but did not lose hope. 
Armed with letters from rich and influential friends 
to directors of a library, I sought for a position soon 
to be vacant. All received me kindly, promising their 
help or telling me courteously it was pledged else¬ 
where, except one man—an old, white-haired judge of 
reputed wealth and philanthropy, gone now with his 
record to a higher bar than earth’s. He, too, seemed 
very kind, but, as I arose to go, bent to kiss me. I 
shrank away with a burst of tears, and cried: 
“Oh, Judge H-, don’t you think me respectable 
because I am seeking this place ? ” It seemed as 
if I could not endure it, I was so hurt, and it was so 
unexpected. He tried with many apologies to soothe me. 
“ Why, child, it was as a father ; I am old enough to 
be your grandfather,” which was true. 
“ But,” I said, “would you like your own grand¬ 
child to be so treated by an entire stranger ? ” I 
knew that he would never have taken such a liberty 
with one whom he deemed his equal socially, or 
who had any one to protect her. I was alone, but 
I had thought my own modest womanhood and desire 
to do right before God, protection enough, and Judge 
H. was a church member ! I do not know whether 
he voted against me or not, but I did not get the place 
—the librarian averred that he needed no extra help. 
Long work, strong hope, anxious hours for nothing, 
besides a secret—for I told no one—stinging shame and 
pain ! I used to pray that God would make the editors 
(for by this time I had begun newspaper work with 
some slight success, and, to save postage, took the 
manuscripts to them myself) kind to me and respect¬ 
ful, even if they declined my contributions. And they 
were both. I think of them gratefully ; for, with my 
crude notions of what constituted merit, I must have 
been a trial. I never spared work—writing, rewriting 
one story. Then, as a little money came for a child’s 
story from a farm paper which paid 31 a column, I 
sent another away, and it never returned ; most of 
them did. I see now why I failed: I created impossible 
situations for impossible characters, instead of the 
real I saw around me. Gradually, however, I acquired 
some skill, and I think the editors must have grown 
sorry for the gaunt little skeleton which haunted 
them so persistently, though, of course, that wouldn’t 
have made them take what they couldn’t use. When¬ 
ever any wee thing sold, I soared — my bread 
and water were a feast, for, rent paid, that was gen¬ 
erally all I had. Then things would come back all in 
a heap sometimes, and my farm editor, who owned a 
farm with fruit and eggs—all he could eat every day— 
would lay my child stories by till next week: then 
Providence would help me, for, when I had nothing at 
all to eat, T often fell ill and so couldn’t have tasted a 
feast. Sometimes, too, I would go out into the sun¬ 
shine and walk by some restaurant, inhaling the 
incense of the food. No one who hasn’t been 
hungry, as a rule, can know how much strength may 
be gained from a smell. None of my friends knew of 
this, you may be sure; not for all their fortunes would 
I have had them guess, and I would not borrow, or 
beg. or steal, or commit suicide. I lived in the spirit 
mostly. 
But did I at last make a living writing ? No, but I 
made friends of the intellect and heart by holding to 
high ideals, and so won my life’s friend, my husband, 
and my safe home niche, from which I feel God will 
never let me be driven ; I have had struggles enough. 
And what have they taught ? That all humanity is 
my kindred ; that had my poor faculty (but my best) 
for expression been earlier developed and guided, my 
work might have succeeded. Therefore, I say, let 
parents learn the bent of each child’s mind and then 
help and teach him or her to concentrate and perfect 
it. Let home-makers not grow impatient with the 
home-keepers because the dollars come slowly. Some 
who fail in life’s struggle use as much strength and 
earnest effort as others about whom gold seems to 
shower. Love only can hold us above the power of 
worldly failure, and when we cling to high ideals, we 
receive real and permanent help, for God is near when 
we aspire. mary vaughn. 
HELPFUL NOVELTIES FOR THE HOME. 
ACH succeeding year, manufacturers of every 
grade of goods to be sold at large, are learning 
more thoroughly that while advertising on paper is a 
necessity, advertising by exhibit among the buyers is 
even better. Mahomet is being brought to the moun¬ 
tain by every possible device. The great Food Exhibi¬ 
tion was one phase of the working of this principle; the 
Institute Fair, a pioneer in this line, presented several 
phases, though with less blowing of trumpets. Here, 
as elsewhere, the efforts of advertisers were directed 
to catching the attention of the women, to meeting 
household needs or to creating household wants. 
No man with a household, however, especially with 
a wife who talks, could fail to notice the light, smooth¬ 
surfaced, unbreakable wares on exhibition. Every 
woman who ever owned a piece of graniteware is so 
loud in its praises that her pmans of triumph must 
penetrate even behind the “ non-conducting” news¬ 
paper of her spouse. Yet, even with its praises, has 
sounded an occasional “if only.” These “if onlys” 
have reference to its chipping easily if accidentally 
dropped, and to its not being able to endure dry heat 
with the equanimity desirable in baking receptacles 
and empty vessels liable to a moment’s forgetfulness 
over an intense fire. The demand is a constant and 
growing one, the graniteware has paved the way by 
heavy advertising and by its many points of absolute 
worth. The time is ripe for the appearance of newer 
wares, with improved characteristics, which will need 
only to present their claims to be seized upon with avid¬ 
ity. The Stransky steehvare is one of the competitors 
of the graniteware. Almost every conceivable vessel 
and household utensil comes in this ware, and it claims 
to be enameled on steel, thus being lighter in weight 
than the granite, with less liability to chip. One of 
the patents on this ware is a coffee-pot in French style; 
a strainer for the coffee, a water spreader, a button 
over the spout to hold the aroma, are some of its 
features. Another patent is on a kettle for custards 
or boiled milk puddings, having a double bottom with 
asbestos interlining. With the use of this it is claimed 
that no amount of carelessness in the cook can burn 
the milk. 
But on the other side of the hall was an exhibit of 
imported ware bearing the name of “ Adamant.” This 
is also on steel and of light weight. Many of the ves¬ 
sels greatly resemble the Stransky-steel. Many of 
them are in light mottled shades ; and chamber sets, 
table trays, and other pieces are in cliina-white, deco¬ 
rated in gold and colors. A soup tureen shown was 
almost as handsome as decorated china of a good 
grade. And all these goods are claimed not to break, 
chip or burn, while the surface is of glassy smooth¬ 
ness. Does anything more remain to be asked ? Prices 
are high, of course, yet not higher than those of the 
graniteware, except in the case of the decorated pieces. 
One noticed especially the competition in small, 
portable heaters of every sort, for the use of gas and 
oil. Grates with asbestos against the back to give the 
appearance of burning fuel; small, fancy radiators in 
gilt, or white and gold, red and gold, etc., abounded. 
The “ greatest hit of the season ” consisted of a set of 
tiny heating stoves. A cast standard and top are 
connected by a cylindrical drum pierced by countless 
holes, though which a cheery red light pours fo^th. 
Those on exhibition were being run with gas One 
size only, less than two feet high, is made for the use 
of oil. It is called “ The Silver Central-draft Oil 
Stove,” and is claimed to “ work exactly the same ” as 
the gas stoves. If this claim is sustained, nothing 
could be more valuable for bathrooms, farmhouse bed¬ 
rooms, and for autumn use where but little heat is 
needed. Probably the oil will not give as much heat 
as the gas. The cost is averred to be less than half a 
cent an hour for the oil, and the stove costs 34. 
An adjustable drop-leaf desk here shown should also 
prove a boon to thousands of farm house sitting-rooms. 
Certainly this is a want that has been long felt. A 
desk is, in a large majority of cases, an impossible 
expense. But the drop-leaf can be adjusted any¬ 
where : against the wall, or directly across a window 
if desired, and it does not interfere with opening the 
latter. It may also be adjusted at a height and angle 
to serve as an easel. It includes a window guard, ink 
stand and pen rack and seems strong (being braced) 
and costs from 32.50 to 34. 
A taking bit of advertising adopted by the manufac¬ 
turers of a disinfectant known asChloro Naphtholeum, 
consisted in a legal looking document labeled “ Notice 
to leave premises.” It was dated September, 1892, 
and addressed to “ poisonous gases, odors, etc and 
ran partially as follows : “I wish you to leave the fol¬ 
lowing described premises now in your occupation, 
and known as water-closets, sinks, stables, ash barrels, 
damp cellars, swill barrels, etc., together with the 
Lot of Vermin on which said offensive oJors are situ¬ 
ated. Your compliance with this notice to vacate 
within three minutes after its service, will prevent 
any legal measures being taken by the undersigned to 
obtain possession. Signed, B. U. Clean, J. P ” These 
slips were distributed as circulars. 0. s. v. 
A SELECT NEW YORK GATHERING. 
ARAPHRASING WATTS, perhaps, Ruskin says 
of the idle: “If they have nothing else to do 
they will do mischief ; and the man who will not 
work, and has no means of intellectual pleasure, is as 
sure to become an instrument of evil as if he had sold 
himself bodily to Satan.” 
On the way toward mischief, it would seem, although 
as yet the exponents of inanity rather than evil, are 
some New York women who, if not aristocratic, at 
least own aristocratic dogs. It is gravely told in the 
“ only woman’s page ” of a prominent daily that Mrs. 
C.’s 35,000 dog,—“ already blase on the subject of first 
prizes, she has taken so many ”—held a birthday 
party some time since, and “there was a great flutter 
in select canine circles for as much as a day before¬ 
hand. Each dog came arrayed in his best ribbon and 
blanket, while his mistress attended him and gently 
remonstrated when his table etiquette was in danger 
of falling below the correct standard. The menu in¬ 
cluded select chicken bones, meat pie and cream, and 
the favors were rubber balls. Mrs. H.’s black and tan 
was conceded to have the most distinguished manners 
of any of the guests, while Mrs. R’s was declared too 
fascinating for any use.” 
The latest festivity in dogdom was the christening 
of five puppies belonging to the same family. If these 
dogs belonged to five-year-old children, one might 
understand and sympathize; but women of this pro¬ 
gressive nineteenth century ! 
1 he old saying that “consumption can 
be cured if taken in time” was poor com¬ 
fort. It seemed to invite a trial, but to 
anticipate failure. The other one, not so 
old, “ consumption can be cured,” is con¬ 
sidered by many false. 
Both are true and not true ; the first is 
prudent—one cannot begin too early. 
The means is careful living. Scott’s 
Emulsion of cod-liver oil is sometimes 
an important part of that. 
Let us send you a book on careful 
living free. 
□ Scott & Bowxe, Chemists, 132 South 5th Avenue, New York. 
Your druggist keeps Scott’s Emulsion of cod-liver oil—all druggists 
everywhere do. SI. 
