a new england girlhood-第28节
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pon by and by。
The true climber knows the delight of trusting his path； of following it without seeing a step before him； or a glimpse of blue sky above him； sometimes only knowing that it is the right path because it is the only one； and because it leads upward。 This our daily duty was to us。 Though we did not always know it； the faithful plodder was sure to win the heights。 Unconsciously we learned the lesson that only by humble Doing can any of us win the lofty possibilities of Being。 For indeed； what we all want to find is not so much our place as our path。 The path leads to the place； and the place； when we have found it； is only a clearing by the roadside； an opening into another path。
And no comrades are so dear as those who have broken with us a pioneer road which it will be safe and good for others to follow； which will furnish a plain clue for all bewildered travelers hereafter。 There is no more exhilarating human experience than this； and perhaps it is the highest angelic one。 It may be that some such mutual work is to link us forever with one another in the Infinite Life。
The girls who toiled together at Lowell were clearing away a few weeds from the overgrown track of independent labor for other women。 They practically said； by numbering themselves among factory girls； that in our country no real odium could be attached to any honest toil that any self…respecting woman might undertake。
I regard it as one of the privileges of my youth that I was permitted to grow up among those active； interesting girls； whose lives were not mere echoes of other lives； but had principle and purpose distinctly their own。 Their vigor of character was a natural development。 The New Hampshire girls who came to Lowell were descendants of the sturdy backwoodsmen who settled that State scarcely a hundred years before。 Their grandmothers had suffered the hardships of frontier life； had known the horrors of savage warfare when the beautiful valleys of the Connecticut and the Merrimack were threaded with Indian trails from Canada to the white settlements。 Those young women did justice to their inheritance。 They were earnest and capable； ready to undertake anything that was worth doing。 My dreamy； indolent nature was shamed into activity among them。 They gave me a larger； firmer ideal of womanhood。
Often during the many summers and autumns that of late years I have spent among the New Hampshire hills； sometimes far up the mountainsides； where I could listen to the first song of the little brooks setting out on their journey to join the very river that flowed at my feet when I was a working girl on its banks； the Merrimack；I have felt as if I could also hear the early music of my workmates' lives； those who were born among these glorious summits。 Pure； strong； crystalline natures； carrying down with them the light of blue skies and the freshness of free winds to their place of toil； broadening and strengthening as they went on； who can tell how they have refreshed the world； how beautifully they have blended their being with the great ocean of results？ A brook's life is like the life of a maiden。 The rivers receive their strength from the rock…born hills； from the unfailing purity of the mountain…streams。
A girl's place in the world is a very strong one： it is a pity that she does not always see it so。 It is strongest through her natural impulse to steady herself by leaning upon the Eternal Life； the only Reality； and her weakness comes also from her inclination to lean against something；upon an unworthy support； rather than none at all。 She often lets her life get broken into fragments among the flimsy trellises of fashion and convention… ality； when it might be a perfect thing in the upright beauty of its own consecrated freedom。
Yet girlhood seldom appreciates itself。 We often hear a girl wishing that she were a boy。 That seems so strange！ God made no mistake in her creation。 He sent her into the world full of power and will to be a helper； and only He knows how much his world needs help。 She is here to make this great house of humanity a habitable and a beautiful place； without and within；a true home for every one of his children。 It matters not if she is poor； if she has to toil for her daily bread； or even if she is surrounded by coarseness and uncongeniality： nothing can deprive her of her natural instinct to help； of her birthright as a helper。 These very hindrances may； with faith and patience； develop in her a nobler womanhood。
No； let girls be as thankful that they are girls as that they are human beings； for they also； according to his own loving plan for them； were created in the image of God。 Their real power； the divine dowry of womanhood； is that of receiving and giving inspiration。 In this a girl often surpasses her brother； and it is for her to hold firmly and faithfully to her holiest instincts； so that when he lets his standard droop； she may； through her spiritual strength； be a standard bearer for him。 Courage and self…reliance are now held to be virtues as womanly as they are manly； for the world has grown wise enough to see that nothing except a life can really help another life。 It is strange that it should ever have held any other theory about woman。
That was a true use of the word 〃help〃 that grew up so naturally in the rendering and receiving of womanly service in the old… fashioned New England household。 A girl came into a family as one of the home…group； to share its burdens； to feel that they were her own。 The woman who employed her； if her nature was at all generous； could not feel that money alone was an equivalent for a heart's service； she added to it her friendship； her gratitude and esteem。 The domestic problem can never be rightly settled until the old idea of mutual help is in some way restored。 This is a question for girls of the present generation to consider； and she who can bring about a practical solution of it will win the world's gratitude。
We used sometimes to see it claimed； in public prints； that it would be better for all of us mill…girls to be working in families； at domestic service； than to be where we were。 Perhaps the difficulties of modern housekeepers did begin with the opening of the Lowell factories。 Country girls were naturally independent； and the feeling that at this new work the few hours they had of every…day leisure were entirely their own was a satisfaction to them。 They preferred it to going out as 〃hired help。〃 It was like a young man's pleasure in entering upon business for himself。 Girls had never tried that experiment before； and they liked it。 It brought out in them a dormant strength of character which the world did not previously see； but now fully acknowledges。 Of course they had a right to continue at that freer kind of work as long as they chose； although their doing so increased the perplexities of the housekeeping problem for themselves even； since many of them were to become； and did become； American house…mistresses。
It would be a step towards the settlement of this vexed and vexing question if girls would decline to classify each other by their occupations； which among us are usually only temporary； and are continually shifting from one pair of hands to another。 Changes of fortune come so abruptly that the millionaire's daugh… ter of to…day may be glad to earn her living by sewing or sweeping tomorrow。
It is the first duty of every woman to recognize the mutual bond of universal womanhood。 Let her ask herself whether she would like to hear herself or little sister spoken of as a shop…girl； or a factory…girl； or a servant…girl； if necessity had compelled her for a time to be employed in either of the ways indicated。 If she would shrink from it a little； then she is a little inhuman when she puts her unknown human sisters who are so occupied into a class by themselves； feeling herself to be somewhat their superior。 She is really the superior person who has accepted her work and is doing it faithfully； whatever it is。 This designating others by their casual employments prevents one from making real distinctions； from knowing persons as persons。 A false standard is set up in the minds of those who classify and of those who are classified。
Perhaps it is chiefly the fault of ladies themselves that the word 〃lady〃 has nearly lost its original meaning （a noble one） indicating sympathy and service；bread…giver to those who are in need。 The idea that it means something external in dress or circumstances has been too generally adopted by rich and poor； and this； coupled with the sweeping notion that in our country one person is just as good as another； has led to ridiculous results； like that of saleswomen calling themselves 〃sales… ladies。〃 I have even heard a chambermaid at a hotel introduce herself to guests as 〃the chamber…lady。〃
I do not believe that any Lowell mill…girl was ever absurd enough to wish to be known as a 〃factory…lady；〃 although most of them knew that 〃factory…girl〃 did not represent a high type of womanhood in the Old World。 But they themselves belonged to the New World； not to the Old； and they were making their own traditions； to hand down to their Republican descendantsone of which was and is that honest work has no need
