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222
A New England Girlhood, Outlined from Memory (Beverly, MA)
·
Lucy Larcom
164
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
daughter
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."
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