Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-11-13
WOMAN'S RIGHTS.


WoMAN's RIGHTS.
A young southern Lady addresses the fol-
lowing communication to the Edgefeld IN
former. 1t is written with much spirit and
displays fine appreciation of the ennobling
duties of woman as wife and mother:
"WuAr ARE WoMAN's RIGHTs ?"-To
stand in the public hall and let her voice,
raised above the loved-toDed key of home
vibrate through the eagerly listening crowd,
who smile, shrug their shoulders and feel so
comfortable under the knowledge, that, she
is not their wife, sister, or even anybody
with whom they are acquainted. 1t is fine
sport for them to sit and listen to her, a
stranger, descaut upon nations affairs, a
subject of which she knows so little that her
half-formed ideas do not even meet with
criticism, contempt, ridicule, and pity, are
the only feelings which woman can excite
as an orator. 1t is task for which she is
not fitted, nor indeed ever can be, even
were they to mingle daily the society of
men, and hear hourly expressed their ever
changing views. No, this is not "Woman's
Right" nor should it ever be her pleasure.
To dress her smiling baby in the morning,
and then feeling that she has discharged her
duty towards it for the day consign it to the
care of a hircling? Smooth the bright curls
CT her three year old daughter, and send
her off to school, when size had so much
rather play in the green shady park and re-
cite those few easy lessons to her dear NAM
ma? Hurry off her husband before he has
finished lighting his morning cigar, tell him
as he goes down the steps that he has over
turned her work-box and left his hat brush
upon the bureau? Give few hasty and
half ineligible direction to the servants,
then draw down the blinds, and throwing
herself upon a couch, commit her husband,
her children, and her household affairs to
the Goddess of chance, and bury her
thoughts in the contents Of some light In
different novel !-Thesc are not woman S
Rights (for they are trampling upon the
rights of those who are nearest and dearest
to her heart but they are alas too often her
pleasure.
Proud man asserts, that Woman has ne
business with political matters, that 'home
is her sphere Yes, 'home is her sphere,
and true hearted aconan would wish for nc
other but home is composed of husbands,
brothers, sons, and if she has no business
with these relations in life.
Where is the American wife that does not
wish to be the intelligent companion of hel
husband or the mother who does not wish
to be the first instructress of her children
Where is the wife who had not rather be ca
pable of entertaining her husband at hon'e, in
preference to having him seek the constant
companionship of his male friends?
The husband sits down to his table, asks
the blessing of God upon his food, and then
feeling in good spirits, he commences hi:
dinner and capital cotton story, both at the
same time his wife does not much relish
The joke because she cannot understand it.
but she will not be so selfish as to tell hin
so, his mind and all its energies are constant
ly devoted to honest labor, and if he talks a
all, he must speak of what he is thinking
so she raises her eyes now and then to hi
face with half curious, half amused look
and answers yes or no, at regular intervals
but sometimes she says yes, when she shoulc
have said no, and then feeling that he hal
only been wasting his breath, he pushes hi
plate away, with an impatient shaw ! its ne
use telling you anything. But cotton is ;
dull subject to those whom it does not con
Germ, there are matters Of deeper import, ant
which create livelier interest eren IN tn
heart Of a 'ooman
When the storm-cloud beats without anc
even when it does not, the husband puts OF
his slippers and draws his chair up to hi
fre.side, evincing by this simple act that hi
desire is to spend the evening there. HI
commences one subject after another, bu
his wife has not read 'Harpers,' she has no
seen the last papers, and does not know
what he is talking about-perhaps he ha
nothing to read, so 'poor fellow he mus
either listen to the petty annoyances of ;
day, SANDER his neighbors, or NOPE and d.
nothing until bed time. This is dull way
to spend the evening after all the wearyinl
7exations of the days business. The wifi
feels it, she looks upon his broad and mani!
brow already shaded by lines Of care, sh'
thinks how kind it was Of him to spend th'
evening with her instead of going out o
doors. She views the broad opening befor'
her, how easily her influence might be wiel
ded for good, and sighs as one opportunit..
after another glides past her unimproVed
Let the world sneer on the young wife
but if you love your husband seek to max
his home happy ; make his freside one a