Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-07-13
WI1nt sort Of OId NIAid 1 shouId

f.
Do you suppose that the woman even
lived who wppld prefer single 10 married
life had she ever met with n man whom /
she could really love =? | have seen cold,
proud, intellectual woman apparent y self ,
sustained, gliding like the moan on her !
solitary path alone, dillusins Ii .sht, per- |
laps, but no warmth 10 the superficial
observer looking rs carclcesly down upon
Joy rs upon svrlow but No power ON
earth could persuade mo, that beneath that
smooth. ice there smoui.lered iio volcano;
no reasoning persuade mo that those
fingers would not rather have been twist
ing u baby's soft curls,. than turning the
leaves Of 'na,isty fUliosi;; no negative. shake
OF stheinesd, 1r forced laugh prskent my
eyes fYma Gollowing with lsesrpwfnlo ltsksi
she woman who WAS trying u make her
self believe such lie. Let her pile her
books, sh il upon shelf, and sciibble Iill
her pen, ink, paper, thoughts. eyos and
candle give out and then let her turn
round and face her woman's heart II she
dare defy her To stop long enough to
listen ono half hour ~ its pl-adings.
defy her to cit down in the still moonlight
| aud look on, while memories i'll mourniul
procession defls before her souls mirror.
without n cry VI anguish. defy her to
listen to the brooks ripple, the whispered
leaf music, or to look at tho soft clouds.
the quiet stars, the blossoming flowers. tho
little pairing birds rs they build their
nests-and above all, upon mother with
her babes arms about iIvr neck-without
turning soul sick away. She is not y
woman il she can do otherwise. She ID
not u woman ii she can bs satisfied with
clasping her own arms over waist which
belongs To nobody but herself. d:clare
her to bo ~ machine-a stick -and carved
in strai Sht instead Of undulntiny lines NJ
that she's nn icicle -;.n ossiica,ion--a
petrifaction--a orjatipn--a monster-iet
her keep her stony eyes and cold tin.ors
off mo she has no place in this living,
breathing, painting, loving world-out
upon her Tor walking mummy-have
her to har nieroglyphios. which [ than,
goodness are beyond my understanding.
/. Pshaw there are no such women
they are only making the best Of whist
they can't help; they are eating their own
f hearts out and making no sign in dying
They ought all To be- wives aud mothers
Cats, poodle dogs, parrots-plants, CANA
rics and vcstry maetings-are nothing /,
. it. No woman ever has tho faintest glimps'
into heaven till she has nursed her owl
:, baby in fact l half doubt il she l,a
earned right to go tIore ill SHE has 10
Ultimately had one.
Now were 1 An old maid-had no ma,
/, had sense enough To endow mo with tn
names nf wife aud mother, l would not e
round tile world whining about it. cithe
:, in prose or verse, any more than woul'
effect u Stoicism, trans aren't to every he
=. holder: l would just adopt the fist fa
~ baby l could find, though had to wor
!, my fingers to tho bono to keep its littl
y, mouth filled. l would have some moiv
;, to live-somethiny to work for-some
, thing in flesh and blood, whose soul
could call my own SOME title liro. war;
~ thing To put my cheek against when m
I, heart achcd. UnprotecIcd-a little chill
:, with its pure presence, should he nay pre-
: lsctiun. ,couldmi dry up and blow o
- like uscless leaf, with the warm, fra
~ grant sunshine and blue sky about m'
~ and my heart beating against my brea'
~ like trip-hummer. My little rooI
~ shouldn't DO cheerleSs and voiceless.
. tsouldnt die till some littls voice had cale
-, me "mother," though my blood did nj
-, ~ flow in its losy veins. l 'cOulIhave some
. thing to make sunshine i'll my heart au
~ home my nature shouldn't be like n TIRE
~ growing close To stone wall, only OF
~ ~ half of which caught the air and ligf
-. and sunshine-no, I would tear myself u
~ by the roots, and turn round and re-pla
10 myself. Some bird should come, NAL
=, its home with mo. and sing for mo ell
90 what use were my sheltering leaves 2
i Better the lightning should strike mo,
ha NvpnInnnpl = a t.Ilf ma down.
" .... ..r r.. FANNY F1Rs.