The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-04-27

lure, ana VIII accord Win the quaIllleb OI
her being. It will not therefore be strong
physical work, but where clean, delicate
work il needed, where emotion mingles
with thought, it will be her work in the
future, and still more as the future opens
into civilization. Woman's truest work is
of home and its sanctites.
Let us not fear these Offices will be a
bandoned, there will be still the heart of
the wife and mother. There are many
women for whom this sphere of home is
enough. But If woman is enslaved and
degraded at home, where shall she have
honor? In this sphere claim for her
large and liberal culture. Is it of no con
sequence who is to discharge these offices
who is to tdach and train the life, the
heart of the future mani Among women
there are two classes, whom the home du-
ties do not absorb, and the claim some
thing to do. They comprise those who are
not forced to work for q living, and those
who are. In behalf of those. say
large field is needed for woman's work.
Consider what ought to be done for that
class of women who must work or perish.
What are they TO do? That is the ques-
ton. might specify many forms of la
bor such as some parts of matchmaking,
Of telcgraphing, of the work OF newspaper
offic 6, and countless others, all Of which
are adapted to woman's nature and Ter ca
pacily. The claim of this class of women
is simply the claim Of their humanity
They must have this work or perish-per
ish ia one of two ways-physically, either
from lack Of work or scant:ness Of it,
Think of the poor widow who makes shil Is
at five cents piece-and | suppose the
man who lays it covers the New Testa-
ment with that five cent piece. She can,
perhaps, make one day. Is not that re-
ducing humanity nearly to starvaiicn?-
Think of those noble women who virtually
say, "Let death have US, so he takes to
God our womanly Turity untainted."-
hank God for the women who die honor
a ly and noblv and only perish physically!
think what saints they make in Heaven,
with their sweet faces from which all the
trouble is glorifcd away. What did those
men, whom the world call heroes, moro
than these nob'e women, who. -cliDging to
their conscience, died at their posts. APP
plause This ought not TO be so. Then
should she work for all, and lea of all
should work he denied her, because she is
womon; and yet this is really the fact
We reverse the divine law, which tells us
not to OF press the weaker, and turn and
oppress them because they are weak. To
some men, the shirts they have made,
might be the shirt Of Nessus. l wish
these old scrougers who pay five cents for
making shirts, might be haunted with wo
mems ghosts, who should bear the iHscrip-
tion,-"More work and better pay" But
there is another class who perish morally.
We must not shrink from all the facts,
and il is fact that want of work has a
great deal to do with driving TO shame the
10000 women in our city who walk our
streets, whose smile is only seen by the
gas-light. But the shame is not all with
them. Shame upon him who offers the
price Of dishor or; shame upon those hon
orable women who smile upon the victo
rious det rchce; shame upon ourselves, if
we nourish any prejudice which depreciates
the value Of woman. Let all these shames
blend with the shame of the poor lost
girl, and tighten a little the curse that
bears too exclusively upon her, Here are
these ITO classes, who must have work, or
else honCably or dshonorably perish.
But there is another class of women,
who are not compelled TO work, concern
ing whom one of the nobest women of
our day, Mrs. Jameson, asks if more
enlarged social sphere cannot be allowed
women? / can merely say, that this field |
is indicated in the philanthroric institu-
tions of our age. 1t is excmplifed in o.
mon like women like Elizabeth Fry and
+ orcnco igLtingalc. [Applause. One
of those poor soldiers at Crimea said, that
her shadow seemed to do him good rs it
passed over his bed. What compliment
to her was that of another poor sick man,
who said to her, ~ believe you are not a
woman, but an angel"
How much better is that than the hom.
age Of the drawing room, or triumph Of q
Irritation. AppIausc How many wo-
man might be an angel to the poor hollow
eyes that followed her from sick bed
Let us remember that this is not an at
ter pit TO draw woman from her sphere
But let US consider how many claims there
are out of this sphere. Let us not fear
any ridicule which may De cast upon U.S.
Ridicule is the feeblest weapon that can
be used; it proves the lack of heavier ar
tillery; it fires scattering shot and does
not hit the mark 1t is rather a fearful
picture to be sure, Of masculine woman,
schcmne in Wall street, or shouting in
Tammany Hall. Put when called 10 step
forward TO the line, who shows moro man
illness, more courage. than woman? Look
at the maid of Saragossa, look at Grace
Darling, and at that noble woman who
but year ago brought home the ship Of
her poor disabled husband, she may have
been out Of her sphere, but she circum-
navigated the globe. Applause. am
inclined to believe that woman starving
in the streets, is fully incongfuous as wo-
man in the Senate or The Forum.
The true idea Of civilization will never
be unfolded till woman has been placed
upon an equality with man. In the cabin
of the Mayfower, in the war Of the Rcvo-
luton, when the wives loaded the muskets,
there were such men, because there were
such women. The grandest transactions
of history are unfolded when she stands