Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-03-12

my hatred to the oppressor grew, grew also
an infinite compassion, an ardent love for
! all oppressed souls, which l might very
well call my first love- and vowed to nv
self to live for them, and never to give nv
heart and my hand to husband. But you
came, Yngye; learned to love you, and
through you / began TO have faith in
mans justice, in mans magnanimity. -
That was much, but you gave me more; you
gave me faith in God, by the knowledge of
bis ways, by the insight into his revelation;
OIL have to thanksyou for very muchl'
Is it then only gratitudeY said Yngve;
is it no more than this which binds you to
me? in that case, Hertha, we may easily
! part, because--'
No. interrupted she, 'ah, no and you
cannot wish for more than my heart gives
you, in the first place involuntarily, / ac-
knowledge 1t, but afterwards Of free will
and cheerfuly, since have come to know
you fully; and yet. nevertheless, cannot
help dreadng marriage, even with You, be-
cause | dread lis consequences. How is it.,
Yngve, that woman, the whole world over,
is commended, as daughter, wife, mother,
sister, friend, nurse, comforter,-yet at the
same, how common it is to regard the birth
of daughter with Indifference, or dssatis-
faction, nay, even with pity? Is it not
from this cause that wOman'S lot on earth
is an inferior one; that she is not entitled,
as men are. 10y the laws of the land, to
freedom, Independent action, or to seek for
happiness in her own way that she is de-
Stined to he deprecated and to suffer much?
And here, in our native land especially, how
gloomy is her path; how circumscribed her
portion; how is the whole of her life crush
ed down by unjust laws.
Yngve replied, with much tenderness and
feeling:
I understand you, my beloved. But
you are too much Affected by your gloomy
impressions, and not yet accustomed to con.
template brighter scenes But have faith
in God then-how can you de dthefwisI
] than hope in the extension of his kingdom
his justice and love on the earth Oui
laws with regard to the freedom of woman
and her future, may be changed. ] eanhot
doubt of it when / think what Swedish
women were and are, even under laws sc
narrow-minded as ours; | cannot doubt oi
it in presence of a woman such rs you.-
And we will labor to speed forward the ad
vent of that day.
Hertha looked mp, whilst her eyes beam
ed with joy. Yes said she, | will com
bat for that object, even though it shouIC
debar me for ever from the more deliciou
joys Of life. Yes, will remain faithful t
my first love-!
How what do you mean? asked Yng
We, astonished.
Let us rest moment here, Yngve; yo
must be tired with walking, and these walls
they were now among the ruins, afford u
convenient restng-places; we can talk bet
ter here.'
Yngve seated himself and gazed will
excited attention at Hertha, who continues
standing opposite to him, as she rested he
arm upon another blackened wall the moo
brightly illumined her expressive counte
nance and noble figure. She continued il
a grave and gentle voice:
Is there no higher object for man an(
woman than marriage, than that of livin,
!, happily with each, and with their offspring
will not blame such as do not seek an
object higher than this in life; but God ha
not permitted me TO find it all-suficing :
Were it so, should be disloyal to my frs
love; should have lived and suffered il
vain. Yngve! love you with my Who'll,
heart, and yet | cannot, l will not live a
lone for your happiness and my Own,-iI
that case should not deserve to live
Strange girl For what then will yo
live?
To liberate my captive sisters, reptile
| II aptb bo xvif nd
liberate those souls whose longngs an
sufferngs God has given me to feel and t
understand; as far as my ability and m
little sphere extend, to break the fetter
which bind them, to inspire them with tn
desire which inspires me; to give them th
hope which has become mine, since l hav
become acquainted with you, Yngve, an
: through you, with the Lord of freedom an
love. am not too sanguine in my hopes
as you are; ! know, that such men as 20
/ are rare in the world, and | fear that
will yet be long before our Swedish legl
! lators will eoncede to woman the right
unrestricted human and social freedom an
, Development; long before they will thro
open to the daughters of Sweden those edI
cational institutions which would give theI
] an opportunity Of acquiring knowledge an
S seIfreIiance; in word, before they will d
>, for them that which they have done for th
t sons of our country. Not having arrive
l. at years of maturity in the eye Of the lane
c without the right to control my own PR
y perty, or my own actions; iguorant of M
s ny things which it is important for me I
; know; yet feel within myself a will, al
e latterly light, which may place me iu
!. condition to work towards coming d
e lverance
g would found an Institution of educ
e tion, higher school, where girls, out
b whatever class of society they may b.
y which have Gwoke to consciousness of
: higher want and for whom the spiritual ce
in which they have lived has become to
n limited, may acquire the true knowledge
7 themselves and of their vocation, as men
It berS of society may teach themselves t
a reflect and to answer the questions, 'Wha
l. am what can do +? what ought |
do p
!' Il perhaps may not live to see this do.
lf but may prepare its advent; see the ro.