Litchfield enquirer., 1861-06-06
INK-BOTTLE PAPERS.
NunRER Oxx.

|" How often have wished to be man ]" re- marked lady in my hearing the other day. Why, my dear young friend ]" exclaimed the middle-aged gentleman with whom she was con versing, in tone of mingled astonishment and reproof .A
 " It is not because admire 80 much your sex or despise so much my own, but because it is so irksome to live in this euerlastinq bondage" Bondage! An! woman's rights, perceive" said MT. B., with supercil:ous smile.
 "No, sir. Not in your sense of the term. I do not wish to vote, to enter the forum, to mount the pulpit, or to walk the wards. do not refuse to pay my taxes; our pecuniaryr in terests are now sufficiently well represented but desire to be delivered from the "chivalrous forbearance" of your sex" ...
 "Then you would unsex yourself, throw of the restraints of existent. society, and receive from men the same rough treatment they give their fellows!"
 No, sir. You are still mistaken. I only wish you to act upon the theory which in this age all civilized men declare they have adopted as principle-that women, though different, are not an inferior race. We wish not to lead ar- mics, to plan revolutions, or to rule empires, (though the women capable of attenspting these' are not more rare, think, than are those of the opposite sex who succeed in them J we would not trespass upon your mission, and wish you not to interfere with ours but we desire that our mission should be held in equal estimation' as dissimilar, but equally important life-tssk with that so vaunted by men. Theirs is to dare, to construct, and to defend theirs are the great wheels of the worlds machinery but ours, though lesser, are of full as much moment. Break but the one wheel of ideality found prin- cipally in our sex, and where is all that renders beautiful and pure? You acknowledge this, but on the woman who fulfils her beautfying mission, you bend grandly charitable smile as one who would say, This is all very well for you, but ,re--v Women sacrifice health, life, and love, to relieve the suffering, and with most condescending benignity you write an article in praise of the benevolence of the weaker sex. For love, a woman bestows more wealth of heart than man can ever know, and he mag unanimously deigns to accept of it-for little the toy with bow of gallantry and smile of dissatisfaction, at his surprising forbearance in not casting from the earth the poor creature who has served his turn. Perhaps, in his wonderful greatness of spirit, he may even speak or sing III praIse UT v1r--.-~.,-----af a--~-:---- t-;4h some single conspicuous instance for a text,) as though it were a case of rare occurrence, when daily, in their own neighborhood, perhaps even in their own household, may at that very time be enacting one as noble, or more so--and he. he opens not an eye, but contents himself with saying-if indeed he notices it at all--' Some women are really interesting in the same tone in which he would remark, That's pretty rose' Indeed, you treat us all as Petruchio did his wife-beat us from kindness, starve us from friendship, and degrade us from love.
 "We don't wish to enter the same arena as competitors for the same prize for which men wrestle; but we wish to walk with them on terms of equality in our different but parallel paths, each lending the other the helping hand' and each respecting the mission of the other as equal to their own."
 But" said Mir. B. again." if this is all you require, why should you wish to bea man? Why do you net try to institute reform which you ladies conceive to be so needed?"
 Because, sir, it would all end in trying. It cannot be done till the spirit of benevolence grows much greater, and the spirit of pride much less in your sex, of which there seems no pres ent prospect. Still, I would use my little strength to elevate my sex, and do most ear nestly long to be delivered from the patronizing kindness and insolent simpering with which we are too often addressed. Gentlemen of appa- rent good sense in other places, enter an eyen- ing party and immediately institute, instead of sensible converse, nonsensical gibbering, a sal magundi of islander, gossip, dress and fattery. Are politics introducedf The gentleman mar rows into few personal anecdotes of distin- guished men, or informs us in a very decided way, that it is a matter too high for us-we can not attain to it.
 Does lady expresss an opinion on the hor TOTS of war?
 "Ah1 yes," says mine Adserary with a sicken- ing simper intended to be fascinating, An ! yes, so all fair ladies think.'' ........
 Does another ask him a puzzling question up- on subject slightly abstruse? He leans back in his chair, rubs his face, looks extremely wise, and hints that his wisdom could not descend to so low a level Does she attempt an argument She is straightway advised that reason is not the province of woman.' Does she stoutly hold her own? Firmness and courage are not wo- manly virtues.' Ohl would be man that l might be listened to, or rebuked, without the look of impatient forbearance which says, deal gently with you because you are woman, but scorn to answer so weak an Adversary That might engage Tn some useful calling for which nature has fitted me, without being told that such pursuits are unfeminine,' and that, MT. B.. after an harangue like this need not hear it said, that complaints from woman are unlove ly!'
 Well, well my dear," said MT. B. languidly yawning, destiny, it seems, made you woman, and rhadamontade will avail nothing, therefore let us turn to some more pleasant topic."
 z Yes. said the young girl to herself with !, 2 bitter sigh, yes this s not pleasing to his iord | ships humanity, therefore change the topic Then-aloud-s ME B, have yon purcaasea 'ue