Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-03

Whnt the war - DotnG Tor our women
One of the noble and philanthropic work.
eTs of the West, Mrs Frances D Gage, thus
truthfully and happily tells what the war is
doing for our women, in the last Columbus
Field Notes.
have before written of the openings made
for the hands of women by the war But
this is not all the war is doing for the sister,
hood. Every latent power of woman, so long
sleeping, has been aroused to active and vig-
orous life. In almost every little town and
village in the country there have sprung up
Aid Societies, responding to the call of the
country for help. If our manhood leaped
nobly into the ranks at the call of the Gov
ernment to suppress rebellion, not less nobly
have our women met their responsibilities
and duties. Feeble women have grown
strong, selfish women philanthropic, giddy
women assumed labors and duties unthought
of before, ambitious women found opportun.
tiles Of gratifying aspirations, and good wo-
men calls upon all the resources of their ami
able hearts. Sectionalsm, sectarianism and
class, for the first time being, are lost sight
of; the high and low have clasped hands in
one common cause. Mrs. First Circles son
is in the ranks, Mrs. Second Circles husbsnd
is First Lieutenant, and Miss Lower Class
father is Captain of the company. Of course
they will be friends in this work of supplying
the common need.
Beside all this, Messrs. First and Second
Circle have suspicion that the Misses
Lower Glass are quite as efficient at knitting
socks, making shirts, cutting out, packing
and boxing up; can swing heavy bolt of
cloth, walk six miles day getting up con
tributions, and besides have quite as much
practical knowledge of whats what" as
their own exclusive class Mrs, Episcopalian
MFo Rap iof SC
ant lady, and Mrs Presbyterian makes the
same wonderful discovery of Mrs. Methodist,
while the latter comes decidedly to the con.
clueion that there are real good folks in any
denomination, if one only gets to know
them.
When they meet together new interest
enerosses their minds, and consequently rolls
off their tongues; newspaper editors have
been 10 habit of shooting paper squibs at
lady folks, in years past, for gossiping about
their neighbors, and talking about cooking
stoves and hired girls. What else had they
to talk about I'd like to know? The rail.
road man talks of his route, the farmer of
wheat and corn, the stock man of Durhams
and Morgans, the school teacher of grammar
and algebra-the minister of his charge, and
the lawyer of his causes, Is it strange the
housewife talks of cooking. stoves, and my
lady-of fashion OF milliners, mantua makers
nd seTvants2
HChaDge the current of woman life into the
cbanrel of civil war; put her father hus.
bend or son in front Of the enemy's cannon,
and she will talk of heroism, loyalty and
love of country, with pathos that puts old
veterans to shame. She is ready for any
work that does not draw her beyond the
clarion cry of the cradle; and she fights the
home battle with heroic courage and perse-
| verance that astonishes herself.
tlxy pns4 "
girl to another, what do you wear that old
fashioned bonnet for it's as old as the
hills"
"And it shall be as old as the mountains il
need be, before I'm done with il, Belle
| Father gave me an X for a new hat-a span
new treasury note-and | said to myself
now, Miss Lily Brice, which is it new feath-
ers and flowers, velvet and ribbons to lutteI
on the street and at church, for few days
and not even-you know who-here to SEE
or flannel shirts and warm socks for-you
know who, or any other man-in CheaI
| Mountain Away went the dream of feath.
ers, and in come the bolt of good gray fan.
nell"
So goes the spirit, touching with its Thu.
riel spear the best and holiest in our womanly
nature. Not this only; but many a woman
who, before her husband, father or brother
went to war, never had learned one lesson o.
self-help, now finds herself brave enough fol
any emergency. Silently the tear of love
falls, but cheerfully she bears the burdens
that absence imposes; longingly she pray
fol- the return, but not till the olive brancf
of peace shall be brought in the beak of the
dove of submission from the ark of the Union
now tossing upon the deluging waters of re-
bellion. II the dear one falls at the post O
duty, she is ready TO say, ut is well Gods
will be done All that l have and am art
my country's."
This is what the war is doing for woman
teaching them of the great responsibilities
life; teaching them of their own power
teaching them through suffering to grow
strong. The womanhood of our whole ma
ton is being uplifted; and twenty year.
hence we shall see, not only what this wa
has done for woman, but what it has don,
through her for the race.