The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-02-07
What Woman Should Do.


What woman should do. Well, what
should she do? That is the vexed question
just now, and we want all the help we can
have from the masculine brain to help us
solve it. Every well, says our broad shout
dered, masculine friend;" we do not believe
in woman's travelling about lecturing, fill.
ing agencies, and the like We believe
she should move in her appropriate sphere
and that sphere we believe to be h0me."-
Oh yes! now we understand? Woman's
proper sphere is home? Not to travel abonti
To stay at home? Yes, yes, now we see
''let her stay at home build about her
-four square walls with pictures hung ant
gilded may be?-bring all your stro ne
logic that this is her mission, her beat; thai
she is not TO aspire to any life of usefulness
beyond this; tell her that she was born and
must be educated to this one end, one desti
ny-to be accomplished as the world goes:
to marry as the world does; to be dressed, to
be painted, to be hattered, to be said mean
iugless things to-aye and return them
to be supported in idleness, and treated as a
play thing, living lives of supine idIeness
on the one hand, or petty household drudg-
cry on the other. This is woman's missioni
Yes, ''stay at home" but you go out and
polish off the angularities of your nature by
contact with humanity, taking such great
draughts from the outstretched hand of hui
man life, better far than centuries of book
lore; expanding heart, brain and lungs
learning more of God and his infinite WAYS
than all the learned Swans of the day could
tell you, breathing in vitality through eve.
cry avenue of your being until you shrink
from no duty however imposing. Yes, &c
Quit Go out and work, till you feel that
you are something more than man, that you
are akin to God, knowing no such word as
fail; let your soul expand at the thoughts
of mans probable destiny-at the untold
heights of his aspirations, standing n OF
the street corner or crossings, with idle, list
less hands, lift your feet with rapid motion
Climb. Jostle! Grasp! till you have grown 9
giant in spirit and determination What
makes you SO strong of body and mindi
Staying at home" Eth? But listen, don't
let woman,out of her ''sphere," if you dc
she is to be feared. Don't you see? Wo
intuition, will arrive at conclusions in mo
ment, that would take you days, therefore
It's well that you should, in order to hole
your positions as 'Lords of creation," keer
woman in her ''proper sphere" 80 strength
en- up the old decaying customs that if she
dare to step out of her treadmil, if she dare
to face the world even in the pursuit Of
an honorable livelihood, that the hounds Of
public opinion shall bay her back to her old
life. Let idle loafers stand on street cor
ners and throw out sly inuendoes; let occa-
sionally the weak minded of her own sex
turn aside with upturned brows in holy hor-
ror at a woman who dares to go out in
public life. Let calumny with its hydra
head hiss with its thousand tongues at
them! Let those who are not fortunate
enough to marry, be supported, dressed,
painted, hattered, furbelowed, nice hot
house plants that one breath of Gods pure
air would wither-I say if they are not for
tunate enough to obtain this haven of idle.
ness, then let them go back to shirtmsking
at twelve and huff CENTS or coat making
at twenty, vests and pants at fifty. Or let
them go into our kitchens where an occasion
al song of a wild bird, or stray CLEAN of
sunshine will make her remember that God
still lives and watches over her, but not
from any inward sunshine can she know
this; or, says our friend with the Mahom
adam appendage,' Let her teach our schools
that is good employment; true, we cannot
pay her as much as we do men, because
she is woman and we never pay women
as much
Why does she not do as much? Why yes.
but then tbs not the custom. But then all
the thousands Of striving poor that must live.
All! old decrepit custom, hoary with the &C.
cumulated SHOWS of ages, you are not
strong enough to stiae the voice of God in
the human soul, that cries out necessarily.
for life action! labor
Man, you can no longer brace up the old
crumbling walls of custom, but give your
hands to the needs of the day, you must aid
woman in the pursuit of an honorable liveli-
hood, if you would save her from life of
degradation. All the ''Erring Women's
Refugees" in the world cannot save her, if
you do not assist in rearing our new social
fabric, whose corner stone" shall be wo-
mans right to do what she can do, to main
tain herself honorably. Justice demands
that you shall give her your countenance
and hearty cooperation in all matters that
pertain to her best interests, that you put
no stumbling blocks in her way, but ever
with the true principles of manhood assist
her to become mentally your equal, as she is
socially and morally your superior.
We would say to the women, faIter not!
but with firm faith in justice more equi-
table thon mans, with q prospect of a glo-
rious and possible tomorrow, knowing that
He who ''tempers the wind to the shorn
lamb, still reigns, be true to Heaven, be
true to yourselves. Be just before God and
and In the ewes of man. !
Mans vagaries to-day are his realities toy