The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-17

/ We once heard from an eyewitness De
/ scription of the simple domestic me OF MI ME-
and Mrs. Lincoln, in their modest western
| home; how she, after cooking her husbanos
dinner with her own hands, would run across
To the little Office and call him to the twelve
O'Clock meal. No jewelry then-no point
lace dresses, no camers hair shawls. There
IL MANY single item in her present schedule
which would cover the whole probable value
of her then costume
il the White House transformed the whole
nature of Mrs. Lincoln as completely as IL
changed her wardrobe, who is responsible
When she went there, she found all fashion
able society in Washington leagued to support
the Rebel side. To be the wife Of a Republi-
can President was in itselfan "unfashionable"
position. It was assumed at the outset that
she was an ignorant Western woman, utterly
unfit for any eminent social position. ''Mrs.
Jefferson Davis was at least lddy,' was the
Parthian arrow sent back by the she-seces-
sionists, as they fled to Dixie. And fashion
able toadies, from Baltimore to Boston,
echoed the lament. Who does not remember
the anecdotes that were sent flying through
the land, chiefly manufactured out OF the
whole cloth, in which Mrs. Lincoln was de-
scribed as a sort of female Jack Cade, ludi-
crously elevated into a place beyond her
proper station?
What should she do to be saved before such
tribunal OF course, foolish advisers
whispered, The first essential is dress. Ex-
perienCed counsellors suggested 'pont lace;"
and she bought point lace. A jury of matrons
found a case of desttution of camel's hair;
and she bought India shawls. Others advised
demonstration in the way of jewelry; and
she demonstrated. Or, if she did not buy
these things others bought them for her-in
hopes to find favor at court.
This is the offense of which she stands self
convicted-of having lived beyond her means,
in the way of wardrobe. At time when all
"good society" was calling upon her to be a
lady, she fell into the common delusion that
to be lady is to have point lace dress. No
other serious complaint is urged. 1t is not
even whispered that she was negleotful of her
duties as a wife and mother. Though she
never was a favorite of the nation, yet there
never rested ON her even such shadow Of
distrust as now strangely rests on Victoria,
once so idolized. The only charge against her
is, that, when suddenly raised to a position
that would have been trying to the wisest
woman, she failed to prove herself wise; that
she tried to run the foolish race of fashion, and
| broke down, and now honestly wishes to get
rid of some of the relics of her folly. If this
! be all-if she is really bent on reforming her
personal toilette-she is, for once at least, set
ting good example.
But suppose the influences around Mrs.
Lincoln had been widely different. Suppose
that she, on going to Washington, had found
dignity and good taste the prevailing tone of
society. Suppose that she had found herself
among really cultivated people, where women
were expected to have wit and intelligence,
and not to be merely fashion plates. Then
she would have tried to adapt herself to that
social demand. She would have been tempted
to ut herself for her new position, in brains as
| well as In wardrobe-to make herself a help
| meet to her husband in his vast duties-tO
| become power in Washington society for
| good, and not for evil. Then she might have
| been different woman, and the whole nation
| would have felt the difference Did she choose
an ambition less noble +? If she did, it was in
great measure the fault of the very people who
now satirizing the follies they fostered-
And, beyond all this, it is the fault of the
position we still assign to women, as politi-
cal ciphers, unframed for any important pub
| lie position. There is at this moment travel
| ling in America young English viscountess,
| connected with the great governing families of
| England, who puts to shame most of the
| American women who talk with her, by her
knowledge of public affairs, and her intelli-
| gent interest in all great questions. Had
| Mrs. Lincoln been accustomed from her girl
hood to think that she also, as well as her
furture husband, was in degree responsible
for the condition of the nation, she would have
gone to the White House prepared to be OF
some service to that nation. She would have
had for her standard of usefulness, not merely
lay figure, to be decked with so much tinery,
but
"A perfect woman nobly planned
To warn, to comfort, to Command"
When we give the suffrage to women, we
may hope to see such women. While we
deny them the education which suffrage gives
their brothers, we cannot blame them for the
want of it. While we systematically TRAN
them to be dolls we must not savagely de
nounce them for having too costly wardrobe