Smyrna times., 1868-07-08
.DIISceI/UHeOHS.
Something About Wen and Women.

Something About Wen and Women.
For how many centuries have fatterng
tongues whispered that the character of father.
brother, and husband, lay like wax in the hand
OF mother, sister, and wife The tedious com
mon places uttered on this subject remind us
OF the athletic puglst who, when he was
taunted with having allowed his little wife to beat
him, responded navely, And why not? 1t
amuses her, and don hurt me - So these
compliments amuSe women and don't hurt
them and the very lips that are so lavish of
them would be Slow to utter words that would
restore to woman her true Office-that of a
help meet unto man. Very fresh in our ears
Is a recent tale of defalcation and suicide, the
consequence Of sinful speculation. The Grim
inal was the husband of IA noble woman, who
demonstrated when he took his first step as
tray, till the subject became a sore one between
them. How far removed from the last catas-
trOphe was the day on which he had told her
perhaps on bended knees, that she was the
arblter OF his destiny, that in her hands lay
''all the current OfhlS being?" What a bitter
mOckery! The arbiter Of destiny, whose
slhallckt indiscrctlOn she could not avert
Ihe'wlde influence of one woman for evil is,
however, no unrccordcd thing A few wears
ago the discarded favorte of "a French prince
made mischief enough to justify the Govern
mcnt In sending her, III Il man of-war, to South
! America From South America she wander
cd hither, and claimed share of our public
lands on the ground that she was descended
from the Fespucius who gave his name to our
nation. Some years ago, in Washington,
twenty-fOur votes in the Senate aud House
were IN the hands of one of the worst women
! In that bad city. x n
The batteries and the facts prove three
things:
/. That all men know that women ought to
exercise higher influence over them than
they exercise over each other, and wish in
some way TO acknowledge it.
2. That, although they feel this, they are
half ashamed of it, have no manner of conf
dence in the influence itself, and think it a
confession of weakness to own themselves sub
ject to it.
3. That women themselves are by no means
worthy Of the trust reposcd in them; that it
is sometimes exercised wickedy often careless
ly, and always, as society now is in regard to
matters Of Importance, without open respon-
sibility
In how many homes do we find fathers com
planning that they cannot support the eXtrava
gance Of their daughters; brothers that, with
bat half an education, they are thrust early
into the world to work, to earn more case
more idle time, it may be-fOr their sisters.
We find young husbands tempted to over
trading-it may be failing in business-becaust
they have not the good sense to live simply anC
begin, as their fathers began, at the beginning
The importations of wOmcn's wear suit only
the companions of princes. Our servant wo
men look with contempt upon the present of &
calico dress; and girls who believe they are
respectable arc seen in the soled fnery Of thc
mistresses. We find the young girls, who's
i extravagance is SO heavy drain upon thci
fIthers, husbands and brothers, living in over
heated rooms, lying upon lounges, reading de
pressing fiction, gossiping coteries, complain
ing, as if it was the world fault, that they haC
nothing to do!
In China, for many centuries, it was th'
custom among poorer classes, to drown fcmal
child as soon as it was born and in Hindoo
stan to this day, father whose daughter i
: asked in marriage prostrates himself to tn
ground and says, ~ thank you for taking thi
great burden off my shoulders, and will pra
to the UnmentiOnable One that it may neve
: make yours aohe!" Ii the present conditio
of society we're necessary, these customs woul
. be humane and wise, and it would be well t