The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-06-26
Little Women.

section of humanity, a puny creature
whom one blow from mans huge fist
could annihilate, absolutely fearless,
and insolent with the insolence which
only those dare show who know that
retribution cannot follow--what can be
done with her? She Is afraid OF moth
ing, and to be controlled by no one.
Sheltered behind her weakness as be-
hind a triple sheet of brass, the angriest
man dare not touch her, while she pro-
| vOkes him to combat in which his
hands are tied. She goes her own way
in everything and everywhere. AT
home and abroad she Is equally domi-
nant and irrepressible, equally free from
obedience and fear. Who breaks all
the public orders in sights and shows,
and, in spite of King, Kaiser, or Police
men X goes where it is expressly forbid
den that she shall go? Not the large
boncd, muscular woman, whatever her
temperament; unless, indeed, of the
exceptionally naughty type in distinct
ly inferior surroundings, and then she
cal queen it royalty enough, and set
everything at lordly defiance. But in
general the large boned women obeys
the orders given, because while near
enough to man to be somewhat on
par with him, she is still undoubtedly
his inferior. She is too strong to shelter
herself behind her weakness, yet too
weak to assert her strength, and defy
her master on equal ground. She is
like flying fish, not one thing wholly;
and while capable of the
of two lives, is incapable of the privi-
lege of either. 1t is not she, for all her
well developed frame andaformidable
looks, but the little woman, who breaks
/ the whole code of laws, and deiies all
their deienders-the pert, smart, pretty
little woman, who laughs in your face,
and goes straight ahead If you try to
turn her to the right hand or to the left,
receiving your remonstrances with the
most sublime indifference, as if you
were talking foreign language, which
she did not understand. She carries
everything before her, wherever she is.
You may see her stepping over barriers,
| slipping over ropes, penetrating to the
greenbenches witha a red ticket taking the
best places on the platform over the
heads of their rightful owners, settling
herself among the reserved seats with
out an inch of pasteboard to float her.
You cannot turn her out by main force.
British chivalry objects to the public
laying on ofhands in the case Of a wo-
man, even when most recalcitrant and
disobedient more particularly if a
small and fragile looking woman. So
that, if it is only usurpatiOn of places
specially masculine, she is allowed TO
retain what she has got amid the grave
looks of the elders--not really displeas-
ed, though, at the flutter of her ribbons
amongst them and the the filters and
nudges Of the young fellows. If the
battle is between her and another wo-
man. they are left to fight ii out as they
best can, with the odds laid heavily on
the little one.
All this time there is nothing Of the
tumult ofcontest about her. Fiery and
combativc us she generally Is, when
breaking the law in public places she
is the soul of serene daring. She shows
no heat, no passion, no turbulence she
leaves these as extra weapons of defence
to women who are assailable. For hel>
self she requires no such aids. She
knows her capabilities and the line OF
attack that best suits her, aud she
knows, too, that the fewer points of con-
test she exposes the more likely she is
10 slip into victory, the more she as
sumes, and the less she argues, the
slightcr the hold she gives her oppo-
nentS, She is either perfectly good-
humored or blankly innocent she eth
er smiles you into indulgence or wearier
! you into compliance by sheer hopeless
| ness of making an impression on her
She may, indeed, if of the very vocifer
: into such noisy demonstration thu
you are glad to escape from her,no mat
: ter what spoils you leave on her hands
; just as n mastifl will ,link away from /
5 bantam hen all hockled feathers anC
4; Screechng cackle, and tremendous tvs
= sumption of doing something terrible i
he does not look out Any way, tn,
+ little woman II unconquerablc; and {
= tiny fragment Of humanity at pub
lie show, setting all rules and regula
I in matter Of benches, the manner of liz
, to which nature has dedicated her from
the beginning.
/ A. rule, the little women are brave
Q When the lymphatic giantess falls int,
, Il faint or goes Off into Mysteries, sh
= storms, or bustles about, or holds .ol
4 like n game terrier, according to tn
$ work ON hand. She win fly al any mai
= that annoys her, and bears herself equa
4 to the biggest and strongest fellow Il
n her acquaintance. In general she doe
4 it all by sheer pluck, and il not notori
/. ous for subtelty in craft. Had Della
a been little woman she would neve
have taken the trouble to shear SamI
sons locks. She would have defed hir
;, with all his strength untouched on hi
" head, and she would have overcom
him too.
n Judith and Jael were both probabl
II large women. The work they wer
d about demanded a certain strength {
muscle and toughness of sinew; but VIII
!. can say that Jezebel was not smal
N frecllled, auburn haired Lady Audle
d of her time, full Of the concentrated fir
ar the electric force, the passionate reel
" lessness of her type 3 Regan and Con
4. ril might have been beautiful demon
of the same pattern we have the e,
ample ofihe Marchioness de Brinvillie
as to what amount of spiritual deviltl