The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-02

the social sharks always on the lookout Tor tat
morsels are very small indeed 1t 10 well If
she falls into no worse hands than those Of
legitimate priests of either section, whether
enthusiastic for chasubles or crazy for mis-
sions; and if her money is put to no baser use
than supplying church embroidery for some
Brother lgnatius at home, or blankets for con-
veTted Africans in the tropics.
1t might go into Agapemones, into spiritual
Athen@ums, into Bond street back parlors,
where it certainly would do no good, take it
any way one would for, as it must go into
some side-channel dug by stronger hands
than hers, the question is, into which OF the
innumerable Gonduits offered for the convey
ance of supeTiluous means shall it be directed
This is the woman who is sure to give in TO
religious excesses OF one kind or another, and
for whom, therefore, the convent system would
be a godsend past words to describe She Is
unfit for the life of the world outside. She
has neither strength to protect herself nor
beauty to win the loving protection of men;
she cannot be taken as a precious charge, but
she will be made pitiable victim; and under
the gloomest aspect possible, surely the mar
row safety of a convent cell is better fate for
her than the publicity of the witness-box at
the Old Bailey. As she must have master,
her 'ndition depends on what master she has;
and the whole line of her future on whether
she is directed or "explOited," and used to
serve noble ends or base ones.
AS a mother the weak sister is even more
unsatisfactory than as spinster left to herself
with funds which she can manipulate at plea
sure. She is affectionate aud devoted; but of
what use are affection and devotion without
guiding sense or judgment Even in the
nursery, and while the little ones need only
physical care, she is more obstructive than
helpful, never having so much self
reliance or readiness of wit as to dare
remedy for one of those sudden
maladies incidental to children, and
dangerous just in proportion to the length Of
time they are allowed to run unchecked
And if she should by chance remember any
thing of present value, she has no power to
make her children take what they don't
like to take, or do what they don't like to
do. In the horror of an accident she is lost.
If her child were to cut an artery, she would
take it into her lap tendery enough, but she
would never dream of stopping the flow; if it
swallowed poison she would send for the
doctor who lives ten miles away; and if it set
herself on fire, she would probably rush with
it into the street for the chance of assistance
from friendly passer-by.
She never has her senses under command
and serviceable; and her action in moment
of danger generally consists in unavailiDg pity
or in obstructive terror as she herself is safe
or involved, but never in useful service or in
valuable suggestion. But if she is useless in
her nursery while her children are young, she
is even more helpless as they get older; and
the family Of a weak woman grows up, un-
assisted by counsel or direction, just as the
old Adam wills and tue natural bent inclines.
Her girls may be loud and fast, her sons idle
and dissipated, but she is powerless to correct
or to influence. If her husband does not
take the reins into his own hands, or
if she is a widow, the young people
manage matters for themselves under the
perilous guidance of youthful passions and in
experience. And nine times out of ten they
give her but rough corner for her own share.
They have no respect for her, and, unless
more generously compassionate than young
people usually are, scarcely care to conceal
the contempt they cannot help feeling. What
can she expect II she was not strong enough
to root out the tares while still green aud
tender, can she wonder at their luXuriant
growth about her feet now !? She, like every
one else, must learn the sad meaning of retri-
button, and how the weakness which has
| allowed evil to flourish unsubdued has to
| share in its consequences and to suffer for
its sin.
Unsatisfactory in her home, the weak sister
does not do much better in society. She is
there the embodiment of restriction. She can
! bear nothing that has any flavor or color in it.
! Topics of broad human interest are forbidden
in her presence because they are vulgar, i'm
proper, or unf5minine. She takes her stand
|
! hood to be something apart from humanity in
the gross. There must be no cakes and ale
for others if she is virtuous, and spades are
not to be called spades when she is by to
hear. She is the limit beyond which no one
must 60, under pain of such displeasure as
! the weak sister can show. And weak as she is
in many things, she can get to certain
strength of dispeasure; she can condemn, per-
sistently, if not passionately. Nothing is more
curious than the way in which the weak sister
exercises this power of condemnation and
nothing much more wide than it's scope. II
incapable Of yielding to certain temptations,
because incapable of feeling them, she has nc
pity for those who have not been able to re-
sist; yet, on the other hand, she cannot com
prehend the vigor of those who withstand
such influences ss conquer her. II she is still
under the shadow of family protection, safe il
the power of those who know how to hold her
in all honor and prosperity, she cannot
forgive the poor weak waif-yet no weaker
than herself-who has been caught up in the
outside desert of desolation, and made to sub
serve evil ends. AS for the woman who il
able to think and act for herself, she has s
kind of superstitious horror of such person
and shrinks from one who has made hersel
notorious, no matter what the mode or me-
thod, as from something tainted, something
unnatural and unwomanly. She has even grave
doubts respecting the lawfuness of doing
good if the manner of it gets into the papers
and names are mentioned as well as things
and though the fashion of the day favorS
feminine nooriety in all directions, she holds
by the instinct of her temperament, and Ian
guidly maintains that woman is the cyphel
to which man alone gives distinctive value
Griseda and Medora are the types to her o
womanly affection, and the only strength she