Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-08
Daily Asnnsber gournal.
CHINESE WOMEN.

Mrs. S. l.. Baldwin, the missionary to
China, leetured in Philadelphia recently.
OF the women in China she said
The women of China are divided into
two classes--the bound-footed, who are
the ladies, and the large-footed, who are
common class. The latter carry the bur-
dens. do)all the drudgery, and outdoor
work, while their husbands do nothing
When a little girl is born, the parents
think the gods are angry with them, and
they hold consultation whether she shall
be allowed to live or not. If she is, when
she arrives at the age of four years, they
hold another consultation whether she
shall be bound-footed or large-feoted
woman. If she is chosen to be bound
footed she is not permitted to do anything,
but If otherwise she has to be the family
slave. / have seen woman with four
children strapped to her back and rowing
boat, while her husband laid in the cabin
smoking his pipe. Girls have no choice
of their husbands; the young girl is sold
by her parents at the highest price they
can obtain for her. She never sees her
husband, nor he her, until after they are
married. If he chooses, he can obtain
divorce from her for talking too much; if
he becomes poor, or gets tired Of her, he
sells her aghin. In the coolest weather,
the large-footed women are not allowed
to wear stockings, and cannot dress in any
other color than black or blue. The man
ner in which they make their feet small is
by binding the four toes under the foot,
which they keep bound up for about
eleven years, when the foot becomes dead.
have walked through the streets when
the women would brush against my dress
To 20 toll TO
what class belonged. would say to
them: i will show you my feet, but do
not pull my clothes, as it is rude When
they would examine my feet they would
exclaim: why, have you no real ladies
in American And the only way | could
make them believe that we had was by
telling them that women read books like
the men, which utterly astounded them,
as the real Chinese lady is brought up in
the utmost ignorance, and they only mar
~ in the rich families because they know
and do SO little, and need so much wait
ing upon that it fakes rich husband to
support them. If YOU ask Chinese wo-
man how many children she has, she will
give you only the number of boys. She |
has to be asked the second time how
many girls she has, as they are thought |
SO little of that in many cases they are
killed as soon as born. A large-footed |
woman once told me that her first child !
was little girl, and she described to me |
how she loved the little one My hus-
band went out, she said, and brought |
In a tub of water. begged him to spare |
its life, but he took the little one and put |
its head in the water and held it there till |
it was dead Her second babe was a
daughter, and it was served as the first
the third child was a boy; he lived until
he was about four years old, when the
gods got angry and killed him; then my
husband died; and now if eat anything
that is nice, and if | wear good clothes,
my relatives become angry and treat me
harshly.' Even in our Christian churches |
in China the women are not allowedin the |
same room with the men, but are parti- |
toned off in lattiee-work ROOM"