Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-10-14
Questions for Women to Answer.

L
Independent
That colporteur would perform truly
Christian work who would circulate
among women tract bearing these
questions:
How much more power of endurance
does it require to NOV a field in the sun
on July day than to cook three meals
for six men and family of children
over blazing Goals?
If fieldwork is more exhaustive to
the system than house and dairy-work,
why is it said that two-thirds of the
women in our insane asylums are farm
ers' wives?
How does it happen that a woman
has not the "physical strength" to fol
low the carpenters trade who is able to
to take in washing " for living?"
How much more muscle is needed for
lifting ladders and adjusting joists, and
striking nails, than for wringing blan-
kets and scrubbing overalls -?
By what laws of comparison do we
infer that woman who can stand at
the ironing table ten hours a day, with
the thermometer at 9S deg. in the
shade, her stove on full draught, and
the windows closed, lest the irons cool,
cannot practice the stone mason's trade
for lack of physical strength?
Did it ever occur to you that the
woman who can sweep a room can drive
an omnibus? That the dust she takes
into her lungs on Saturdays may posi-
bly, be as injurious to them as the over
sight and lifting of trunks which would
fall to her in the character of baggage,
master?
What is to prevent the woman who
can faultlessly superintend the "house
cleaning" of large establishment from
qualifying herself to be an liable and
ladylike'' railroad conductor
Is woman who can take a large
family through the scarlet fever without
assistance likely to find herself too weak
in body to bear the physical burdens
incumbent upon the profession of
lawyer?
Ought not any woman who is able to
be her own nursery maid to be able to
harness horse?
Is it any more unpleasant business to
harness horse than to be a nursery
maid
Does not every housekeeping and
home-working woman perform tasks as
uncleanly, as distasteful, as much calcn-
lated to render her coarse, uncomely,
unrefned, "unladylike," as the large
majority of those from which she i de-
barred by fear of these results?
Is it any more unbecoming a respecta-
BILE woman to be bricklsyer, in a safe
and modest gymnasium costume, than
to waltz in low-necked dress at an
evening party?
Are most honest occupations from
which public sentiment excludes women
more foreign to the self-respect of a
cluded?
How do you know for what women
are physically qualified till you have
undertaken to learn, rather than to
assume?
A Fasting Phenomenon.
In village near Preston there is, it
seems, woman named Ann Riding, re-
siding with her aunt, afflicted with to-
tai loss of appetite; indeed for sixteen
months she has been unable to take any
food at all, and according to all the re-
cognized laws of nature ought to have
long since passed away. She still, how
ever, exists, and has been attended by
several doctors, none of whom have
been able to give her substantial relief.
For the last six months remedial opera
tions have been abandoned, her aunt,
who seems to be a sensible old lady, en-
tertaining the idea that "the Almighty
has to do with it," and that it is useless
to incur expense for medicines without
any hope of cure. 1t is comfort to
reflect that the invalid, under these
painful circumstances, can be no source
of expense to her relatives, who are de-
scribed as "humble, honest people"
making no "show" of the case, which
is hardly known in the district. 1t is
the duty of every one not to crowd to
the spot for the purpose of satisfying a
morbid curiosity by gazing on the suf-
ferer, to whom and her relations every
apology is due for the publication of the
case. The patient herself is evidently
resigned to her lot, for although "fre-
quently asked if she will have food she
always refuses it," Under these cir
cumstances all that can be done is to let
her remain in quiet. Should she re-
cover we shall all be rejoiced to hear
the good news; should she, on the other
hand, unfortunately succumb to the
effects of her prolonged abstinence, we
shall at least have the satisfaction of
feeling that her last moments were not
disturbed, as in the case of the Welch
fasting girl, by the impertinent curiosity
of strangers.-P Mall Gazette.