The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-09-08
CHAPTER XIX.

ton Cityl
CHAPTER XIX.
Mrs. Lewis, the widowed daughter OF
DR.. Armstrong, became my steadfast
friend. She was interested, heart and
soul, in 4 movement for the enfranchise-
ment Of women. Throngs of wise men
and noble women visited the elegant
rooms, and many were the discussions
pro and con upon the vexed and vexing
question.
Partly to crafty my innate but never
before INDUCED desire for good clothes
and proper adornments, and partly to
please my friends, 1 began paying par
ticular attention to my scant and
unique wardrobe. Under her direction,
and with a very moderate outlay of
cash, 1 was enabled to array myself in
matronly and becoming garb, well
suited to our luxurious surroundings.
Therefore, when it became convenient
Tor me to meet my friends many guests,
was astonished at my transformation
from an odd specimen of eccentric
scantiness into a well-dressed and by no
means homely woman, with expressive
eyes and dignified demeanor. The con-
sciousness of being well dressed inspired
me with feeling of self-confidence, and
l soon found myself ranked as a
star of the first magnitude among the
many brilliant people who nightly
thronged the parlors. Women whose
names are to-day household words i'm
America, whose influence has been felt
in Europe, and whose purity of life and
action have made fit example for the
world TO follow, met me there as friends:
men and women noted in song and
story men high in political position;
men with clerical hOnors, and men and
women who aspired to all these, were
my regular associates; and under these
favorable influences I was surprised to
note my rapid unfolding of personal
charms and intellectual readiness.
All this time l was busy solving. or
rather trying to solve, the dread problem 4
OF my sister Sarah's woes. / consulted
DIR. Armstrong upon the propriety of
sehdlng my brother-in-law to the hos |
pital, hut found that habitual drunk
enness was not considered sufficient
cause for placing him under scientific
medical treatment under the care of the
State. Then I tried TO get the poor inc
briate incarcerated within the walls of
the state Insane Asylum, but without
success. He was not considered insane
by the board Of control, and therefore
the asylum doors were closed upon him.
so resolved to lay the case before nv
newly found friends, and see ifanything
could be done to benefit my unfortunate
sister and her miserable children.
Mrs. Lewis, with her large experience
and womanly intuition, gave me the
Ilrst ray Of hope. She said the two epi-
Iepuc children We're proper subjects for
hospital treatment, and could be placed.
under the laws Of the country. in tbe
hands OF the proper authorities and be.
come patients Of the State. to be cared
Iof Dy the commonwealth. The idiot
would be cared for in the insane asv-
Ium, in proper ward.
But" said !, ''my poor. miserable
Drother-in-law needs the benefit of am
asylum for the insane. He is not ca
pable Of taking care of himself. He isa
curse upon his family, and why have
we no legal provisions for the protec-
tion of such unfortmates >"
''These glaring discrepancies in our
laws viii be legislated down some day,
trust" said my friend.
"But how did we ever have such laws
thrust upon US? That is something /
cannot eomprehendw said I, very indig-
nantly. 1
Our laws, my dear, are just as good
a. men alone could make them. They
were made By men and for men. and I
-. 80 Nierciful provisions for the un- ]
80 innate which would occur to the in
'ol'- 49, perception of women as neces- L
80 ,,'ly iOI 'iie benefit of humanity do not i
OCCUR 10 our lawmakers. bo,a,,s1 IL. !,
need the benefit of harmon. .''90 - ,iie9
l@Ws and regulations, which 81 siieii L
nine mind alone can sunnI,, ;, '''' ieiili-
men, IN the name Of God and T.. .
tiee, let women help to make tbo Ia,'.,,, 's, u
/ earnestly exclaimed. Z
"You've come directly to the ro;n. "
my dear. Woman must arise to a sanso
of her moral responsibility and take her !
position as one of the worlds reformersn u !
"Then Pm ready TO be a reformer y, I
1 replied, with decision in my voice {
and manner that astonished even N.Y. !
self. &
1 seemed inspired by some over 1
mastering impulse that caused me to S