Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-01-24
WOMAN.
BYA WOMAN,

WnOlebOUle bcrVlco Ol seven years rem
dered for virtuous and lovely Rachel?
Is it because custom has changed, or
havo zoe changed, and there are no
moro Rachels All thereby hangs
a secret, and very serious one. We,
who get crodit--perhaps discredit-for
making secrets, ought to analyze this
one. Are we willing so TO do? We
never like to tell tales out of school
when the tales arc Of ourselves when
they dive into tho recesses of our
chacter, and bring out, not hidden
pearls and precious diamonds, but
worse than useless shells.
When one class of woman are loud.
ly talking of, and clamoring for, wo-
mems rights, the other, purer, better,
nobler class, who are women, and not
an unnatural blending of the mascu.
line and feminine should talk humbly,
trustingly, lovingly and intelligently
of duty-and faithfully perform it,
And one duty lying close at hand, is,
to sift ourselves, and find what has
metamorphosed us. We are not like
our dear mothers who were true noble
women. We arc not Marys sitting-as
true women ought TO do-at Jesus
feet, receiving from bis Divine lips the
lessons of love and wisdom; or Marthas,
busy about household duties, making
home beautiful and happy. We arc
slaves, very slavcs-it is no extrava.
CANT term, no imaginary thraldom-to
fashion, plcasure-no | shall not dis.
grace that sweet word amusement,
merely, comes nearest the truth-.and
street, gadding. To fashion, because
we devote at least half our time
precious, invaluable time--to being
fashionable. We make and repair,
arrange and rearrange, pnt on and
take oil, compare aud blend all these
appendages and trappings of fashion,
until half our time and all our money
are gone. ] would not, if could, con.
denim beauty, real taste in the attire
of our sex. think our tountifnl Ben
eiactor has endowed us with the Gu.
pability Of dressing so as TO look lovo.
ly. | abhor the dress of my sex that
is not tastefully put on-bc il cheap
looking or elegant. But fashion is not
taste. necessarily, too often the reverse;
and thero surely can be no sense in
being slaves thereto.
no time left to dress the soul, no
time to improve the mind-no time to
visit the sick and distressed, TO sooth
the pillow of the dying, and wipe the
tears of troubled bcreaved ones-dH
prostituted to fashion. No money to
purchase clothing for the naked, or
feed the hungry, aud relieve the desti-
tute. No money TO send the gospel
to those waiting for day'-all spent
to satisfy the selfish, craving, all alb.
sorbing desire of Dame Fashion, No
heart to pray, for fashion has the
heart. Deny it we cannotj VIC can.
not plead mot guilty"
Then how much of our time is made
subscrvient to fashion by amusement.
We must Ego some place to show the
supernuous attire with which fashion
has adorned Il beg pardon for so per
verting and miSapplying a beautiful
word) US. And leading this life, we
gather no food for the soul; it is left
naked, while the body is groaning be.
meath burden of superhui.ies, But
nourishment the mind must have OF
some kind and if not of a wholesome
quality, it becomes diseased and this
disease developos itself in our seeking
foreign amusements. Go, we must,
somewhere, let the surroundings be
questionable or not--there are some
left untouched by the tyrants, to their
praise be it said--and. sad fact, nc
/ lime, no heart epcn to lift the voice in
prayer to God, TO say nothing of other
noble duties, without the performance
Of which we cannot be true women
and surely not Christians.
Street gadding-and by using the
term i do not mean to exclude oui
sex from all necessary, social anc
pleasant duties-is what but an utter
disregard of time, and provocatior
of obscene remarks from many not-dt
--of The opposite sex and well for u
ii only tho guilty wero the victims
but tho innocent must sulfer-tho tri
ding, disrespectful remark falls upor
many who deserve more complimen
tary tribute.
So street gadding takes in fashion
and amusement, for while we are a
this proitablcG) employment are W.
not showing the styles TO all who may
choose TO gaze, giving ourselves, every
day, fresh opportunities of exhibiting
and advertising that which ought Il
be in its proper place-the advertis
ing columns of the daily or week y
newspaper; and aren't we thereb,
"amusing ourselves there ar
some who could cast the first stone
because innocent.
II These three absolute tyrants occupy
our hearts, monopolize our time an,
make US selfish, cxacting, peevisl
crcdtureS-I won'tsay women. Their
Is no time, on the part of the wife, 0
q morning, much less Of an evening
to spend pleasantly with the husband
iamishing for tho social blessings 0
the home circle, and heart sore becaus
he cannot have them who woul'
prize them far above all the pleasure
such oxacting companions as fashion
etc, can bring, aud who would low
and esteem bis wife far above he
most extravagant desires (and love Il
after all Just what docs make us dc
pendent, confiding beings happy wor
she more devoted to homo duties. N
time TO place his slippers by the fire
or sew on the missing button--n
time to greet bim with smile rs h
enters the breakfast room. Tho smil
is lavishcd upon tho "dear friends
whoms she meets ht. the place of amusc
ment. No kiss as he goes to his o.
} fee or shop-depend upon it, wife
unless he has honor as strong an
pure as Joseph's lie will got the smil
and kiss some place, and you need no
blame him, either; blame your ow