Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-05-18
Does Hsr own work.

Does she +? What Of IL Is it
disgrace to her Is she less true
woman, less worthy OF respect than
she who sits in silk aud satin and Is
vain of finger which never knew
labor2 We heard this sneer q few
DAYS ago, and the tone in which il
was uttered has been q nuisance
ever since. It betOkened narrow,
selfish, ignoble mind, better fitted
for any place than a democratic
country, whose institutions rest on
honorable labor as one OF its chief
corner stones. IL eFinced false
idea of the true basis of society, OF
true womanhoo1, Of genuine nobili-
". If showed the detestible spirit
Of caste, Of rank, which a certain
class among us is striving TO estab-
lish; a caste whose solo foundation
is money, and 50 the meanest kind
ofrsRk known to civilization. Mind,
manners, morals, all that enter into
q grand character, are OF no account
with those social snObs; position in
their settled rank is bought with
gold, and each additional dollar Is
another round in the ladder by
which elevation is gained.
In matter Of fact, is IL more dis
honorable for the merchants wife
to do her own work than for the
merchant TO do his ? for her to look
after her house than for him to look
after his store Or Is woman for
nothing only TO be tickled with a
feather and pleased with q straw?
Ii seems to be the height Of ambi-
tion in some circles TO be, or pro-
fess TO be, not only "abOve" work,
but even ignorant OF how work is
to be done, and If the hOusekeeper
is at skies and sevens, the sthelp"
receives maledictious without stint,
but the ''lady" takes none Of the re-
sponsibility upon herself She look
into the kitchen; she know how
bread should be made, or a steak
broiled she know when the -four is
out or the sugar in2 Absurbl "Help"
may be bad enough, but what inter-
est can the girl in the kitchen feel
in the household economy IL the la
dy in the parlor has none 2 II mis-
tress neglects all domestic duties,
will maid be thoroughly conscien-
tious viii the husbands business
go on well IL he neglects itl and
why should that of the wife pros
per under her lack Of responsible
typ
An aristocracy OF wealth is the
most inexcusable, the silliest of any
social distinct on, and yet il is that
Of our otherwise sensible young
people are fostering and trying TO
establish. IL is quite too fashion
able to sneer at labor, and TO give
cold shoulder to those who are not
ashamed to do their own work, or
whose circumstances COMPEL them
to do it. IL we are TO have an aris-
tocracy at all, let il be ono OF brains
and character, and not Of purse and
dancing school politeness. When
that happy day shall dawn when
the true woman and the true man
are in their proper position in the
social world, in the highest scale
viii be thousands who know how
to work, and when necessary, are
willing to work, while the brainless,
and purseful snObs of both sexes
viii sink by the weight Of their own
IL a man or a woman, a gentle
man" or a '1ady," is able TO live
without actual manual labor, let
them be thankful; il is a pleasant
position TO occupy; but 10 be asham-
ed OF the knowledge sufficient to
manage the shop or a kitchen, the
store or the house, to be ashamed to
work-this is evil and only evil, and
to-day is an abomination in sour
best society" Vain woman, wac
your mother ashamed Of work, and
and are you ashamed of her that she
did work /? And young man in kids
and clover, did your father get his
competence on which you live by
idleness We honor the woman,
who, when necessary, ''does her
own work," and despise those who
sDeer.- Wdtchman and Reflector.