The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-12-07
The True Relation of the Sexes.

Now, said = gentleman niend. as he handed
NE into a Philadelphia slrect-car, don't you cx-
peci any poor tired man to give up his seat for you.
Remember. you are 4 believer IN woman's rights e.
Gcs. sir. responded, gslly, and IN the rights
OF tired men also.
The car rolled on. There had been no hope Of
one less crowded had / waited, SO l thankfully ac-
cepted its standing room. as / hsd two miles 10 60,
and TIE twilight shades were gathering.
\ gentleman arose and politely offered me his
seat [ was a iitgIr surprised at this. Tor several
younE ami iaSIIuuabiy dressed ladies were stand
ing aud NY nrsi Impulse Was 10 decline. but the
thought 81 my iIttIe boy restrained the. and. ac-
cepuus 80 VIA thanks, / gathered the tired child 10
uy arms, where be MAS soon in a quiet siumbvr.
As / watched hun, my mind reverted TO the ami
mated bat playful discussion which the arrival Of
the Car had interrupted.
The previous assertion OF my friend. that the
suffrage once given 70 woman she would lose all
claim 70 genuemRnly courtesy, REQUIRED 10 me in
all It's ah>urdity. and with my usual saucy defiance
of al conVentionaiIties 1 addressed the gentleman
who had 50 kindly given inc his place.
" lsuppose l owe this seat 10 your pity for this
tired child, DO l not.'
Not exactly. madam - he replied. You owe
it rather TO your own pity for poor tired men
There are SO few ladies who ever think of them. 4"
A shade of bitterness was IN the tone. The face
was grave even to sadness, bat it lighted agais as
he added.
Il had allowed these ladies TO stand because
they were young and gay, and | was tired with a
long, busy day IN my store. but when l heard the
banter OF your friend and your reply, / resolved TO
give you ms seat.
i waited, however, to see If you would act up
to your creed Of womanly independence, or If. like
some others. you would pass along the car, looking
at every gentleman there as il be were bound in
honor to yield you his place, and then take it, il
given, without even a look OF gratitude. When
you quietly took your stand, as If IL were your
right to assist yourself, | ielt it was also ing right
70 assist YOU
ton = as | believe it, 1t is woman's duty TO be as
selt-relIant and as independent. botn IN purse and
in feeling, as il is possible for mortals To become.
II is her dearest right to accept a b%rotherly assist
ance in every honorable undertaking.
Ii is mans duty to assist aud protect every worthy
woman to the extent of his ability. / will go fur
Their and add, of every unworthy one also, if she
be in distress, and that he should keep his own
purity SO spotless that he can do this and his motives
be undOubted.
This | hold to be the true relation of the sexes.
Man is physically stronger than woman. 1t is the
right OF the weaker to accept assistance from the
stronger, and as mind is far above matter. this in
wolves no inieriority or degradation.
1t is a beautiful little poem of Katie Lee and
Willie Grey" as ii is acted ont in most families.
Who has not sympathized with the noble boy in
HIS resolution,
Kaues basket up the hill ~
Who has not loved her for her truly feminine
reply, half refusing, half consenting,
You may help me, If you will,
With the basket up the hill"
And when. in after years, the cradle basket
~ ah1'O IVY htAhF WIN 10 BtCNtN lDtudlG 10 10 a.
carried in the arms of mutual welded love up the
hill OF life, We feel that the poem is the true rem
dering of the universal law.
y clerical friend, not long since, in performing
the marriage service, used the words, a. love, honor.
and protect, instead of the old form. When after
wards asked if this was not "a mistake when adj
dressing the lady, he replied, No II good wife
protects her husband more than he can possibly
protect her"
| am always immeasurably vexed to hear a man
talk of supporting" his wife, as if she did not
support y him. if she were any way worthy of the
name, in a far higher and better sense than a mere
maintenance.
1t is a sad thing when the question of the ballot,
instead OF being discussed with reference to human
right and national policy, becomes IA source OF AN
tagonism between the sexes.
Not alone to husband and wife, but to all true
manhood and to all pure womanhood, is il said,
{" What God has Joined together, let not man put
asunder."
The Mormon creed. that only through marriage
does woman enter heaven, is but the shadow of "a
holy truth, Il truth which sensual minds can not re-
ceiye so. also, is the doctrine of q spiritual Atm
tiles" 1t is lamentable that our hottest words have
become almost synonyms for vice.
When woman can look up to man as TO a wiser
elder brother, whose assistance she may safely re-
ceive. and i'll whose counsel she may safely conlide
when man can see in every woman q sister whose
weakness he is bound to guard. and whose pure
love is the rainbow in all life's storms, then shall
we hear no more of mans or woman's rights, for
we shall have realized the true relation of each to
the OtheT.-PHTeH0iOgicdi journal.