American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-18
Communicated.
THE TEMPERANCE CRUSADERS.

am dissatisfied woman, Mr..
Editor Now, don't curl that irarly
lip with the disdainful smile SD
whitening in its contemplate ex-
pressive of mans superiOrity-say
ing SO plainly, ''yOu are wcman,
how can ycu help yourself, poor
mite 2" 1 am not dissatisfied with
you, however, for | fully endorse
every word of those lectures of
yours to the crusading women.
They expressed just what a true
woman should be, and feeling that
we sadly need a champion in these
revolutionary times, take my pen
with the endeavor TO enlist you i'll
our BEHALF and beg to be allowed
to say few words, through your
columns, to my we'll meaning, but
strangely misguided "sister-wO-
men,
In the sweet, dreamy girlhOOd of
the long ago, it was my habit to in
dulge in fancies, brighter than
opium dreams. of woman's mission.
With the instructive longing of all
human nature for some one to love,
l decided that every woman heaven
smiled upon found, in due time,
some manly heart all her own
some life devoted to her alone. l
saw every such woman the centre
of happy home her sole object il.
| life to create a peaceful haven where
the weary husband, when he had
leisure to enjoy it, could find rest,
and peace, and every charm that a
fond wife could e yoke to ''chase the
the head of that little circle into
temporary forgetfulness OF life's
checkered pathway. In return, l
fondly imagiued-probably from
over indulgence in sentimental read
ing-that she received the deepest
affection OF which Goods image
was capable-respect unbounded-
words OF appreciation, sweeter than
failed nectar-mutual confidence,
and the loving assurance that, hand
in hand, she jOurneyed through life
the equal, not in physical strength
OF political preferment, but in all
things else the hOnOred companion.
Now, what do see and hear but
| woman's name in derisiOn and
scorn, her influence scoffed at, her
name by word, and all because a
few Of the strOng-minded (?) of the
| North and West have seen fit to
sally forth i'm crusading bands to
crush the vice they cannot by fond
words and life time devotion keep
away from their own firesides; and
Of hnx honn
weak enough to attempt to follow
their example. Oh, women of the
South! you who have always in
days gone BY chung to the graces Of
refinement and home virtues, be-
ware of such examples insist
home is the proper sphere for wO.
mans influence, if she has any and
if he who swore to ''lOve and cher
ish," until death, the great destroy
err, sewers the earthly bonds that
unite you, turns deaf ear to your
tears and entreatles, and sees,
unmOved, the silent agony that
tugs at your heart-strings, until
you marvel how the brittle cords
sustain the weight of misery aad
shame, how can you expect to &C
cOmplish anything by entering dens
where the hardened and hardening
cOuItenanceS proclaim the shame
less life of vice and depravity
Your own pure garments, yes, and
hearts, too, are soiled by association
with such scenes. Take your pray
ers, then, to your own closets, and
each one plead with the Great
Searcher of hearts to reform her
own. He alone can do it, and if
you fail to reach His ear from re-
tired places, what need to .'stand
upon the streets to be seen Of men,"
for even the great Apostle taught,
sit is shame for women to speak in
public" and the Father promises
more to the uOieeless prayer than to
the public parade of piety. Bring
not into ridicule, by your own ace
ton, the sacred cause of religion
let your own lives be pure, and if
you cannot reform others, near and
dear as they may be, take up the
cross aud bear it meekly.
And you, Chords of creations" If
you ever loved one woman, for her
sake do not crush, with your unmit-
igated scorn, all, because some are
frail and erring. Perhaps if we
could gee the inner lives of these
iOild ,cOmen, some shadow of excuse
might be found. Wives see the
husbands it would be their happi-
ness to ''love, honor and obey" in
the clutches of this demOniac pas
sion for drink-dignity and reason
dethrOned-mind and soul threat
ened with destruction every nat
ural affection secondary to a raging
thirst. Domestic peace thus invad-
ed is turned into bitterness. How
can she honor the poor creature who
staggers across the threshold of his
once happy homestead, incapable,
shame to himself,
his wife, and his little Ones-self-
respect, and all the noble attributes
of man, gone in the Intoxicating
bowl. With such a narrowing life
home lOOses it's chief attractions.
Some may become indifferent, and
find a sort of feverish happiness in
society, and such fall easily into
the whirlpool of fanaticism. But
there are many in the retirement of
home who denOunce this evil as