The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-02-27
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR
SELVES.


SELVES.
wcrTrES by MRS p. F. VICTOR, AND READ BIZ
FoEE rHE o.. 5. W. 5. A, FEB. Is, 1874.
"WOmen, trained for so many centu-
ries ,c entire dependence, are not good
at lg, steady defiance to association
and bit. That they are capable of it,
the Id knows; but if it is forced on
them, lie sustained effort which it costs
them, makes them coarse, fierce, and
unwon anly. This continued effort at
defianc. will soon make, from habit, \
woman's voice hoarse and manlike."
So saws a very observing writer, and
there IS a great deal of bitter truth in
the stat ment.
That there can be nothing in the av-
ocatic usually followed by men to
make any individual coarser than Ma
ture designed him, is proven by the
fact that such employments do not make
men any coarser, as men. y man with
fine nature, keeps his fine nature in
spite Of his occupation; except in such
cases as where he falls into vice, and
through vice, under the censure of his
fellow men, and his own conscience.
Til n in proportion as opposition, slight,
censJre, and the accompanying mental
disturbance and humiliation beset him,
he will deteriorate in personal graces-
the tones of his voice will change, and
the lines of his face harden. But even
though he is a villain. so long as he en-
joys popular applause, and fears not
eensure, his manner will be as charm
/ ing, as proud, and as confident, rs that
of the most exemplary of men.
/ If it is true, and no doubt-it often may
be, that women who go out of the mar
row circle, usually denominated their
''sPhere," become thereby less charm
ing and refined in appearance; is not
here the reason Mind is the same,
whether it resides in n'sform, or a
wonan's. All the laws of the mind,
the soul, the affections, are the same in
men and women, so far as observation
or science can determine. What affects
the one affects the other, and in exactly
the same way. What makes the wom-
an who has TO do battle with the world
as earning ones own money in ones
own way, is called-more awkward, or
cold, or less lovely than her sister?
What but the consciousness, chilling
her blood, and paining every nerve in
her sensitive organization, that she is
bringing herself under eensure, how
ever unjust, rOusing opposition, how
ever thOughtless? ? And whether she
has undertaken to do battle solely for
the sake Of truth; or whether ''unmerci-
ful disaster has forced her into the
worlds broad arena TO struggle for the
poor privilege Of joyless existence
she suffers the same. Oh, what heroism
there often is under the plain, sad face
of the woman who toilsomely earns the
right to endure, not to enjoy, her life.
have often wondered If men, when
they jostle and frown down, sneer at
and ridicule women who are striving
like themselves for bread in the best
way they know to do, have not some
times blushed afterward at their own
inhumanity. | have often desired to
know whether men ever reproached
themselves in their secret consciousness
TO the unnecessary burdens they, in
their selfshnessa and arrogance, lay upon
the minds and hearts of women.
But a more curious question even
than his, and one Of greater import to
woma ), is, why women so rarely stand
by W, nen in any undertaking. What
ever { reason may be, il is fact, and
one no at all creditable to the ewomanly
head heart, that they do not sustain
each CT. The phrase "a lone wom-
an'-the saddest in the world, I think
is fairly decisive one. 1t means one
who has no legal right to the protection
and support of any man-and lacking
that, she has nothing!-for women who
belong 20 men will not care for her, aid,
or uphl d her.
y man marries or not, as pleases him.
If his wife dies, or is in any way sepa-
rated from him, his life, to all appear
ances, goes on quite the same. If he Is
rich, he remains rich. If he is popular
or famous, he remains popular or IA
nous, The woman with whom he was
once. connected was only an incident Of
I his rec, untrammeled life. Buta Wom-
an. Why, woman must marry, albeit
she las to wait to be asked. Not 10
mary, is to be held in contempt. ene
takes her rank from her husband, Vi
herself she is nothing. And Shouiu heF
CONCLUDED on fourth plge-l