Smyrna times., 1874-05-13
The Discontinued Woman.


becoming an unpleasantly familiar type OF t
character. A really cOntcntcd woman, tho |
roughly we'll pleased with her duties and her
destiny, may almost be said to be the exception
rather than the rule in these days of tumutu-
Gus revolt from all fixed conditions and vagrant
energies searching for interest In new spheres
of thought and action. 1t seems impossible to
satisfy the DlScOntented w oman by any means
short of changing the whole order of nature
and society for her benefit. And even then
the chances are that she would get weaIied of
her own work. and, like Alexander, weep for
more worlds to rc-arrange according to her
liking, with the powers to take or to leave, as
her humOr might decide, the duties she had
voluntarily assumed, as she claims now the
power of dlScardlng those which have been |
given her from the beginning. AS things are,
nothing contents her; and the Keynote which |
! shall put her in harmony with existing cOndi- |
tions, or make her ready to pear the disagree
able burdens which she has been obliged to
carry from Ewes time downward, has yet to be
found If she is unmarried, she is discomfort
ed at the want OF romance IN her lite her
main desire is to exchange her fathers house
for home of her own; her pride is panied at
the prospect of being left an old maid, unSought
by men, and her instincts rebel at the thought
that she may never know maternity-the
strongest desire of the average woman. But
if she is married the causes of her discomfort
are multiplied Indefinitely, and where she was
out of harmony with one circumstance she is
now in dscOrd with twenty. She is dis
contented on all sides-becauSe her husband is
not her lover and marriage is not perpetual
cOurtship; because he is SO irritable that life
with him is like walking among thorns if she
, makes the mistake of a hair s-hreadth, or be
cause he is so imperturbaby good natured
that he maddens her with his stolility, and
4 cannot be made jealous even when she firts
before his ewes Or she is GscOntcnted be.
f cause she has so many household duties to per
torm-the dinner to order the books to keep
n the servants to manage; because she has moi
enough liberty, or because she has too much
4 responsibility because she has so few servants
n that she has to work with her own hands, o.
7 because she has so many that she is at he
wits end to find occupation for them ALL not t.
= speak of discipline and good management. A
,s mother she is discOntented at the loss of per
+ s0nal freedom compelled by her condition, a
the physical annOyanccS and the mental ankle
i. ties included in the list of her nursery griev
ance< She would probably fret grievously
el she had no children at all but she frets quit
ed as much when they come. In the former cas-
n she is humiliated, in the latter inconvrniencoC
ed and in both diScOntented. Indeed, the way
aj which 90 many women deliver up their childre
ho to the supreme control of hired nurses prove
m practically enough the depth of their discontel
he with maternity when they have it.
ia 1t the Discontinued W oman is rich she speal
nd despondingly of the difficulties included in Il
fit ordering of large means. If she is poo
;I,, life has no Joys worth having when freque
~ change Of scene is unattainable and the mil
~. ner bill is a domestic calamity that has bee
,r 49,, curtailed If she lives in the city she lamen
y" the want of freedom and fresh air for the ch
, = dren, and makes the unhappy father. toiling
~ office from ten till seven, feel himself respOn
;n bic for the pale cheeks and attenuatcd les
~ which are probably to be referred to iniu'
ior' cious diet and the frequency Of juvenile dis
vas pations. But if she is in the country, then
the charm of existence is centred in the c
,ros and its thorouChlares. She cannot breat
zoe among the mountains The moor and pl'
nor, are too exposed The sea gives her a fit
tho melancholy whenever she looks at it, and ca
and it cruel, crawling, hungry, with passion Il
,ger sounds odd to those who love it. She ha
do- the leafy tamcneSs of the woods, and longs
the freer uplands, the vigorous wolds of
rim early DAYS Wherever, in short, the !
,ed contented Woman is, it is Just where
an would rather not be; and she holds fate &
lder her husband cruel beyond words because
onol cannot be transplanted into the exact Oppos
los of her present position. SO she m0pcs
tLo moons through the days, finding no pleas
anywhere, taking no interest in anything, vi
mn ing herself as n wifely martyr and the
n of pressed victim of circumstances; and then
idcn wonders that her husband is always ready
ness leave her company, and that he evidently Fl
vhpn her more tiresome than delightful. If
the would cultivate little more content
If ali might probably change the aspect of thi
ri even to finding the mountains beautiful
- the sea sublime but dissatisfaction with
it'll condition is the NeSsus garment winch cme g
bodv stroying all her happiness and the chief par
lionel her usefulness.