The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-05-14
Grne Northerner.
Paw Paw. MICHIGAN, MAY IA, 1875.
Ed. TRUE NoRTHERSER


reply to one or two thoughts presented in
Mlllnda's last communication. Az an excuse
for not dong IL last week, would say that my
wife (much to my discomfture) still retains
enough OF her "womanly ways" to turn the
house up side down and in side out, when she
has general clearing up time, consequently,
amid the muss and confusion OF the past week,
j have been unable to find either pen, pencil or
paper. But as she has finished and stepped
out to make womanly VISIT have stepped in
TO tind my room and secretary all IN apple pie
order, and resume by saying, feel that MI
linda does me great injustice when she says
nv sarcastic nature leads me TO msconstrue
her sentiment IN regard to true womanhood.-
Now, have not judged her in haste, or through
prejudice but by the words Of her own mouth,
supposing that they flowed from the heart
How can ! msconstrue such language as this;
Furthermore 1 guarantee to say, tbrt II he
has a wife she is the most domestic and meek
EFT little woman in all Cbristendom,-a real
womaniy woman" And then this quotation:
cit Is remarkable how quickly woman VIII
subordinate her own individuality to that OF
man how she gives up her own views, judges
only from his standpoint, sees but with his
ewes" How can / misconstrue her sentiments,
when IN all her articles she 30 plainly shows us
that her ideal of a woman is just no woman at
all. but simply an automaton, an intricate ma
chine without thought or will, simply echoing
back her husbands thoughts and yielding will
ing obedience to his Wishes be they honorable
or otherwise! l wonder why & Cd did not place
ali of woman's brains in the back part of her
head and then the multtudes of intelligent.
virtuous women in our land. whose husbands
are unprincipled gamblers and drunkards, would
not have to make such desperate effort to
crush all the finer sentiments of their nature
IL order to Judge only from their standpoint
and look out through their bl cared eyes,"
II Milnda is really living up to her ideal,
her articles must be dictated by her husband,
and / am responding to his thoughts and senti.
Dents upon this subject and it gives me real
pleasure to be permitted to think that after all
It as not oconan that would thus tear down
her own sex and build mp another. or course
( can readily see how selfshness, together with
she selfish and one sided training that our boys
receive from infancy on to old age, would with
out any counteracting infuence) lead his mind
TO that train Of thought
Again, Miinda Cor the one to whom she has
subordinated her individuality says, "a mother
who educates her sons and daughters to live
honest, true lives, does more for the good OF
our country than all the women reformers in
The world" Why, my dear sister, how do you
know? Did your husband tell you so? IL he
Hal,a IL a,Nn %
it But | hardly think you will make very
many persons, who really do their own think
ING, swallow that assertion, for we are able to
roe that the most Of our reformers not ouly
scatter their light all over our country iluminat
ing the dark places, enlghtening the ignorant,
lifting up the despondant, and with the power
of their own vitality utilize the latent energies
Of the masses, but beautify and adorn their
own homes, bringing up tier own sons and
daughters to lead honest pure and independ-
ont lives, besides.
Again: at appears to me that all sensible
persons must see that any change i'll political
economy winch will have a tendency to call
women from their homes and domestic rela-
tions Is a wrong move" Dear. dear, one would
think by the howl that goes up every time there
~ GIL effort made to get women out OF the old
grooves, that under the present state Of affairs
she never wanders from home or neglects her
domestic dutes"! 1 suppose it would be
great deal worse for woman to leave her home
long enough to visit the polls once or twice
year, and thus silently express her sentiments
on the great issues OF the day, than to make
one or two visits every week as many Of them
do. For my part, had as soon 90 hungry or
cat a cold dinner, if necessary, while my wife
visits the ballot-box, as il che we're attending
Sunday-school or teachers convention. Could
j be permitted to go with her, should enjoy
her company just as we'll as il attending church
or party. II we are all the time looking for
sions ia the way, they will be sure to rise up
before our distorted vision.
One would naturally think, while listening to
80 much ado about domestic trouble if woman
happens to step out Of the kitchen or express
thought Of her own, that the tnen were per-
feet tigers in their own homestead they mar
yied their wives for drudges and slaves instead
u beloved companions For my part, l don't
believe 1t Is so. and feel indignant at such
vulgar insinuatons. II my wife wishes to en-
gage in any business or fill any Office that-will
paw or suit her taste better than cooking, wash
ing or sewing, we can just as consistently hire
help in the house to do her work. "a to hire a
man on the farm while 90 off on pleasure
or business trip.
The world is still ruled in great measure by
ignorance aud superstition. The same spirit
which led people to rdicule and prosecute such
n as Calico, Morse and Fulton still leads
the same class of one idea people to oppose and
condemn snv one who takes an advance step or
advocates new reform. But the coming his
tonan will inscribe on history's page the names
OF the few who now take advanced positions
with reference to the Acknowledgement OF wo-
men IN the same characters OF light, which will
perpetuate their names throughout all coming
time. This is bur question of wears, Pubic
opinion is educated, as it were, with the rapid
Ity OF lightning nowadays and those conserv-
ative men and women, who are still clnging to
their oue-horse carts and old fashioned lumber
wagons, had better be getting them out Of the
way, or else when the car Of Progression comes
tl.ax,o ,.nk aok1x