Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-02-12
CHIT CHAT.

You, Hllda, again your banner unfold;
"Wherefore, thou gentle student, bend thine
ear to my speech,
For also am as thou art our hearts can
commune together"
II come as one of peace, to comfort not to
combat
Let us walk together as friends in the
shaded paths of meditation
Nor Judgment set his seal until he hath
poised his balance,
That the Christening of mild reproof may
meet unwilling error"
"Alas, the world is old-and all things old
within it:
l walk a trodden path, love the good old
ways,
Those of old have tuned the harp family
touch,
Truth, in garment of the past, is my
choice and simple theme"
[ have read your Chit Chat" |
lift my pen-what shall l say :? Where
shall begin? You say my doctrine
won't hold for this the advanced nine
teeth cert IryG' and YOUR me back
to the "slumberous ages Of ignorance,
when woman's thraldom stained the
escutcheon of mans honor-that my
geatlearguments would have, no doubt,
found acceptance then; but now,
since the social strata has been leveled,"
in this age of civilization, when reason
sits upon the throne, you advise me to
lay aside gentle arguments and lift the
sword, that we may at once repudlate
the "Stoical creed" All Hilda,
what unshackled woman from her
thraldom? Was it gentle arguments
on the deaf ear of ignorance and heath
enism? Was it the sword in tender |
fingers? Most assuredly not either
but the wheels of time that crushed |
ignorance and heathenism as it brought |
to man civilization and enlightment.
Led from darkness to light, he saw in
the heart of woman all that was pure,
bright, and beautiful, and found the
gem, like the rough diamond, was hid |
behind fear and tyranny. AS his ac-
knowledged equal. she has grown
stronger and stronger, and in your
language is "a peer. a contestant, no |
longer the dainty toy Of a master, she
leaves the sweet shade of her home for |
man more sunlike sphere, forgetting |
that she is only the vine, she stretches
forth her tiny arms in defiance Of the
strong oak that supports her.
Again, you say, "the days have van
ished when woman was held priceless
fer her fragility, her contemplate de-
pendence." Has God, think you, re-
pented that he made her frail de-
pendent creature of love? Oh /! Hilda,
you in this short sentence rob and tear
from her heart the most beautiful and
priceless virtue implanted there by an
Allwlse God-rob her of the most
charming characteristic Of her nature.
Again, you say, l ''underrate our
power, cut and prune our plant of in
fuence notch too low" May God
forgive my error, if | failed to show
that our power and influence were
founded on modesty and christianity.
Perhaps Hilda, is mistaken she GER
tainly would not have said too low"
while it rests on such beautiful, high
and powerful platform.
Yes, my heart thrills with mingled
pride and pleasure as | read THE pure
and guileless sentiments of woman,
reaped from the harvest of thought
and given in sunny profusion to the
erring masses" But could we lift for
a moment the dark pail collins Of our
sisters, whose thoughts come
to US in the range of gentleness and
forms of grace; could we awaken the
of their dead hearts and
know the experience of their past lives,
we would doubtless shed tears of sym
pathy. Could their marble lips open
again in life, they would, doubtless,
tell US of sad career; that their
chosen path of fame was cold, dark,
and lonely, requiring strength hercu-
lean that belongs not to woman; that
her heart is too tender and frail to
meet the clouds of censure, and cruel
criticisms that gather over the lives of
those who tread the path to fame.