The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-16
TRUE WOMEN.
Mothers and Wives Who Are
T. Worthy of Our Esteem. %,

4aIs.aA il44 III 'saha ~ H. re "a - O. ID. Hl
Mothers and Wives Who Are
Worthy Of Our Esteem. o.
We might go on multiplying indefinite
ly the types Of foolish or mistaken
women; but We. may also multiply a.
inde6nitely1the types Of the trueT-those
loving. noble hearted, brave and strong
but feminine women who do not think
duty degradation nor the virtues Of un-
selfishness and devotion . sign Of Inferior
ity--women who do not desiIe direct
personal power, and who have no cOarss
personal ambition, but who are content
10 exercise influence felt rather than seen,
and to Be useful and real rather than
snowy and notorious. There are women
enough o. this kind still left among us to
keep society sweet and homes pure; else,
II the majority were fast or foolish,
MASCULINE or frivolous, we should soon
have to deplore the decline Of our nat
ional honor and the extinction OF our
national virtues For II to men has been
assigned the task. Of making the world
intellectually great and materially pros
porous, to women has been given that oil
keeping the moral standard high, Of rein.
ing society and influencing those who
rule to the better and the gentler way.
There is q sex ID virtue asin all the rest;
and In spite Of the new code which would
ru, men aud women into one ethical
mould, the stronger virtues will always
belong more to the one, while the sweeter
and gentler and purer are the property. Of
the other. How many beautiful women
there are land how much they have in
them to be loved and respected Take
the most familiar, because the moot
type of all-the faithful wife
and devoted mother whose life Is passed
In the holy and tender charities Of homei
who has been her husbands helpmate
and is her children's best friend who
has lived for love and duty, and in others
not for herself !; who has kept the family
together when, perhaps, without her they
would have split asunder; who, il they
have been poor and struggling; has made
the best Of things--been cheerful when
the pinch was hardest, and brave 10 bear
when danger was close at hand; or, ii
they have been wealthy, has administer.
ed wisely, striking that happy mean be-
tween llberality and extravaganza which
Il Is 80 difficult to hit Take such n
woman, the iulfillment as she IA oil the
best form Of feminine life, and does not
the whole world Instinctiyely worthip
her? Almost every great man Of whose
youth we know anything owed much TO
his future glory 10 the wise counsels OF a
faithful mother; and nothing Is more
in the biographies Of our
modern heroes, no matter in what direc.
lion their heroism has shown itself, than
The FREQ uency Of the mothers name and
the acknowledgement Of what was due oil
her early influence. And Is 1t nothing
for women 10 be the mothers OF great men
and Of noble women? is it small honor TO
give 4 Savior 10 the world TO have built
IN out Of her own life the life by which
the destinies OF humanity are shaped and
Influenced for all time?
Ifsome kind OF strength is necessary tor
our respect, 1t is not always physical
strength. Amongst the most charming
vomen known to US are those who are
inyalids more or less confined. Sur.
rounded by flowers and all manner oil
delicate colueteries in harmony with her
own delicacy she herself dainty, Interest,"
ins Appealing 70 ones pity and admira'
lion alike, but always bright and sympa:
tbetic: reading much, thinking and
observing more !, apart from the passions
and friyolities Of the hour, but not in
different to the higher interests, the
rrayef questions Of the timei the tone o.
her whole encourage subdued but moi
melancholy, refined but'in no wise sickly
ne woman, consiitutionally delicate but
morally and intellectually strong, makes q
feature In society which we would be
sorry 10 miss. To'sit by her quiet couch
L like leaving the glare and noise Of the
crowded streets for the sweet stiffness Of
a country lane. Everything Is 80 peace
nj and 90 pure about her; and In hei
own quiet way she is so active? Though
mainly confined TO her, couch. she orders
and organizes her household quite n
efJectuaily as II she was running about
he house and the servants lind her al
iudicious a mistress, her husband "a
bfipht q companion, her children y
saiisfac,ory mother, and her friends Al
sympatbeiic listener, a. il she brought
he normal amount Of strength and en-
ergy, TO help her on. Men, A. well q
women, 70 to her with theirid ithealtieal
and she has always good counsel TO giri
them. She 10 no prude and does notpre
,1nd 10 Be shocked eyen,when stories o.
ifIsic passion are poured out in herJ
d6ods q sorrow and dispair before her
INT Wing there, calm, observant. and I'M
touched by all the ttrm und Dran9 O.
life, she sees things In their just proper
tion.l and can Judge more wisely thar
those whose reasons get obscured ~ theil
pas1ions and imaginAtious. Howlman
fAtal iollies has her ,iArSeeiuR counse
prevented Z how many errors has hel
Tise advice kept out Of public sight ,anC
family auarrels healed and rash resolves
modified2 whoever KNOWS hsF NSl
owes her some debt Of gtatitudei and th'
beIner OF the many 10 this frail ant
lander invalid who seems as II she mus
needs be the care Of alias If she mus
- helped 10 live on her own account, In
lead q giving as she does strength an'
wisdom 10 others. 'r ~" agJ
Nor. active in the world and more Il
the forefront OF things, because In strong
- bsaItLthe woman who makes herael
Ina o,ite6,ot q salon, the centre Of he
sneisty and Who takes care that TIL
.oeiety' shall be choice and an entraue'
into il 4 lille Of, honor, does also goo''
work In her generation, and shows soin
q lie best qualities OF her sex; Their
Are no tispeefl led; peacheS' 10 her drawing
room, and whatever the Ritheuo coloriGI
he moral tone Is iirreproaehabIe. N
loud girls who have borrowed Iron
Abonyma all but her charm, nor Toms 2
the Third Sex who have bequeAthed th
rick Of bluShipg to the men whose sens
Of delieaey they outrage daily no famil
lar men with lcuugipg, loAang, dl'rsspeo'