Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-10

to account in lectures 10 women, or for ths
higher classes at school What they do is
done We'll 4; and the manner OF II VIII not OF
fend, because they remain true women. chaste
women and feminine through it all. because
they care for the thing To he done rather than
for themselves, and how they do IL rather
than what people say Of them. So IL women
have al heart any particular theory of life.
any special religious or moral views, say, they
live according 70 their ideas of the best things:
which is better than preaching about them,
and has more effect on the world at large.
They may be right or wrong, but al least they
are sincere, ana willing 10 bear though they
do not court mariyrdom: and we have no
right 10 demand more than sincerity from any
one III they are freethinking women, or
those " no hold unorthodoN views on marriage,
those who do not believe in the Immortality Of
the soul nor yet in special reveiaton-any
one of which heresies society can barely
bring itself 10 tolerate-they do not go out into
the wide world preaching, lecturing, de-
nouncing. Unless called on by truth and
honor 10 declare themselves, unless directly
challenged, they keep their flags in their
pockets; and no one can say that they are
Haunted unnecessarily. or that when called on
Tor display they are Shirked or denied. These
Women are perfectly feminine, perfectly
Oeautl1ul, how widely different Soever they
may be from the majority: but can we saw
the same of those whose chief delight seems
10 beto shock the feelings and revolt the taste
OF every one with whom they are brought i'm
contact by the coarse personal publicity with
which they advocate their startling views?
III wives and mothers are dear and lovely
times met i'm houses as supplementary moth
ers, helping their sisters in their duties and
hhding their happiness in their vicarious ma
e. nliy Ii is not all unseliiSh giving and no
return with these for the sense of doing good
Is of it'elf its own reward to all true women
and the children love them like so many Sec
ord mothers. And the other sisters of n
more arbitrary kind-the nurses in hospitals
and care takers of the unfortunate who do
such really good work among the poor de-
spite the fantiSticality of their methods-they
among those whom hpnnr
who keep the sex pure and true. Badly led
they themselves are heroic in the fight which
they carry on against misery and sin. and the
degradation OF their poorer siSters-grand
and sanity in their quiet dedication of them
selves To the holy life of humanity. How
much they do, compared 10 that noisy, bla-
tant. SIN licking section which utters hysteri-
cal cries on platforms and puts out nasty
Ii erature through the press. working for
themselves and notoriety while these sweet,
patient, tender souls work for the good of
others, and merge themselves in their mission
as true women know how. The country
ladies, and those in towns who do not belong
to slSterhoodS, but who do good all the same
may sin against the best laws of political
economy; but who would not rather have
such women as they than the cold and scien-
tlnc claSSiferS OF cause and effect, the calcu-
laIorS of how many more Deggars the penny
given TO that halfnaked, shivering child will
make?
The very poor woman who does her duty to
her family, in rough ways and with small
margin left for grace or aesthetic charm, is an
apostle in her own way for the grandeur aud
beauty OF true womanhood and the very SER
want who is faithful and industrious has also
her mission and her loveliness. Wherever we
find good woman, therewe have a centre OF
noble influence, and the world around her
Sensibly better because of her. But even the
women who are only beautiful, only sympa-
thenc, only charming, have their uses. They
are the sweeteners of lifes daily toll. the
Smoothers of its asperities, and no one comes
from them other than refreshed. Whether,
then, as the mothers of great men and noble
wGmen-or as friends wise in counsel ami
pure In amor as creatures beautiful TO LOOK
at and good TO be WITH the true women are
Infinitely precious. But Just i'm proportion to
their beauty and use are the detestable
qualities of those who are not real women
and who ruin their own cause by their yuI-
garity and the falSeness OF their method.
What relief TO turn from these to the true
WOman,-to woman personally fascinating
and Intellectually capable; a friend staunch
and firm 10 the death; a woman of liberal
views and generous heart, but one also who
knows the world and what society will bear
and what il will not-how far il would be
wise to loosen the bonds and when to keep
them buckled close; woman pure In her
conduct if universally admired: faithful TO
her home duties il also leader of society.
Such woman as this makes us forget all the
ugly mistakes on the other side; and while
she and her beautiful sisters remain to u.s. we
can go on thanking Heaven Who gives US wo-
men, and makes them what they are when at
their best