The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-24
THE WOMEN In MEXICO.
They Take Things Easy and Know
Nothing of Women's Rights.
IWomnuis Inurnal

iWomans Journall
IF we are to believe that "the first re-
quiste of man is to be a good animal"
our Mexican sisters are vastly our super
iors. Instead of perfect health being the
exception, as | fear is too often the case
with us, feelings and ailings are rare.
The women, as a rule, live TO hale and
hearty old age, without even having
heard of the thousand and one ailments
that afflict their sex elsewhere. The
young are vigorous and bear an almost
unlimited number of children without
decrease of strength. This physical SUI
periority does not seem traceable to any
one cause. Perhaps it is the Survival OF
the fttest." Children are cared for in
what would seem to us most reckless
manner. l have seen new born
babies, for example, in biting cold
weather, wrapped in small cotton
sheet, without other garments than
cambria shirt, and this is the universal
custom in the best regulated households.
There are no statistics at hand to support
the assertion, but | judge The average
number of births in a family to be from
ten to twelve. A large percentage of
these never reach maturity, and it is
allowable to presume that those who
have the most power of endurance sur
vive.
On the other hand, corsets are but lit
tie known, and the old fashion of high
heeled shoes have never reached here.
There are no reform waists to supply the
place of the corset, but the skirts are
usually made light and worn with
sacques, SO that the outrages to the hui
man form are less glaring than in more
civilized (?) communities. Steels and
whalebone and tight-waisled dresses are
for gala days only, and then for the priv
iegtd few. The home garments are
invariably loose and comfortable. This,
though not the perfection of dress reform,
is an improvement on the dress of the
average American woman.
Again, these women are not overworked.
They perform their work in slow, easy
going manner, whether in the kitchen or
bedroom or in the parlor, at their sewing
OF fancy work. Unlike us who have no
moderation in the use of a characteristic
valuable in its self, but the abuse of what
is sapping our very life as people, they
do not exhaust their nervous forces in
hurried with time. If to-day is not suf-
fciently long, mamma, tomorrow
stretches out invitingy before them in
delightful indefniteness. Time is abso-
lutely no object.
1t would be curious to investigate the
reason why, in this land where "women's
rights" are almost unheard of, when in
many respects the women are hopelessly
dependent. and here there is SO little
general enlightenment, married women
are independent fnancially-that is to
say, they are treasurers of the partner
ship and are not subjected to the humili-
alton of asking their husbands for every
cent they need for their own expenses
and those of the household. The hus-
band considers that his wife is as much
entitled to his earnings as he is and leaves
their disbursement to her Judgment. |
am glad tof4ay that she does not abuse
this confidence. She is prudent and eco
nomical and often shows more sagacity
than he in the use of the money.
/