The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-07-08
Woman's Sphere

know lnulVlduaiS, OIL Ho C"o VI "ho'n
could saw that l think they are en-
tirely equal. But there are two visibly
standing before the world (Which is
made up of them) to be judged accord
ing to their works, and upon these
works wish to ask the reader his and
her opinion.
This is mine to start with-that when
God put two creatures into the world Il
hope that persons Of advanced lntelli-
geuce will forgive the old-fashioned
phraseology, which perhaps is behind
the age) it was not that one should be
the servant of the other, but because
there was for each certain evident and
sufficient work to do II is needless to
INQUIRE which work was the highest.
Judgment has been universally given in
favor of the mans work, which is that
of the protector and food producer
though even here one cannot but feel
that there is something to be said on
the weaker side, and that it is possible
that the rearing Of children might seem
in the eyes of the Maker, who is sup
posed to feel special interest in the
human race, as noble an occupation, in
its way, as the other. TO keep the
world rolling on, as it has been doing
for all these centuries, there have been
needful two creatures, two types of crea-
lures, the one an lmpossibility without
the other. And it is c'vious thought,
when we come to consider it, that the
man, who is such fine fellow and thinks
so much of himself, would after all be a
complete none..tity without the woman
who he has hustled about and driven
into a corner ever since she began to be.
Now it seems to me that the first and
largest and most fundamental of all the
grievances of women is this !: That they
never Nave, since the world began, got
the credit Of that share of the work of
the world which has fallen naturally to
them, and which they have, on the
whole, faithfully performed through all
the vicissltudes.
scarcely remember any writer who
has ventured to say that the half of the
work OF the world is actually accom-
plished by women; and very few hus-
bands who would be otherwise than
greatly startled or amazed, If not indis-
nant, il not derisive, at the suggestion
of such au idea as that the work of
their wives was equal to their own. And
vet, for my part, l think it is. So far
as | can sec, the workingman's wife
who has to cook and clean and wash
and mend, and do all the primitive SER
vices of life for her family, has harder
and more constant work than her hus-
band aud rising upwards in the ranks
of life | think the same balance goes on,
at least until that level Of wealth and
leisure is reached at which the favorites
of fortune, like the lilies. toll not,
neither do they spin. But | am not
concerned with those nights. What
dukes and duchesses do and which of
them work the hardest, will scarcely tell
upon the argument; nor am | deeply
versed in the Natural history OF million
aires. But so far as | am acquainted
with facts of existence, the woman's
hands are everywhere as full Of natural
occupation as are those OF the man.
The mans work lasts certain num-
ber of hours, after which he has his
wellearned leisure, his evening to him
self, his hours of recreation or of loung-
ing but his " ife has no such privileged
amount of exemption from toll. Her
work is never done She has the
evening meal, whatever it may be, to
prepare and to clear away, and the chill
iren to get to bed. and the mendins to
90, in the hours when he is altogether
free, and considers himself with ustce
to have q right to his freedom. In very
few cases does it occur to the woman to
grumble at this, or to wonder why her
lot shout be harder than his. It. is
natural it is her share The whole
compact of their married life is based
upon this, that she s,uld do her work
while he, does his and hers is the share
which is "never done" | do not say a
word against this law of nature, but |
object that while this is the case the
poor woman who works so hard is con-
sid red as a passive object of her hu'-
bands bounty, indebted to him for her
living, and with no standing ground or
position OF her own. She Is So consid-
cred in the eye OF the law aud though
the f,ollshness of the sentiment Is too