The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-09-15

great vineyard, and at some places the
wine produced is of such value that to
secure it the grapes are bought up before
mate, soil, and latitude, Virginia is like
this portion of Italy, and am sure not
many years will elapse before the culti-
walton of grapes and manufacture of wine
will be source of great revenue to the
people. Particularly should this be the
case in the Piedmont and Valley of Vir-
ginia. We sadly need in our State a
greater variety of crops, so that if in one
section tobacco fails, or in another wheat
and corn fail, we should have other pro-
ducts from which the farmer can realize
money.
AS far as superficial observer can see,
the women do most of the work in Italy.
They are said generally to govern the
household, managing all expenditures.
They never seem to be idle From the
car window or top of the diligence, we
could see them always busily at work,
sewing or knitting or in some household
engagement. Nor is their work confined
to the house-they are seen in every field
doing the work of men-or on the road
barefooted or in wooden shoes, with a
framework of wood on their backs, filled
with hay or coal or stones or other things
heavy enough for donkey to carry. At
Lago Maggiore have seen Italian women
with great baskets strapped on their
backs, stand In granite quarry yard,
while men shovelled loose pieces of rock
and granite dust into their baskets, and
with two or three hundred pounds of this
rubbish they would climb steep ascent
with as much ease as in Virginia a
woman would carry bucket of water.
The picture is pitiful and shameful
one, but it shows how the muscular sys-
tenn of women may be developed. l have
seen young English women follow their
male companions on foot in the Alps as
cending the highest mountains and walk
ing for miles without very great fatigue.
All over Europe, the women in the lower
classes work, and work hard, and the rich
er ones walk and develop and strengthen
their bodies by muscular exercise in diff
terent ways. | am more convinced now
than ever that the education of American
women In this particular is very imper.
feet, and that bad health is the result O.
this neglect. My companion and have
frequently discussed this subject, and we
agree that we would hear of fewer deli
cate women if we compelled them when
young to take more exercise Not spas
medically, but Systematically. Make
them when children contract the habit o.
walking, riding boating, working in some
way by which the whole system will bt
better developed and less prone to dis
ease. 1t might make their hands harder
and feet bigger, and it will take away
some of the delicate refinement which
makes them more attractive than any
women on earth but the compensation
would be health and happiness on thei1
part, and diminished anxiety on the par
of their fathers and husbands. Why ar,
American women so delicate, is a aues
ton often asked and easily answered
The men, except the soldiers and priests
(and every third man you meet, is one OF
the other,) looked lazy and thriftless
do not know altogether why this should
be the case unless it is because every man
as soon as he is Is or 20 years of age, il
compelled to serve in the army from t.
5 years. This life of soldier units mel
for civil work. Nothing more surely
does it. And the money tax to suppor
large army is not the only or the heav
lest cost to nation. l have seen thi
exempliied in Virginia, even among tn,
educated classes, but it applies with
greater force to the young and unedu
Gated. This morning g at the Lake O
Como, we were awakened at daylight by
the noise of men singing and shouting
and learned that they were young mer
between 18 and 20, going to be drafted
into the army, it being determined by lot
who should go for 9, or 3 or 5 years
When 1 say the men appear to me lazy
and thriftless, refer chiefly to the hum
bier classes, and I confess it is only a
rapid and superficial glance that 1 have
had of them. Probably a longer and
better insight would change the impress
sion, but l think not. At every place
you stop you meet crowd Of men wait
ing and watching for a chance to get
money from you. Every ingenious pre-
text and device is resorted to for this
purpose. Sometimes they humbly beg
for it, sometimes impudently demand it
] have stood before a railway station, OF
diligence Office, hesitating about entering
the enclosure, and contending with the
mob Of beggars, and wondering how /
could get through without being robbed
Ill