The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-12-15

bic Hef n exercise with aklll N intelligence
the civil fieliis sllc graves and Il entitled "a
woman must Learn business and trade Hat
n stfongefnecewliy Than this exists, The
war, bloody aud devastating IN lls fearful
wnke len throughout tlic South thousands
upon thousands Of families without head
or support, their property all gone,
and no prop TO lean upon but per.
hnps the fragile daughter or aged
widow or the grudgingly given charity
of relatives and friends. The old IDEAS OF
the vulgarity of labor created by the insti-
tuition OF slavery and lingering behind
when that relic Of bnrbarism was swept
away, coupled with tho native modesty oil
the Southern woman, precluds ed the POSSIBLE
ity of a resort to labor by either the daugh-
ter or mother, though their bread came
from gift and their homes were bare Some
girls in that day, whose noble conduct we
now remember with admiration, Drawing
the criticism of the public, always more or
less critical and intolerant, and spurn-
ing either to suffer or live upon the
charities of others stepped forth into the
channels of business, obtained employment
in the bazaars, and supported in comfort
and plenty oftentimes large family. AT
first there was n shrug of the shoulder and
shake of the head. oitcnest from those
who had nothing or did nothing, but these
things speedily ceased when the same labor
frn ofo 40 N
many cases they were, from the shop to the
coy and frequently elegant homes of the
men who knew how to appreciate and assist
a girl with the intellect, en-
ergy and courage to be indie
pendent and do right. Since
then when, as was the case in several cities,
it was considered indicate for woman to
go to the post office, such absurd, andin the
language of modern slang, doubly appro-
pirate to the thought too too" views,
have been gradually giving away to the ne
cessities of the hour and the more humane
and intelligent order of things, until from
South Carolina to the Rio Grande, the
sweetest, most modest and purest daugh-
tiers of the South are boldly stepping forth
from the homes over which misfortune and
adversely have cast their shadows, land are to-
day earning honorable, and in some in
stances luxurious livings by daily labor in
the various State and government depart
ments, minis, post-offices, bazaars of fash
ion, stores, telegraph offices, schools, and in
fact every conceivable avenue of business.
From at first questionable course for the
poor girls of the South whom circumstan-
ces had reduced, those of them who now are
sensible and brave and noble enough to
take care of themselves, ard their homes
and the mother and little ones, often,
who bave no other resource, are
not only applauded but are admired
beyond any of their sisters who fold their
hands in poverty-stricken homes in re-
Spouse to false ideas of the sphere OF
woman and female modesty, and grow
and sourer against God and
the world day by day, because. they are not
as others of their acquaintance and have
not what others have. Woman's true
sphere is home, but what is a home without
comfort, or at least the necessaries of life,
and independently obtained. If
others are not at hand to obtain these things
the true heroine will obtain them and
then enjoy them. But once obtained she
must be able to protect it, has right civilly
in its management. In the absence of
male relative or protector her property is
at the mercy Of others, and in this way
arises and in this exists the business of her
claim for civil rights. But let her always
bear in mind that until she has learned the
trouble and put forth the labor necessary in
she will never have learned
inc art of caring for and protecting ciyilly
ler property. All men and women, or
nearly all, look forward naturally
to marriage. After that event woman
IAN devote herself to home and its com
Torts, or before, if fortune has favored her,
put until then let those ofthem whom fate
las forgotten to favor, or from whom for
June has withdrawn her gifts, be coura-
yeous enough to take advantage of the pro-
visions the growing intelligence of the time
mas made for her, and show the outside
world who and what she is. TO refuse to
10 this is absurd, and the men who think
md toll, the true men of this country, the
men who make good husbands and want
sensible and good wives are be
ginning to recognize the fact
and act accordingly.
The objection sometimes urged that by so
Icing, promiscuously mixing in the bust
ness walks of life, woman loses her modesty
ind society is lowered, is puerile, is con-
.rary 10 All We know OF man or woman.
Who does not know that pure and modest
woman will be pure and modest always,
md that an immodest and impure woman
will never be anything else? And SO If our
Southern girls will only cease repining over
broken fortunes and bad luck, only de-
ermine not TO longer want for the
,hings they need, and go nobly to
gsrk, when the necessity exists for ii,
wherever honorable livelihood can be
made. the source of much unhappiness will
rot only be removed and the dignity Of
abor raised and the channels OF trade be-
,omc purified, but grander, nobler, more
intelligent and independent standard Of
Somanhood viii grow mp over all the land.
that labor is honorable at all
lines. and Independence to be coveted
lbove all things. To be afraid Of criticism
: 10 be too weak for respect.
THE QUESTION OF FREE PASSES
We have noticed lately considerable agi-
alton in railroad circles relative to the
policy heretofore adopted by many Of the