The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-20

W 70 aS uhppy oHu w 6Os Oh 10 we'll W
gether as they would. In all probability,
have done if be had been the hrst to feel
the stab of Master Cupid's dart, and had
warmly taken the initiative in the courtship.
1t seems to be held that the only plea which
may appropriately be urged in extenuation
of her conduct is that she rejoiced in the pos
session of an abundance of pelf and GER
tain position, while his social status was as
low rs his purse was light; and even this
plea has to be handled with sdroitness if il
is TO become effective.
Indeed, at q critical moment, when they
have all the touching details of the excep-
tional matter before them, they will not hes
itate to speak in terms of whitening scorn OF
the frail female who is so much the slave OF
her heart that she is acting as if she desired
to bring to her feet a man who, from BASH
fulness or some other cause, would not SEEM
ingly get there but for her stimulating in
huence. If she fails they rejoice over her
downfall, and feelingly declare that she will
merely meet with her deserts if she degen-
crates into neglected and petulant old
maid, while if she succeeds they vigorously
discount her triumph on the ground that il
is one of which any vell-regulsted female
would be thoroughly ashamed. The men,
bers of her own sex, who, when they cult
vate the power Of introspection and are be-
coming mature, should know how to make
excuses for her are invariably her most viru-
lent citizens. Even men, however. are dis
posed to show her no mercy, and there is,
probably, no more lofty and virtuously in.
dignsnt creature than the being who feels
that he has been tangled for, but flatters
himself because he has not been caught by
the bait which has been so tenptingly
placed before him. He would almost ap.
pear to fancy that he should, on account OF
the way he has escaped the snsres which
have been spread for him, be placed on the
roll of the worlds heroes. Novelists are
| the most ventursome of beings, and they
have fondness for floating conventionality,
but there are bounds beyond which they
dare not go, and they perceive how hazard
Gus it would be for them to outrage popular
prejudice by depicting heroines who took
| the initiative in love affairs A Queen OF
England is at liberty to make an "offer" to
Prince-indeed it is not etiquette for a
Prince to make an ''offer" to her-but she
occupies quite an exceptional position, and
the fact is one which need not be further
considered in reference to the subject
especially as her marriage may generally be
deemed to be largely influenced by State
considerations. Thus, everything is against
the woman wooer, and it is not surprising
that she remains something of rara avis,
and, when her heart proves too strong for
her sense of proprieties, often works in cum
ming and crooked ways, as if she was bent
on deceiving herself and not letting her left
hand know of the doings of her right.
Yet there is, after all, good deal of rea-
son and common sense on her side; SO much
that it is surprising the advocates of the
"women's rights" movement have yet to en-
ergeticslly take up the cudgels on her be-
half 1t is absurd to suppose that affection
must inevitably begin with the man. 1t is
equally absurd that he alone must be at lib
erty to win the being whom he believes to
be necessary to his life's happiness. The in
dividusl who allowed rich prize TO elude
him because, through some mistaken notion
| of what people in whom he was in no way
interested and for whom he did not care u
jet would think, he would not stretch forth
his hand and grasp it when it was well
within his reach, would, very properly, be
accounted q fit subject for Colney Hatch or
Rsinhill. Why, then should woman be
debsrred from doing her best to stir the
sluggish nature of the being whom she has,
with the natural perversity OF her sex, fallen
in love with, and who would, she has every
reason to believe, be worthy of her? She
may see that if she will hold out her hand
he will take it, but that if she gives no signs
he will pass on, and their lives, which she
so fondly thinks would be exquisite if
blended in the future lie far apart
Will il not be mere elementary wisdom
for her to come down form the uncomforta.
bic pedestal, where all her energies and
emotions are cruelty crsmped. on which
artifciality has set her? We do not believe
| in the popular impression that the well di.
rected maiden only discovers that she has a
heart when the right man asks TO: it. On
the contrary, we are of opinion that many
girls long, with all the intensity of fresh and
ardent souls, for certain men as consorts,
when no word of love has been whispered
in their ears, and when no token of affection
has been rendered them, and not few
become broken spirited because the chance
of their bright dreams being realized van
ishes. At present woman frequently for
feits her possibility of bliss, from the cir.
cumstsnce that she, owing to her surround
ings and sense of what is expected from her,
feigns GOODNESS which she is far from feel
ing when the man whom she loves, while
fearing to take the final plunge,
favor. Many would he husbands
hesitate to say evil you marry mef" Only
because they dread that the query viii be
answered in the negative, and they shrink
from mourning VIII 1t they would regard as
as keen humiliation OF course, it may be
urged that such cravens are unworthy OF
women's love; but the women have to be
considered as well as they, and the fact re-
mains that notwithstanding their obliquity
of vision and cowardice, and the clumsy
manner in which they mismanage their
amours, they would frequently make true,
tender and excellent husbands. 1t is pity
then, for all parties that their short sight
edness and stumbling should be permitted
to lead to such disastrous consequences, and
their sweet-hearts might very well be allow
ed to help themselves. Men have the whole
world to choose their wives from, but women
may, under the most advantageous condition
of things. only select their mates from the
comparatively limited number of men who
seek their society and deign to look on them
with favor. OF course it may be urged that
the rough and ready system of natural
selection leads to fewer evils than might
be anticipated enthusiasts may still
maintain that marriages are made in Heaven,
Notwithstanding the fashion in which female
humanity Is hsmpered, and the ridieulously
one-sided state of things prevailing on earth
but that it leads to gigantic mistakes is
certain, and It is time the weaker sex were
given to understand that, under certain con-
ditions, they may help themselves to crafty
their leOitin ate and natural lonOinos