Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-26
Art Needle-Work.

The Nineteenth Century.
Ifs woman is not strong enough TO
he maid OF all work, il she is not smart
enough to wait behind counter, nor
ingenious enough to make bonnets, nor
clever enough to keep clearinghouse,
nor sufficiently educated 10 be a govern
ess, nor sufficiently intellectual to trans.
late foreign books into moderately good
English, nor vet strong minded enough
to write novels that will sell, what is
she to do? In each OF these occupations
the struggle "for the survival OF the tit
test" is most severe, and those whom
nature and education have not made
strong enough to succeed must starve,
or be supported by private charity,
which is degradation, or by public char
ity. which means the wOrk-house. IL
has been said, and echoes through all
time, that woman's proper vocation is
To ''suckle fools," etc. But many more
women are born than are needed for
this laudable purpose; and so Provl-
dence has arranged that there should be
a good many to spare for inferior uses.
II the laws OF marriage should be revo.
lutionized, and the deceased wife's sis.
ter would be the thin end OF the wedge,
perhaps a moderate bigamy might be
localized, and so more fools would be
the consequence, and more women
would find occupation. Meanwhile the
wisdom OF ages only suggests one other
alternative, "Go spin, You jades. Wo-
men did spin, and they wove and work
ed, too, within the last fifty years, till
steam, and the power loom, and ma
chine embroidery wrested from them
their "woman's work." and gave it to
the strong man, that thenceforth all tex
tile inventions should be- manufactured
by thousands OF wards, TO be paid for
cheaply and sold only little less cheap
ly. From that time women have most
IL served i'm herds as "hands" in the
crowded manufactures. ] remember
when was young, more than hall q
century ago, seeing a beautiful girl ut
Tiyoli who was much Couried by the
youth OF the place as being industrious
and capable, and likely to make an ex-
cellent wife. She sat at her loom weav-
ing from daylight till midday, and then
embroidered till sunset, when she array.
ed herself in some Of her own work aud
went to enjoy the public walk in all the
bravery Of her picturesque costume aud
the acknowledged supremacy OF her
loneliness, Till the stars announced sup
per time, after which she spun till mid
night. Her name was Rosa Dante; and
she enjoyed her own creations IN color
ell worsteds or linen she had herself
| woven more than her great namesake
ever enjoyed the operations OF his own
sad and majestic genius. We cannot
dwell on these pleasant pictures OF the
past without wishing to revive them, as
far as we may, for the benefit OF at least
some oi our countrywomen. But Eng
lish girls are mostly ambitious. They
are the boys equals at the board-schooI
classes, and help 10 cram their little
brothers for the examinations, and,
though helping, also, their drudging
mother at home, they despise her sor'
did life, and emulate for themselves 6
hiyhsr future. Some who, though very
roo-. belong 10 the better class, work al
niyht in the art school OF their district
or they read for diplomas and strive fol
COLLEGE honors, admitted, though no
vet awarded. They try TO become doc
tors, and, failing in that, they fight th'
doctors on their common platform, TIT
hospital ward, melancholy sight TO
gods and men; they are all seeking u
do good. but they are not yet entirel.
educated to the sense OF what their pc
sition must be, and, if We believe al
that is said, it appears that there is nom
that doeth good-no, not one. Ye
surely, If there is one thing that VIC
man ought to be fit for. it is the nursin
Of the sick, also the teaching of it'll
children hut the schoolmaster is abroa