The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1881-03-31
THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE.

purrose fllau to be the creature Of her husbands
win. notions plans, desires and pretensons is be-
inc rsnidiv dissipated before the rays OF knowl
edge that are everywhere be4ming upon the world
throurh wornans education md enlightenment
Men who cling consciously. to the comfortable
fancy that thsyare igns and women subjects
are destined !, find their way more and more
lsdgei about by the opposition OF wOman's ideas
whioa are now in active play, and are constantly
seeking opportunity tor self-assertion We rarely
find woman in these later years-never one =
sense md sDirit-uho Z, willing 70 obey the blind.
unreasoerr command o. he- husband, given
merely =, evidence of his power, and attempted
to be enforced ostensby to assert his authority.
No man can hive another friend so true, so un-
selfish, so untincnug, as his wife; and the more
devoted she is to his icSrests II she he wise, the
more self-asserting she 3ill be i'm regard to her
own intuitions. She isqlickerin perception than
he, often in matters concerning himself and is
vastly more capable of understanding her own in
terests than he can ever become. If all women
had the moral courage to assert themselves to
choose their own inner promptings as a rule of
action in their own lives, all men would be the
better for the change
There are millions of hopeless wives, cropping
despairingly through lives of uncongenial toll.
who, but for the enforced authority of a custom
that makes husbands tha arbiters of their DESTINY
would gravitate to theirDroper sphere and become
shining ornaments ther,n. To-day il is the ex-
ception and not the rule when women work in
fields of labor suited to their strength inclination
and mentality. Charlotte Bronte would not cook
She declared, it is said, that She so deested cook
cry that she would be reduced to beggary before
she would follow it for a livelihood. If il was
necessary, she was willing to sweep wash or
scrub but cook she could not and would not. "All
women, says one ! y writer, ''have not the
moral coum-e o. this oble lady" And, we add,
u is q ret pity they o. not possess il. Blind
following of the dictates OF custom would have
iebarre1 Che world from the frivilege Of reading
Jane Eyre and hidden forever behind pots and
oi-hwotsr he marvellous geniu1 IT Currer Bell.
had ct Charlotte Bgonfc mnintained hex position.
av that Tine high luty Of such a won,n lies
.n 1oc.lieuce to re mandates Of husband Who
could never lale To- reach her scale of mentalit,
Is put orgte force over reason, and tyr,nny
abr- the dictates 20 common sense. An s -.
a Nls f1ue of Charlotte Bronte is true o.. a.
,'n When Mrs. +. D. f. y. south
".'7 -.r-fiith novel is now IL press.
was -o-'iduen 10y Der hu-raud to purstie her lit-
erafy tastes, she bowed for a ~, ho,,oo.t, -.
ron mandate. But her husband was as -.
as herself over he situation and finally bee -
50 ar1.-. OBJ compelled to flee from him
as from q Iaurie-,r Mrs. Southworth's Ilf,faFs
r~s i1 no. niin ler ground in the first place.
Il Sod saw fit 10 o.l W her with talent it was not
mans province to strike il down
True womanhood is not belliserent, no. dos.
enlightened manhood delight in war of any sind
We do not wonder that men admire gentleness in
women But true chivalry in gentlemen is its
6 L..
it, woman's genteness is an unmet principle. and
avails her naught in self-defense There is moth
ing left for woman in such case. but seIf-asse
or mental degradation. That many choosq the
latter rather than incur unreasoning blame. is NO
argument in its favor; nor is it any benefit to
their husbands in the end. There are many wives
who have yielded 50 long and unquestioningly
that self-assertion is now beyond their power To
such the grave and the life beyond are the oa ly
remedies. But to the young wife, whose oluc...
tioL and enlightenment keep time to the prompt
ings Of her common sense, we say: Your individ-
uality is your own You cannot merge it into
that Of your husband, nor is it best for him or
yourself hat you should if you could. His and
your orbit may be parallel to each otler i'm all
things; but his rarely happens, and in tis stage
of existence 1t Hnot best that couples tastes and
aspirations be - nearly similar. There are
physiological reasons for dssimlarity i'm temper
aments and aspirations in coniugal relations
which all should analyze and understand before
taking upon themselvcs the obligations of matri-
mony.
The woman of The future win understand thcee
things, and, above aii She win uuier. ,nd ersolf
Then will she De able guide As asueitsn5
Alright, and move them .o aet fo- On Ives l.al
they may become tn braye 4.er' ud ae-