The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-09-10

JU-IsIICut VI tIG bCAGCs
by MRS ELLA BENTLEY.
An Essay Read Before the Louisiana Press
Association, at I:aton Rouge,
September ), 1881.
'seck TO l,c good but aim not to be great;
1omans nobit st station is retreat
M ftirest virtues fly from public sight;
Dtmes.ic worti-tiiat shuns too strong light"
~ Wien the first slstenins rays of the new
Anadc sun stole trcmblingly through space
q. and walked with roscate fingers the slun'-
.4a9cring form Of prilncval man, his wondering
fes behold
IT. / That work which made creation rest
81 Because Eternal Providence thought her best
- OF all Ills six days labor"
49, Woman.
Since then, cycles. have sped adown the
Fsdc Of Time and been sarncrcd into Eter-
Mr.. ity, Intellect has set aside the dark theo-
gesep@.vcry have made giant strides across the
@s JusSiSl streams of Ignorance and Super
ttition.
The present of woman stands glowing
contrast to her past. Subjugated con
tcinncd with many races of man his beast
iuf burden, it is noticeable fact that only
fanong civilized classes has she attained her
frighttul position.
1 hebased condition Of the female sex. The
1 itaquimanx woman assists in building the
1 houses OF ice that form the common llabita
4 ton and in procuring the necessities Of life,
" warming tie frozen gauntlets Of her lord
and master within her pulsng bosonl the
women oil Montenegro are not only de
barred from all soc, enjoyment, but with
in the sphere of their own domestic domain
are scarcely allowed freedom of thought or
action; in Turkey women are regarded
merely in the light of progenitors Of the hui
man race. and beauty Of face and figure
command more respect than that Of brain
or intellect.
The elevation attained by women in more
enlightened countries and notably in
own land Of progress and freedom, presents
to the thoughtful mind indisputable evil
dcnce that it is due more to the education
OF the male than to any special effort or III
Hate qualities or force OF character displayed
by the female.
The co-edncaton Of the sexes is subject
which, a few months hence, will engage the
serious attention of Louisiana's legislators,
and these grim walls, that upheld them
selves so proudly during the din and smoke
OF battle and whose gaping wounds have
been so lately healed. will witness the de-
csi0n of this important question so far as it
affects our public institutions of learning
aquestion to which, in the rearing Of her
offspring, Mother Nature unconsciously
furnishes the only answer. Her unerring
finger points unswervingly to the diversins
J
dainty, dimplcd darlings in the earliest
stages of incpent man and womanlooa.
The baby i'll breecllcs, pockets his pudgy
fists and becomes papa's pride, Overlooking
with superabundant health and animal
spirits, the tower-starred fields reecio with
his laughter, and to achieve greatness with
bat and ball, kite and marble, becomes the
acme OF his ambition. Thus the grub, boy,
slowly assumes the ch.ysas stage from
which energies tho perfected man.
Turn to the maid:
." In life how
Weak and helpless; in happiness itself unsafe
And often won! ded while she pucks the rose"
Taught By her very weakness. she wisely
fys the rude compalonship of boys, and
with the simple laYthings of her gentlcr
sex fashions the tiny garments which adorn
come treasured dolly infant, and cradles on
her own innocent breast the waxen etfigy Of
her baby self.
''fo this lovely being, scarcely formed moulded
This rose with all its sweetest leaves ye folded"
there comes a time when, laying aside the
mucl-loved playthings OF her early years,
her expanding mInd, 4uivering with unde-
fined expectation, turns toward the goal to
he attained .Ass1sN
uTbe wis, /nnnfz-the erdIess -
ing ",an Ea,( 1lE .-s#E.ssnirst