The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-06-15
Southern Women.

sources in emergencies and for exali
ed virtues in every phaze of humal
wo and human veal the women of tn,
South have had no superiors, if in
deed they have ever had any equal
in any land or in any age.
| Before the war they were admired
at home and abroad. They were ex
tolled for their womanly ways ant
their queenly qualities. It was no
however until the South was subject
| ed to the terrible trials, and UNTOLD
sufferings of those long and sorrow
full but glorious years, that the tru,
worth of the women of the Soutl
became fully understood and fully
appreciated. They showed to the
world then as they have shown since
that they are competent and quick
to step down to any duty however
detected and distressing or to rise to
meet any emergency however exalted
and unusual. They have shown them
selves competent to adapt their lives
and energies to any occasion though
it be SO difficult and dangerous as to
be dressed alone in the drapery of
despair. It was not alone as they
were seen by the litter or couch of
the wounded nor as they were seen
ministering, as angels, by the side of
the sick and suffering that their worth
was written in imperishable fame. It
was in those trying times that their
beautiful and heroic excellencies were
recorded. And those excellencies will
be read in all the coming ages; they
will be read in the courage and capac-
ity displayed in every situation where
they could help the cause of their
country and the men and the boys
they loved. In hospital and home,
in farm and field and factory-every-
where-they proved themselves bless
ed with a capacity that few had ever
supposed they possessed.
A telling instance, as we heard it
told, occurs to us as we write.
A husband splendid specimen
OF Southern manhood as seen in the |
rural regions, had gone to the front. |
All the care and responsibility-all |
the directions of the plantation we're
left behind; they rested alone upon
The clear head and prayerful heart of
The noble wife of his bosom. She, as
thousands of others did, proved her
self equal to the emergency. A hun
lred times and more did she say to
herself, as she directed this or that
70 be done--as she purchased here
and sold there--a hundred times did
she say in her hopeful and yet diff
lent spirit, "What will he think of it?
What will he say when he shall re-
'urn?" After awhile-when MANY
weary month had come and gone, he
lid return on furlough.
1t was long and thrilling account
The gave him of all that had occurred
how everything had gone-how she
lad met and managed the many trou-
lies that had arisen. The story was
old, and she awaited with beating
breast and fearful eyes the verdict Of
nm she loved above all else on earth.
there was pride in his heart and a
low on his cheek as he tenderly and
raly paid the tribute to her merits,
My wife, had I been here I could
lot have done half SO well" There
we're tears then and gratitude to
heaven and to him. +
This, as we have already said, is
nut sample of the adaptability to
mergencies and Of the wisdom in !
mergencies of the women of the
'outh. And these noble-these dis
lnguished qualities have been fire.
uently and fully shown during the
ark and dreadful days that followed
0 close upon the waste and the woes !,
the war. They have helped and |
re still helpinr their h,1chon1r oil