The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-08-02
VIVA. 4. Lie 90 women.

Jenny June discusses the question in
her own characteristic style. In seeking
out the causes Of the obiectless lives of
SO many women, she says: Life, therefore,
to the minority of women, has been the
mere reflex of their relations with men.
Thus the poet says: "LOve is of mans
life. thing apart-'tis woman's whole
existence. Why is it woman's whole ex-
iste,rct? Only because her life has been
NIB -. isat of men, first as the sub
* - father, second of her brother,
II. :: husband, fourth of whom
-. 81 Ii, might choose to delegate her in
Icrvsis to in the event of death or alb
scnce."
In this connection the writer remarked
rather sarcastically that, if love is or was
the whole existence of woman, it is easy
to see how they must. have starved for
need of it-and then goes on to inquire:
But why has life been 30 chary of
her bounty TO one sex, 90 prodigal to
another7 Both are equally helpless
when they open their eyes upon the
world. Both are equally endowed with
hands, feet, eyes, taste, smell, and power
III DCbGCCA EOO0 oAo CNAAs
For both the earth, air, water and sky
exist, aud the amount of pleasure, of per-
sonal enjoyment to be gotten out of ell
these natural objects and circumstances,
| is largely matter of cultivation of indi-
vidual taste and faculty, and not of sex:
| The possibilities In the case are certainly
as great for women as for men. Why
| then are there so many women isolated
| and obiectless? Perhaps it has been 8
| natural result of darkened and monot.
onous mode of existence, this childish Il
| nudity and prejudice which character
| ICES so many women; but is it necessary
/ Is it an outgrowth of conditions, or ar
| element of character? This is the ques
ton which it is important for women tt
ask and answer, if life is hereafter t.
| mean for them any more than it has here
| tofore."
| In the solution of this and similar ques
tions the writer goes on to remark:
at is proved that women can live, cal
love, can work togetheF-that in shor
they possess within themselves all tn
springs of life as active, as far-reaching
as true and as divine as any that has eve
been experienced by men.
i The question, serious question of to
day, is-What is this life which we haV
1 AASOONCISufSO usB AAOW 4AA w No utAACA
stand its grand, its beautiful meaning
Life is great joy, and great mystery. !
Is light, il IL warmth, it Is color,it is activi
ty, It is all there is of doing, all there
Of loving, and it is lent TO US for q littl
while. There Is no doubt that il is
good thing for men and women to liy
and love and marry, and lay the POUNDS
tion of good government in happy homes
but life is good of itself, and the woman
horizon is not, and ought not to be bound
r ed by marriage. Her capacities for ioI
ing and enjoying exist just the sam,
whether she has husband or not; anC
, there are springs in life which domesti
routine, though willingly accepted an
ioyfully performed, may fail to satisfy.
8 For those women who do not marry
life has still a storehouse of treasure
. which need only to be worked for
be given up as fully and as freely as
f men. Life is not easy; on the cOntrar,
1t is often pitilessly cruel to those VIII
: love it most. Like the great bronze be
v in the temple of Buddha, it cannot /
moved; it is dark, fixed, stern and impli
# cable. But face it boldly, strike it stroni
ly, and the sounds are deep and of VOL
i drous sweetness; their echoes are carrie
}, afar off upon every breeze, and are sii
nails to weak and isolated souls of hop
I faith, patience and eternal love. To SUI
up all, life is doing what is worthy to
, done; life is loving what is worthy to
" loved"