Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-09-22

"Woman, with all thy faults,
We love thee still.v

has not felt its noble influence Z
How delicate is woman, how delic-
iously sweet her affection, how ten
der her life! We sometimes stand
with uncovered head as we study the
depth of such love as women possess.
We are at once struck with the ac-
tion Of Pharaoh's daughter, when, in
disobediance of the kings orders,
she took Moses from his cradle
amid the flags of the Nile, and
devised means for his protection and
nourishment. Why was this done ?
Was it merely to carry out her own
will ? Mol From the beginning
we see woman's love at work. There
in it's rude cradle lay the helpless
babe,in all its purity and innocence;
perhaps in misery. The woman saw
it and became compassionate. 1t
was taken from its resting place and
given to its own mother to nurse.
The child grew, and was adopted by
Pharaoh's daughter as her own son.
And by this deed Of love and mercy,
on the part Of this Egyptian woman,
Moses was spared to be the leader
of the Israelites in their escape from
bondage. Then comes the scenes at
the cross and in the garden. Where
can human love call for higher emu
lation than in the conduct Of the
three Mays! Oh, how their hearts
groaned in sorrow and grief as they
followed Jesus, whom they loved, to
the cruel cross, remaining there till
the last. When Jesus body was
placed in the tomb of Joseph of Ar
imathea, we see Mary there first,
searching for His body. And when
angels appeared to her and asked the
cause of her grief, how our hearts
are touched with that answer in
which agonizing love is so wildly
revealed, "They have taken away
our Lord, and we know not where |
they have laid Him."
But woman sometimes debases the
love she should honor. Temptations
and outside influences have great |
power over one at times. The evil |
spirit of Eve often rests still upon
woman an d her actions. Who are |
not familiar with the history of the
nine-years Trojan WARP 1t will be
remembered that Paris, a young
Grecian prince, paid a visit to the |
courts of Menelaus, king of Sparta,
and there eDjoyedthe many generous
Inequalities of the king. Indeed he
was allowed all the privileges which |
his high parsonage called for. Mem
claus wife whose name was Helen,
was noted for her beauty and powers |
of facination. Paris saw her quite
often. Now we reach the critical |
period. We can but have a vague
idea of what must follow. Paris, no
doubt worked up to frenzy by the
presence of Helen; and naturally of
a quick temperament, was ready for
any desperate action. The iron was
hot, why not strike ere it became
cool ? In the course of events the
Prince carried the beautiful Helen
away. This was the reward which |
Menelaus received for his kindness
to Paris. The later fled to his own
and Notwithstanding the
pleas of Menelaus and even of his
own countrymen, he refused to give
back Helen, who had caused him to
commit this act of perfidy and dis
honor. 1t is not necessary for us to
review the terrible results of this
act; to tell of the siege of Troy; to
speak of the great and eminent war.
riors engaged in the contest, or the
deeds of valor exhibited by the var
ious factions; TO note the fall of
Troy after nine long years Of seige, or
to relate the dreadful fates of Paris
and the bewitching Helen,-Homer
and Grecian history have too well
done this. We only wish to show
that Helen's nature embraced that
of Eve, and though she could easily
have thwarted the princes plans of
she chose rather to urge
him on in his mad scheme. True love |
was not a portion of her nature.
Again, we mark the career of De-
lilah in her betrayal of Sampson. Her
conduct calls forth only scorn and
condemnation. Shrewd cunningand