Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-03-21

AAoo~e A'o"o AOiIeS NesAAS INV eAAo
county Friday night, the 9th inst.
More anon, s. O. WESTON.
MIR. and Mrs. Joseph Cook and Wellesley.
We publish the following very inter-
esting extracts from letter written by
Miss Jennie Ellis to an Austin friend:
y AS my field of thought and life
broadcns, cannot help feeling, whenever
l set a young girl or boy with all life be-
fore them, what blessing the mere be-
stowal of this life is. How full it
is Of grand possibilities, in this glo
rious age and glorious country of in
tellectual advantages. And especially do
rejoice in the privileges extended to my
own sex. 1t seems as if advantages and
opportunities had increased so rapidly
about US that the woman of the 10th cen
fury who remains dolt is herself to be
blamed to great extent. This reminds
me of fine course of afternoon talks,
which Mrs. Joseph Cook has been giving
US. Before she finishes, she will have
taken US around the world with her. She
is so entertaining and pleasant. 1 think
we shall all want to go with her again.
Last Friday she took US with her through
various cities of India, among the natives
and among the missionaries. Particular
ly did she dwell upon the women of India
and their condition, which is truly pitia-
BILE. She told us much of the despisetl
class known by the vermillion mark upon
the forehead as widows. Mere children
are betrothed to men. their elders by many
years some times, and should these men
die, either before or after marriage, the
poor girl wives are left, shorn of even the
privileges of the Indian woman, to
become the most wretched of household
drudges. The ages vary anywhere from
7years upwards, and these women are
never allowed to marry again. 1t is in
deed hard for us women of America to
realize the desolate condition of our poor
Indian sisters, whose lives, even among
the higher classes. are confined to asingle
room from marriage until death. Mrs.
Cook further told US Of visiting the holy
city of Benares. the Mecca and Jerusalem
of India. She described her trip up the
Ganges, where she saw pilgrims to the
holy city going through with various ablu-
tons. Happy is that votary whose body
is bathed in the waters of this river both
before and after death, preparatory to
cremation. Often when the friends are
too poor to pay the small sum necessary
for the cremation process, the: body is
thrown into the river, and there allowed
to remain. She gave us sketch Of what
the natives call the salvation we'll. .
Each year vast quantities Of flowers are
thrown into this excavations; from this
decaying mass the deluded Hindoo drinks
what he considers the sacred drausht of
salvation. Very different was her story
of visits to mission schools and to fami.
lies of converted natives. Two young
women from our college are laboring
there. and with interesting results. An
other one of our number has fallen asleep
among the palmettos, and left promis.
ing field for other willing hands. In our
next talk Mrs. c. will probably take US to
Japan or China.
l must not neglect to mention the lee
ture attended in Boston not long ago,
one of Joseph Cooks Monday lectures. "
1t was divided, as his lectures always are.
into the prelude and lecture proper. 1t
often happens, however, that the prelude
is much longer than what be calls his
lecture. and this was the case on the Mon.
day when heard him, for his prelude on
probation at Death" was long argu,
ment in favor of possible conversion "vco
atter- the person ,'"I iost all power 10
communicate with those about him. The
lecture proper was shorter, and occupied
with Advanced Thought in Italy and
Greece" His description of the rebuild.
ing of Athens and the founding of the
University, now numbering 1900 stud
ents and eighty professors, was gratifying
to those whose interest is enlisted in the
cause of general civilization. Sixty
years of independence and the fire of the
Hellenic spirit not yet dead have done
this and much more toward placing mod
ern Greece among the foremost of self
educated nations. Mr.. Cook is much
criticised, yet we cannot but have great
faith in the man who can, week after
week, call before him, in the middle ot
the day, cultivated audience Of 5000
people. including the large and able cler
gy of Boston and vicinity.
You probably recall that the founder
of Wellesley College was Mr.. Durant
who died one year ago last September
Besides his expenditure of $1,000, 600 fol
the building up of this magnificent in
stitution, he gave to the college, after it.
founding, it's best moral support, as 6
Christian gentleman. When his strong
arms were removed, the college felt thai
it had lost its best friend, and ever since
both students and teachers have beer
anxious to do something which in some
way, would show their gratitude fol
this great blessing to American girls. Tht
I'd of February was Mr.. Durant's birth
day, and on that day was deposited IS, 00t
to be known as the Durant scholarship
established by the students and officers Of
Wellesley College, in remembrance ano
in honor of the founder of our college
Thus one more is added to our fourteen