Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-01-29
gaaies' Column.
OUR HOMES AS A SOCIAL
POWER.

year with its fresh aspirations and
duties, it's hopes, its fears, and its
manifold responsibilities.
1t is now special season for the
women of our land to take lessons of
warning and encouragement home to
themselves. The beautiful custom of
receiving calls on New Years day has
not altogether died out among US,
although the basket at the door is not
an encouraging reception to the gen
tlemen who had tried to honor the
observance, and it may somewhat
denote the fact that the younger por-
ton of society, among its male mem
bers at least, are not so chivalrous,
gentlemanly, and respectful in their
bearing as to be willingly indiscrimi-
nately received on New Years day.
Whether that be the case or no with
the women of our land to-day, lies
very largely the forming of its social
life. They do not altogether realize
perhaps the immense power in their
hands, else they would not so willing
ly let slip opportunities for binding
this power into an elevating and puri-
flying influence on our social life.
They would even more generally OBJ
serve the custom of receiving on New
Years day, and not chill the enthu-
siasism of their male friends on this
the entrance to the New Year by hold
ING themselves aloof from social life
and it's duties. To treat man a lit
tie better than he deserves is one way
of making him better, and although
ladies cannot be blamed for not wish
ing TO turn their homes into reception
rooms for roughs and swells general
ly, yet if no stimulus is offered, and
the table be subordinate to the CHEEKY
and hearty wish for bright and hap
by New Year, this class of callers
will diminish, and those who formerly
abused the custom, and turned the
hospitality of the lady who received
them into a means of dissipation, will
learn that pure hearted women will
not tolerate sensualism even in New
Year calls, but that bright homes and
loving hearts are always open to those
who are worthy of them.
In these days of club life and sep
arate enjoyments for men and women
it we'll behooves women to take the
matter to heart, and see wherein thu
danger of this kind of life lies, ant
unto what all this separation of thu
social enjoyment of the sexes is tend
ing. And if women are to be as the,
have been, social queens in thi.
American Republic, let them stud,
well the sources of their power.
The days are not as they were. Ii
all of our large cities the women ar
becoming more and more shut on
from the enjoyments, as well as th
business life of their male relatives
They content themselves by indin!
pleasures of their own, and the matt
nee, the concert, the theatre, and al
attended without male escort.
Sisters and brothers meet at tn
breakfast table, and all the rest o
the day are comparative stranger
one to the other, and large humble
of recreations have nothing in com
mon.
Now, if women wish and hope
have any real influence on the live
of those who are dear to then
!, they must study into thos
Il lives and seek to make common in
terests with them. And in place c
widening the rift which is surel
growing in our social life into gres
proportions, seek in every way t
narrow it down. There are man
ways in which this can be done, an
if every woman who reads this articl
would open her eyes to the real fact
of the case, and turn herself about
remedy 1t, she would speedily fin
some means of using her talents an
life as social power, which at pre-
ent are lying idle and rusting out.
Music, conversation, gentleness
life and manners, self-denial for tt
good of others. true-hearted good w
for the best good of others, attracti1
and CHEEKY homes, an open cordiali
of life, all these things and MAJ
more the true lady will use as meal
of social power.
No young man or older man W
feel that her home is closed door
him, if he admire her and seek h
society, and he be in the slighte
degree worthy of her attention. Ye
even if he be unworthy of her con
dence and trust, she will by means
her open hospitality seek to recla
and lift him up.
With the women of our country I
day lies the solving of this probler
whether they shall rule the mannt
and customs of the times, or whetf
they shall ignobly lay down th
les sceptres and retire from field viii
by nature and right is their own e
ver clusively, yet which through tn
oss own unworthiness they have at lie;