The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1884-01-10
WOMAN AND HOME.
Charming Women and Women In
Earnest---Lack of Balance.
Women Who Are In JournalisIn--The
Correct Thing for Men--IIOme
Hints--Peter Cooper and
Poor Women.


loAHaAi y NdIItI IN ne century,
During the first year of my acquaintance
with Mr.. Cooper, I frequently told him stories
OF our pupils who were very poor, or were
making extraordinary efforts to remain in
the art school. Finding, however, that such
cases could never be mentioned without his
immediately volunteering to. aid them, as a
matter of honor | soon ceased to speak to
him OF instances which would enlist his sym
pathy. In spite Of this, however, now and
then some case came up of u girl in unusually
difficult circumstances. She had, perhaps.
come from the far west or the south, and was
away from her friends; or was one OF many
children, or had saved, painfully, the money
TO keep her at tee Cooper union. The story
was told TO explain or Illustrate some
outside matter, and 1t did not occur to me
that Mr.. Cooper would feel it rs an appeal
TO his charity. But so constant was his habit
OF sympathy, and SO strong his desire to do
good, that on such occasions his hand would
De instantly In his pocket, and before | could
perceive what he was about, a bill was slipped
INTO my hand, as IL he were hardly willing |
should think what he was doing, and he said
rms may help her, perhaps, to get bstter
Iood' or, You can send II she needs any
thlng specially; but do not say where it came
from These words were spoken in a tons
80 nun OF Kindness, and yet 50 absolutely
without ostentation, that I never did tell the
recipient The feeling in Mr.. Cooper WAS too
sacred a prompting to be spoiled with any
touch OF earthly vanity. Truly he did not
WISH Dis left hand to know what his tight
hahu was dong; and, by instantly speaking
on some other subject, he tried to make me
forget the Incident which had occurred.
Many II time. stories about pupils who bod
become prosperous through their education
at the Cooper union were repeated to him
either by letters or by the people themselves.
or told him incidents which It seemel but
due that he should know. Such meed OF
praise, so far from ever raising an expires.
siou vi vanity or pride in him. was yeceiyed
IN the Ineekest spirit and yet these were the
results I"r winch he was giving time, and
money, and life. "All | want. he said, lis
that these poor women shall earn decent and
respectable livings, and especially that they
snail be kept from marrying bad husbands
rms subject OF unhappy marriages seemed
10 DC a very prominent one In Mr.. Coopet,s
ilild' lhat women were often imposed upou.
were Infused aud broken down, he had a
lteiy conviction; and all his chivalry and
sense OF fatherly protection were enlisted to
save them, 50 far as he could, from these
ordinary misfortunes, While the world is
no" occupied with the question OF what
women can be taught, their higher educa.
ton and many kindred subjects. Mr.
CooPer's acute genius discovered, AS by in
tuiuon' many years ago. the relation Of
women OF the middle class to society. to in
uustrles, and the family. He saw that many
oil them could not marry, aud he realized
what must he the forlorn position of a nm.
Der OF elderly daughters of a poor man. Hs
hhd noted tho dangerous likelihood of giddy.
ignorant young girls marrying anybody for
a nome even II the men they married were
dis'ipated or inefficient; and no had the
tehdercst pity for poor widows or deserted
wives. He talked many times, and at great
length ON these subjects, and all circum-
stances and any sort of incident brought up
thiS desire of his heart, to help women to be
happy, independent, and %virtuous.