The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1884-09-19
Woman's Power.

From his cradle to his grave man
relies tor his happiness upon the
love of woman, says a Southern
writer. His light, his joy, his very
lite, depends blindingly and trust.
ingly upon the mother love that
nurses his infant years, tends his
childhood, trains his youth. aud re.
joices in his manhood. Infinitely
holy, utterly self.sacriticing, pure.
noble, beautiful is the "maternal
instinct'-and knowing the heights
oft, proving its strength, seeing
its abuegation of self, men call it
divine aud so realize the love of
God unto all humanity. Yet even
from this fount of exquisite tender
ness they turn their steps TO love,
more alluring, more enhancing,
more absorbing; they leave all aud
cling TO their wives, possessing in
them everything. Wonderful and
peculiar is the great mingling of
human hearts, of organisms irresis-
tibly attracted, Of souls that feel
with and for each other, of two
brains forming Que mind, OF two
lives and loves from which spring
other lives and yet another love-
parental affection.
This is true marriage, and In this
state woman is most lovely.
Standing on an equality with her
husband, she is adviser aud assis.
tant-the sbarer of his happiness
and his troubles, his helmet, his
comfort, his joy.
That there are marriages far diff
lerent from this is true, most un-
happily; but even here woman
shows her power--for evil il she
chooses to curse, or good, If she de-
sires to bless and ennoble the life
thus brought beneath her personal
influence. A great poet says that
As the husband is the wife is; thou art
mated with q clown,
And the grossness Of his nature will have
weight to drag thee down.
This Is entirely falacious. It
will always lie the strongest
that leads, whether their
strength be of an intellectual or
moral force, and a woman of mind,
OF refinement, OF honorable nature,
of ideality, could not fail to modify
and even correct the materiality
that may exist in her husbands
thoughts, feelings, or action, rs his
very coarseness would serve to
lessen his power. A wife need not
sink to the level of the clown to
whom che is mated She eau
raise him, perhaps slowly, but still
surely to her own standard. Lei
her first touch his heart-through
pity, through shame, or even
through his mere passions, but
once possess power over that and
it will not be difficult to influence
the brain. IT the soil can be made
to respond to beautiful and refin-
ing agencies, the battle is won. IL
may take o lifetime, but a woman
can afford to spend a lifetime in
such an ennobling endeaver.
A man finds his warmest, his
most tender, his most unselfish
friend 10 q woman. Possessing no
interests that clash with his, she
believes In him thoroughly and
hopefully, and her great faith in
his powers encourages him to be
up to her standard of belief. She
makes him feel that she truly likes
him. Her sffection is frank and
free, aud he appreciates her SYM
pathetic interest, her cheerful
looks, her many little womanIy
ways that make all her surround
ings III harmony with herself. If
weary, her sensible, quiet talk
rests him If discouraged, she finds
a thousand ways to cheer him; IT to !
elate, her sound common sense !,
gives him the needed balance. The
lamp of friendship burns clear and
bright between man and WOMAN
lit by an emotion springing from.
the best impulses Of human na.
ture.
~