National Republican., 1884-02-28


things are great TO little men"
"Woman's Mission" was the third essay,
written and read by Miss Addie p. Burr.
IL has not been many years since the word
career, when applied to the feminine sex,
would not have admitted of plural. But
one path in life was open to women-that of
marriage. Those who did not walk in this
path were counted as failures. Women were
but slightly regarded, and their interests, ex-
cept when thoy cOincided with those of man,
received no attention; in affairs OF trade their
industry was underrated and underpaid. In
the last score or moro of years all this has
in great measure changed; tho world has
grown less narrowi and selfish; in short,
woman's career, like mans, has
plural. Those whom God has made
poets, artists, orators, or business managers
are not meant to be chained down by their
sex any more than He meant Rosa Bonheur
to be imprisoned in the circle of marriage
ring, or Mrs. Browning to do nothing but
rock cradle. Did anything that Harriet
Martineau or Dinah Muloch or George Eliot
write over iniuro any woman who had n
heart and brain2 Have Harriet Hosmers
marbles flushed the purity of any maidens
cheek Has Rosa Bonheur degraded in any
way the femininity Of her sex2 And sweet.
est of ALL dear Mrs Browning, q poet wife,
greater than her poet husband, is there
man, woman, or child who does not bless her
memory? Was it not hor voice that made
English law forbid tho grinding Of chid's
| life and labor into money and her "cry of
the children" that took tho friendless
little ones out of the roar of the factories
and set them in the green fields, where they
might hear the birds sing and see and feel
| what Gods sunlight means? What weary
soul has not had the calm and rest of "lie
giveth His beloved sleep" fall like bene-
diction? Now it may be said that the very
| names which have given prove that women
| who layp tlp ability gladly rppDpuiypd
| by the world, and find an easy way open to
| them. Not so. These were heard because
| the world could not choose but to hear.
| Like the "ancicnt mariner" they had their
will through the very strength of will that
was in them. But they found no easy path;
| they laborously opened up n difficult one.
| Their sisters are not all SO strong as they,
yet they may have something to say that is
worth hearing. There are mute, inglor-
Gus Miltons," and hearts that die with all
their music in them" Because these noble
names which have mentioned are those Of
| women, is there any reason why men should
not look upon them, and hear them and
| gather fresh courage therefrom? Burke
beautifully said of Marie Antoinette: II
thought 10000 swords must have leaped from
their scabbards to avenge oven a look that
threatened her with insult" Turning to
business pursuits So many pathways are
opening daily to women, that IL is difficult to
orative arts furnish rich field, and one in
which she excels. In certain branches of art
she is pre-eminent; the prize Christmas and
Easter card designs have been the work of
woman. She can be bookkeeper, accountant,
clerk, linguist, teacher, tradeswoman, sales
woman. and needlewoman. But she labOrs
under two great disadvantages; she is too
apt to imagine that her place will find her,
and secondly, she is not paid an honest wage
for her work. Women in the departments
get only 5000 for doing the same work which
men perform not so well for $1,000. Shop
girls do more work than men, and yet get
only half as much. This is wrong; but who
| will remedy it2 Not those who profit by it;
the remedy must come from the ones who
suffer from it, and from their more fortunate
sisters who have time, the means, and the
sympathy to aid them. Enlarged education.
freedom for action to such of those as need
it land are fitted for it, will not be the worse
for them; but recollect, they must be the right
women in the right places. But the "bravest
are the tenderest," and are yet men "the
loving are the daring" and are yet women.
-N
THE new Duchess of Westminster, wife of one
of the richest men in Europe, was married In
dress of white tOuard, costing seventy five cents
yard. This certainly Is economy, and economy
it is TO use DIR. Bulls Cough syrup, the great