Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-10-17
WOMAN'S POWER.

From his cradle to his grave man relies
for his happiness npon the love of woman,
says Southern writer. His light, his joy,
his life, depends blindingly and trustingly
upon the mother love that nurses his infant
wears, tends his childhood, trains his youth,
and rejoices in his manhood. 1uhn itely
holy, utterly selfsacrifcing, pure, noble,
beautiful is the maternal instinct"-and
knowing the heights Of it, proving its
strength. seeing its abnegation of self, men
call it divine-and to realize the love of God
unto all humanity. Yet even from this
fount of exquisite tenderness they turn their
steps to love more alluring, more entranc-
ing, more absorbing they leave all and
cling to their wives, possessing III them
everything. Wonderful and peculiar is
the great mingling Of human hearts, of
organisms irresstibly attracted, of souls
that feel with and for each other, Of two
brains forming one mind, Of two lives and
loves from which spring other lives and yet
another love-parenta affection.
This ia true marriage, and III this state
woman is most lovely. Standing on an
equality with her husband, size is adviser
and assistant-the sharer Of his happiness
and his troubles, his helpmate, his comfort,
his joy.
That there are marriages far different
from this is true, most unhappily; but
even here woman shows her power-for evil
if she chooses to curse, or COON, 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 ma ted
with clown,
And the grossness of his nature will have weight
to drag thee down.
This is entirely fallacious 1t will always
be the strongest that leads. whether their
strength be of an intellectual or moral force
and woman of mind, of refinement, OF
honorable nature, of ideality, could not fail
to modify and correct the Uaterality that
may exist in her husbands thoughts, feel
ings or action, as his very coarseness would
serve to lesson his power. y wife need not
sink to the level of the clown TO whom
she is mated She can raise him, perhaps
slowly, hut still surely to heG owa standard.
Let her first touch MS hcaft-through pity,
through shame, or even through his mere
passions, but once possess power over that
and it will not be difficult TO influence tho
brain. If the soil can be made To respond
to beautiful and refining agencies, the battle
is won. 1t may take lifetime, but woman
can afford to spend even a lifetime III such
ennobling endeavors.
4 man finds his warmcst, MS most tender,
his most unselfsh friend in a woman. Pos
sessing no interest that clash with his, she
believes in him thoroughly and hopefully,
and Ger 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 affection is frank and free, and he ap-
preciates her sympathetic interest, her
cheerful looks, her many little womanly ly
ways that makes all her surroundings in
harmony with herself If weary, her sensl-
BILE, quiet talk rests him: ii discouraged,
she finds thousand ways to cheer him; II
to elate, her sound, common sense gives
him the needed balance. The lamp of friend
ship burns clear and bright between man
and woman-lit an emotion springng from
the best impulses of human nature.