Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-08-19

fact that in a single year over 100 work
ing girls applied to her for protection,
advice, sympathy and aid, and she was
generally able to meet their demands,
because her example stimulated
the cultivation of spirit
humane enough to stand
up alongside of this blessed "bold maid"
and help her aid forlorn women to help
themselves, by "such advice, sympathy,
aid, and protection" as with justice to our
own, we can all render. Then there is
Miss Anthony, a woman of active, prae-
tical, tireless benevolence, helping poor
and friendless girls earn their living;
helping the slave; helping every good
work, and asking for the ballot only be-
cause she honestly believed that the bal
lot would be help to her and to all 9TH
er such women to ameliorate evil and or
ganiZe good. Miss Anthony once, by no
fault of her own, found herself saddled
with very large debt in consequence of
the failure of some publication in which
she was one of the associates. 1t would
have been easy for the poor woman to
have shuffied off all her responsibility in
this matter By going through bankruptcy,
or by going about her business, caring
nothing for debt that was not collect
able against her, but she went resolutely
to work, and, by her own unaided labors
and economy, paid every cent of this
large debt, working early and late, and
submitting to every personal sacrifice to
clear herself of load of debt for which
she felt morally holden. 1t is very easy
to laugh at Miss Anthony but a woman
who, by pinching self denial, and unaided
industry and ability, lifted debt from
heEown shoulders rather than not be NOR
ally as well as legally square with the
world-a woman who has given all her
days and all her wages to help the slave,
the incorporate and the fallen such a
woman is worthy the highest respect. We
can pardon much superficial eccentricity
of action and opinion to those who try
to leave the world better and brighter
than they found it because of their own
high sacrifice and self denial for the sake
of their day and generation. A wealthy
"old maid" so-called, died aboat year
ago in hospital in New England that,
founded and entirely maintained to this
day by her benevolence, bears her name.
1t was a good place for her to die, for
she had only to look around her to
feel that her life had not been lost:
Sub udu uOb WdSttQ bHt solelun trust
of large wealth in riotious living or wick
ed extravaganza; she had not used it to
Cypress the lowly and the weak; she had
invested S225,000 of her wealth during
her lifetime in good works, and her divi-
dend was the comfort that was hers in
her dying hour to think that the world
was little warmer and brighter for some
body because she had been in it. She had
used her money TO build free public
hospital; fine, free library. The per-
manent good wrought during her life
time by the wise benevolence of this ex-
cellent woman was rebuke to those flip
pant persons who are ever ready to sneer
at single woman who has passed youth
as nothing but an old maid"
The world is full of single women who
show by the gentle and kindly conduct of
their lives that fine wOmanhood does not
need marriage to keep it sweet and I'M
selfish; the sickness and sorrow of years
does not sour it, nor disappointment
"freeze the genial current of their souls"
Without husband or children to care for
this woman felt a kindly, tender interest
in the welfare of her fellows and their
children, 90 she put up a hospitablo for
the poor who are in want and pain; so she
opened fine library for young and old,
who could not afford the extensive privi-
leges she purchased for them with her
bounty. OF course, few women have
large fortune upon which to base their
benevolence, but everywhere there are
single women whose pure lives kindly
counsel and benevolent action are the
sweetness and light of the many who are
made to mourn, and because OF such wo
men it IL not pleasant to hear the coarse
remark often thoughtlessly used: "She
is nothing bnt an old maid" fine wo-
man neither makes herself by marriage
nor breakes herself by refusing or miss
ing marriage. In this world of terrible
want, woe, ignorance and sin there is
plenty of noble work for women to do if
she has wealth to give or leisure, and if
she be a true women she will make herself
blessed within or without marriage, just
as a good man may do. If it be true
Satan finds plenty of mischief for idle
hands to do and idle tongues to talk, it is
no more true of idle women than idle men
and a single woman of wealth is no more
proper synonym for idleness and tattling
mischief than wealthy bachelor. Mar
riage neither makes nor breaks anybody,
for no man or woman makes celibacy
a curse who is capable of adjoining mar
irage.