The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-12
THE WOMEN OF OLD ENGLAND
Mrs. Cougar Finds Three Divisions: Aris-
tOcrats. Middle-Class, Wage-WOrkers.
The Second Most Delightful to Meet, the Third
Degraded Below All lmaginatiOn-Th De-
basement of Women and Children.
Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal.


first class those born under the ancient
belief that divinity doth hedge about the birth
of king. This class, headed by the Queen,
reared in the atmosphere of seclusion and great
wealth, is comparatively small, and largely de-
pendent upon the example of the reigning SOW
erign for ideas of morality and conduct.
Victorias example has been pure and peace.
full, and her reign has inspired this sentiment
largely in her satellites. We can best value the
example OF this woman by comparing her court
and reign with the unhappy conditions attending
many of those preceding her.
In the great middle class of England we find
the highest type of her womanhood and her saw
ing grace. In health and physique these women
are models worthy the admiration and emulation
OF American women. It is with rare exception
that the tourist sees pale faced, punY, sickly-
looking, spindle-waisted, painting, fainting En-
glish woman. The pink and white complexion,
the clear eye, the wel-rounded waist the firm
tread bespeaK perfect bodily health. Many of
these women take their summer outing in long
walks across the fields, that they may view ma
tore in all its grandeur and simplicity, instead Of
rushing from shop to dress-maker, and packing
Sara toga trunks for days or weeks before ''tak-
ing rest" They don tidy flannel walking
costume, Eli hand basket with few toilet ar
ticles and start on their walking or tricycle. tour
over the charming roads, making detours as
they fancy over the heaths. It is not uncom
mon to see double tricycle. with husband and
wife riding through the country for their vaca
ton. Doubtless the good health of these women
is due largely to their outdoor exercise In this
class will be found the best of home makers. the
broadest-minded philanthropists and reformers
and the happiest and most useful wives. mothers
and "old maids
The English wife in this class is no drudge
she commands retinue of servants that would
appall the American hus band on domestic pay day
The standing of family, socially, depends some
what upon the number of servants employed.
1--WE could easily manage our household service
with one servant" said model mother to me,
but son and daughter would rather economic in
other ways and keep two maids for the appear
ance of the thing The irregularity, the timely
and untinlely lunching of the English household
would make drudge of the head were it not for
the number of servants usually employed I
have been most delightfully."- entertained in sew
engaged in large manufacturing interests, and
find that the usual retinue of servants consists
of cook. house-maid, nurse, governess, garden
er, groom and valet. The scarcity of labor
keeps these servants respectful and attentive.
and their character depends upon the length of
time they serve one master; this makes com
handing and serving much less annoying than
with us in America, where the help expects to
rule ruin. If the mistress of this manse is
given to benevolence as she usually is, she
MIR t1n~, kA4n~ Asak
the Bible and visit the sick. the afflicted, or the
fallen, with messages of consolation, the loaf or
the bunch OF flowers. as the case may require.
The zeal and magnitude of charities carried on
by this class of women, in the cities of Englandis
beautiful to contemplate AS I have noted the
great decentralization of the masses throughout
the British empire it appears to that these
women, and their hearty co-laborers. their hus-
bands fathers and brothers are holding up. by
main force, the whole structure of British socie-
ty the women are usually devoted to church
duties, the church leading rather than following
in works or reform aud charity / am pleased to
note the absence of the religious can't in the con-
versation and methods of these women. They
do not expect the Lord to serve them as their
apprentice, but with an executive ability born of
real and common sense, they apply the law as
laid down in His word. There is an entire alb
sence of silly smal-talk and affectation among
them, which gives place to genial, whole souled,
sensible conversation artistic, literary scien-
tifc social phi1anthropic or political subjects
These women read books much, newspapers but
little, and it is only during such an exciting
and unusual political contest as the one through
which they have just passed, that they read or
discuss politics of the hour. They talk
with minute exactness of the reign of a Henry
or an Elizabeth but they will not be able to tell
you the population of their own city; they are
able to point out "Chancery Lane" "Stable Inn
and Temple Bar peopled by the brain of
Dickens, but they cannot tell you the distance
from London TO Liverpool; they can detail the
excellence and value OF painting by Landseer,
Murillo or Rembrandt, they can read in Greek
and Latin and chatter In French but they can
not tell the rate of taxation for the support of
their royal government Altogether the women
of the middle class of England are charming to
study and to know. and make an interesting
hour in the summers pastime
In an unhappy condition of society women
and children are the greatest sufferers. On
every hand we hear of the depression in labor
and trade mo demand; idle men," is the de-
spondent cry. l believe that the manner of en-
ploying women and children is one of the chief
sources of hard times felt over the industrial
world. 1t Is not necessary to 60 to German
Scandinavian provinces to see women bending
under the lash of the master, harnessed with the
donkey or the dog to the well-laden cart for
Great Britain presents them in their most de-
graded and abject condition; for when I see
what most men will do when the social or
written law will permit them to do it, it makes
me prefer the dog or the donkey in their stead
for genuine goodness. All England is a vast
factory; her smoke-stacks tower heavenward
from almost every point of vision; women and
children are largely employed to do factory
work AS the vexatious labor problem is occu
plying the minds of people so largely the world
over, have determined to see for myself the in
f1uence upon the home-life and society of the
general employment of women in this older
civilization, that we may in our young country
adopt that which is good and avoid many of the
attendant evils. That may be fair, and that
my readers may have the facts from which TO
draw their own conclusions if they do not in
cline to adopt mine, I shall aim to place be-
fore them the same pictures have seen.
There is the greatest liberty in the empl oy-
ment of women in mental service; there is but
little written social law against a woman do
ing what she minds, or her master, man, minds
her to do. In the higher vacations, such as
law, medicine. pulpit science, and the honor
able paying professions, women are largely
debarred both by written and social law The