The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-07-28
Woman's Invention.


-
n l. somewhat remarkable that in the
face Of the fact that hundreds of thous-
ands Of the women Of our land are self
supporting, and that perhaps half Of the
number Of seif-supporting women are the
sole breaA-winners oftheir families, there
are still men acknowledged intelligence
who cling TO the old theories as TO wo-
mans sphere" This sphere" AS they
are pleased to understand il, is bounded
bv the home. and her duties within it
comprise little else than the service she
can render man in the capacity of wife,
mother and honsekeeper. Some Of these
male fanatics. IL can think of no other
name - applicable, 90 still further and
assert unhesiiatingly that intellectually
in woman Is sort Of s%uperiluity, and IN
no wise a necessity 20 the fulhllment of
her mission. To them she Is merely an
animal-link in the chain Of life, and
worthy of consideration only ~ far AZ
she eaters TO their comfort. To the credit
ofihe lords Of creation, however, II must
be confessed that the number of These
superior male creatures are gradually
narrowing down, and by and by they
viii be known no more.
But there are still othermen, and there
are a great MANY Of them, who, while
admiring Il woman Of mind and genius,
viii not acknowledge thai the fibre of a
w0mnn's brain i of the same character
as that of a man. They still hold, in
spite Of an evidence 10 the contrary, that
woman has no originality, no creative
genius. and that her skill does not eX-
tend beyond that Limitation. One Of
their pet arguments, and one which they
invariably advance a. a clincher, Is that
that no waman has yet written a great
opera. In their divine egoiism and self
satisfaction they forget that there has
been work wrought by woman OF vastly
greater import to the world AT large than
the composition Of the grandest opera.
But this j. act the point ! started out to
talk about. I 0wE that ] am always a
little neitled when ! hear woman's inven-
tive power questioned. because it is UNI
Just, n a long list Of valuable devices
which women have given to the world Is
abundant proof. And if this be not
enough, the genius Of woman in finding
cut Mays and means for herself may bc
thrown into the balance.
Ii must be remembered that the need
for women TO think for themselves is as
vet a child in swadding clothes as COM
pared to the same need in men but wo-
men are proving themselves equal TO the
emergency, and showing a degree and
quality Of pluck, perseverance and orig
inaiity in the teeth of obstacles that
would dismay the proverbinl stout hearts
ofmany Of the sterner sex. Take, for in
stance, the women who are thrust out by
adverse circumstances from comfortable,
and often luxurious homes, into a life of
self-dependence. The inquiry, What can
| do for myself? OF. What can | do best =?
il not an idle one, but honest and
thoughtful. And it not frequently results
in her finding out a way new and hither-
To untroiden. What man would have
thought of finding a fortune in angels
food, or Saratoga chips or chicken pies?
And vet there are three women in the
city of Chicago, as ! ann reliably inform
ed. who drive a lucrative business, each
in her particular line, by supplying these
edibles. Another woman i earning fame
and fortune by loayes of homemade
bread. This is essentially woman's work /;
but the happy thought which led a wo-
man To make money by the sale Of
angles food" to say nothing Of the
mundane bread, and fried potatoes, and
chicken pies is not to be scoiied at.
When it comes to the superintendent
Of farms and manufacturing establish
ments women have APPLY demonstrated
their ability. The founder, proprietor
and manager Of one Of the largest esiab-
li~ittiA'aiAN III AANN NNAAlAAiN ~ NbViiN liz
women's ami children's underwear is 4
m and She il complete mistress OF
the situation, ever to the running of the
engine which supplies the motive power
for the sewing-machines. Another wo-
man l. at the head Of a large boot and
shoe mandatory. She manages" her
business and makes money. Still another
woman, Whose name deserves 10 20 upon
record. learning her husbands business
Of broom-makinc after his death, sup
ported her family from the start, paid of
! large legacy Of debt, and at the end OF
three vears had enlarged her establish.
meni theefo'd. The fallacy that "any
one can be a farmer no n understands
80 well as the practical farmer himself.
bui many of the model farms Of the land
are owned and exclusively controlled by
women, and, as a rule, they are quite a,
successful in :he business is are men.
The Illinois Session Laws, which an,
accepted as authority ly the iurists o
that State. are arranged. edited and pub
lished by a woman. Another woman
does legal printing, which, il must b,
understood, must absolutely correct an,
punctually finished. And 50 ! might z,
on Unfortunately citing eases of indiyidua
women who have not only earned then
living but haze worked ont the VA,
10 do il. all of which - TO prove tina
woman is not lacking in originality whel
it ome TO the practical things Of life.
John Stuart Mill says that the stand
ard Of the eduation of woman in an,
country viii be the measure Of the edu
cation Of the men IF that country. Is
not possible thar education" did nc
refer to mere book-lore in this instance
And does it not stand Ia reason tia
when the mother takes an Interest in an
haf soI.se knowledge Of business
greater proportion of the sons will b
more thorough and practical bushes
meny The balance Of hercdity is a,
knowledged 10 he from the mothers sid,
And this Suggests another question.
men were more capable and indnsiriou
and did moi neglect to provide for tn
rainy day would not need the women I
work out the bread and butter problel
Ice largely done away with? Is it quit
safe to say that TO she great majority
women workers the battle Is a distast.
ful one. However bmveiy they ma