San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-06-28
One Standard for Both Sexes.

Josiah Aliens children have been
brought up to think that sin of an,
kind is as bad in q man as in q WON
un; and that any place of amusomen,
that was bad for woman to go to
was bad for q man.
Now when Thomas Jeffers on was 0
little chap he was bewitched to 60 to
circuses, and Josiah said:
"Botter let him go, Samantha; il
hain't no place for wimmon and girls,
but it won't hurt boy"
Says 1; "JosIah Allen, the Lord
made Thomas Jefferson with Just as
pure q heart as Tirzah Ann, and no
bigger ears and eyes, and if Thomas
j. goes to tho circus Tirzah Anngo
too"
That stopped that. And then he
was bewitcbed to get with other boys
that smoked and chewed tobacco, and
Josiah was just that easy turn that he
would have let him 60 with them.
But says 1:
"Josiah Allen, if Thomas Jefferson
goes with those boys and gets to
chewin' and smokin' tobacco, I shall
buy Tirzah Ann q pipo." And that
stopped that.
And about drinkin', says I, "Thom-
as Jefferson, if it should be the will
of Providence to change you into n
wild beast I will chain you up and do
the best I can by you. But if you
ever do it yourself, turn yourself into
II wild beast by drinkin, 1 will run
away; for I novor could stand it, new
er! Aud" L continued, "and il ever
see you hangin' round bar-room and
tavern doors, Tirzah. Ann shall hang
too"
Josiah argued with me- Says he :
ut doesn't look so bad for boy as it
does for girl"
Says I: "Custom makes tho differ
enco; wo are moro used to seoing
men. But" says l, "when liquor goes
to work to make fool and brute Of
any body, it don't stop to ask about
the sex, it makes wild beast and an
idiot of man or woman, and to look
down from heaven, guess man
looks as bad laying dead drunk as O
woman does"
Says l: "Things look differently
from up there than what they do to
us-it's moro slightly place. And
you talk about looks, Josiah Allen. l
don't go on clear looks but on prin.
ciple. Will the Lord say to me in
tho last day, Josiah Aliens wife, how
is it with the soul Of Tirzah Ann--as
for Thomas Jeffersou's soul, he bein'
boy, it hain't OF no accountf No!
shall have to give m account to him
for my doalin's with both these souls,
male and fomale. And l should feel
guilty if 1 brought him up to think
that what was impure for q woman
was pure for n man. II a mon has
creator desire TO do wrong-which /
won't dispute" says /, looking onto
Josinh-"ho has greater strength to
resist temptation. Aud so, says l.
in mild accents, but Ms firm rs old
Plymouth rock, "if Thomas J. hangs,
Tirzah Ann hangs too"
1 have brought Thomas Jefferson
up to think that it was just as bad for
him to listen. to a bad story or song
as for a girl, or worso, for ho had
moro strength to run away, and that
il was n dicgracs for him to listen to
any stuff that he would be ashamed
TO have Tirzah Ann or mo TO hosr. l
havo brought him mp to think that
manliness didn't consist in having
cigar in his mouth, and his hat on
one side, and swearing, and slang
phrases, aud q knowledge Of quss-
tionable amusements, but in laying
holt Of ovory duty that comes to him
with n brave heart and a cheerful face,
and helping 10 right tho wrong, and
protect the weak, and making tho
most au1 best Of the mind and soul
God hath given him. In short /
have brought him up 10 think that
purity and virtue are both feminine
and masculine, and that Gods angels
sro not necessarily ell she oncs.-Sa-