The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-08-04

Considering the spontaneous and
ineradicable affinity between the
sexes, the question, Are women
companionable to mem" may seem
irrelevant, if not preposterous. 1t
may be said, how can they be other
Sc? They must be the best, the
truest Of companions, since they are
counrerparts, the one ever seeking
the other, neither self contained nor
content to be alone. Would not
men go through fire and water, en-
dure privation and hardship, brave
danger and death, in their most hid
eous forms, for the sake of women?
Men idealize, long for, love, worship
apotheosize women; become fools,
Williams, heroes in their behalf; un-
dertake the impossible; surrender
pride, power, faith, hope, to win
their smile, or gain their hearts.
There is nothing they will not do, or
refrain from d ing, to secure their
favor The strongest and the wisest
men often show like puppets in the
hands of women, even though un-
worthy. She pulls the string and
they dance like deryishes to her fan
tastic will. The lord of earth yields
to the lady. He is master; but she
is mistress of the master.
All this is true; but does it prove
that women are really companionable
to men? Affinity, idealizaton, love,
worship are emotional, erratic, bor
der upon ecstasy; but do they con
stltute companionship, a regular,
rational, permanent condition, into
which mere sexuality does not enter.
We all know hundreds of men in
tensely enamored of women, period
ically restless and unhappy out OF
their society, who would be so trou-
bled by companlonship with them as
to break away at the first oppor-
tunity. Many a man is ready to die
for woman who would not and
could not live with her. Companion
ship is the SeVerest test of hom0pen-
erousness, of mental complement, OF
sympathy. Tie highest, broadest,
truest love, though not the love born
of simple difference of gender, leads
to companionship, which is, fire.
quently, never found in either sex.
Natures of the common order do not
value it; do not need it, because they
fail to appreciate or understand it.
They are content with any sort OF
society, with some relationship to
their kind, which relieves them, in a
measure of themselves. The note
that companionshlp sounds is not in
their diapason.
Men and women are often compan-
ions; but they are so few, compared
with the multitude. as not to affect
the rule. When they are such, they
are usually of superior rank and dis
tinct individuality. The men are
finer, more Illuminated; the women
stronger, larger than the average,
and they must not be shackled by
conventionality or dread of echoes.
The sexes should be always the best
of companions, and in the continual
process OF evolution, they will grow
more and more such. But, before
they can become companionable gen.
orally, ages must pass, the Sexes
must borrow of one another; virtues
and attractions, now considered mas
culne or feminine, must be epicene.
When they are companionable, mar
rage is what it claims to be, and so
seldom is-a complete, wholly har-
monious union, answering to the
three-fold nature OF developed man,
and approaching the ideal. But, as
the great majority of men and women
are at pre- ent, their companionship
is impossible in or out of wedlock.
And the fact is SO clearly recognized |
that little effort is made toward its
establishment. There may be essays
to this end; but they are apt to be
so discouraged, to prove SO truitless
as to be early abandoned,
The woman tries far harder and |