Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-02-03
WOMEN IN AUSTRIA.
Tho Female Laborers of Hungary aud
the Danube Provinces.

, The Female Laborers of Hungary aud
the Danube Provinces.
About the worst thing l remember
seeing in Austria. however, was q
woman literally harnessed to q cart.
One often meets big worli-dogs on tho
roads of Austria tugging in harness;
but meyer happened TO meet but one
woman actually harncsscd up on tho
road. The woman, n sturdy peasant
OF about thirty-fvc summers, was la
boring heavily along with load OF
iire-wood faggots, while her husband
slouchcd alongside, smoking the in
cvitable long-stemmed pipe. A piece
of rope was attached TO one of the
shafts, and whenever hill or particu-
iarly rough spot was encountered, the
man would considerably pull on the
string Whom they reached smooth,
level ground again, he would toss the
rope over the "h0rsos" shoulder
. watched this interesting pair for some
distance TO find out whether they at
tracted unusual attention from other
| people. N body sccm,d 10 take any
notice of thom; from which | Inferred
that tho sight was nothing uncommon
in that country. A scene that would
have brought tar and feathers. and q
sharr-eIgcd fenco-rail into requisition
in very short order IN tn United
States, was regarded in Austria as the
most matter-of-fact thing in the world.
Haymaking was going on in those
smiling DLnubian meadows, and saw
the women not merely tossing and
raking the hay. but swinging the
scythe right mcrrily, side. by side with
husband, brother and father. No
gentle or courteous consideration was
anywhere shown to the women, no
favors in the shape of easier OF
pleasanter tasks allotted, to them. IL
there was any pWNof tie work more
like dull, grinding drudgery, more
destitute of interest, than any other.
women and not men were doing it.
On the biz ducal estates of Hungary
l saw scenes that oclipsed if possible,
even those of Austria Hungary is u
land of large estates and pauper-pail
ui'esisprs, rather than of small propric.
scatterod singlJa.pd parts of Ger
holdings. one secs them in lnrgs-.,,,,en
working under the supervision OF over
scers. Nothing reminded me so mucl
of the popular conception of the palmy
days of slavery in the Southern States,
than these long files of Hungarian
peasant women passing through tho
fields with clumsy hoes. Every wom-
an was barefooted and wore a dress
that scarcely descended 10 the knees,
so as TO allow the free use o
limbs for getting about. As they
passed slowly across the fields, some
times as many asa hundred in row,
with Two or three male overseer,
watching the limo from few PAGES a
the rear, the heavy hoes rising and fall.
ing, without intermission. at every
forward stride, it was difficult to inn
agino them any thing else than gang'
of white slaves. They were free
enough, however, as freedom goes il
these countries, and were probably
earning twelve cents n day each.
Sometimes, when not more than {
couple of hundred yards from the road
feminine curiosity would overcome al
sense of discipline, and The long line of
hoe-swingers would. break ranks and
como helter-skelter Across the field
with merry shouts 10 get closer view
of tho bicycle. Tho overseor would
call angrily for them 10 come back; bu
not until they had satisfied their legili
mate trait Of female character, curios-
ity, would they heed their voices.
1t is upon tho women rather thar
the mon that The burden of Europe:
monster Armies fall so grievously. Be
tween tho husband sand brother, who
are away playing soldier, and the wife
and daughter, who arestaying at homo
doing their own and the men!
work., tho lesser of the tw,
evils is not hard TO choose. i
IS bad enough,to do compulsory mill
tary service; but there are redcemin Z
features even in that. The real hard
ship of the ARA ngem0At fall heavies
on tile women. 1t is tho women toll
ing in the fields like cattle, day afteI
day, who pay for tho millions o
breach-loaders, the Krupp guns, Tho
uniforms aud the commssary sup
Piles. 1t was the peanut women Of
France who paid the big German in.
demnity in 1872.
In the Orient the conditions o
female life among tho poorer classes
are in some respects better but il
Others worse, than they are in thC
countries spoken Of The people of
the East never hurt themselves by
overworll under any consideration.
The woman are not called upon t.
provide the bono and sinew of every
extra-laborious occupation rs they
are in Germany and Austria, for thu
pressure and exactions Of military life
arc less crushing But, on the othel
hand, woman is not TO be regarded
more in the nature Of goods and chat
tells belonging TO that lordly loafer
the unspeakable Oriental, than as Al
independent and responsible being. =
Thomas Stevens. 10 ~ y. Sun .tt
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