Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-01-26
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
WlMMEN'S RIGHTS.
An Aliegory by Josiah Aliens Wife-A
Vivid Picture

An Allegory by Josiah Aliens Wife-A
Vivid Picture.
"Wimmen haint no business with
the laws of the country"
"If they haint no business with the
law, the law haint no business with
Them" says l, warmly. "Of the
three classes that haint no business
with the law-lunatics, idiots and
wimmen- the lunatics and idiots have
the best time of it," says |, with
great rush of ideas into my brain that
almost lifted up the border OF my
head-dress. LET a idiot kill man.
What of it?' says the law. Let luny
steal a sheep; again the law murmurs
in calm and gentle tone: What of
itP Ihoy haint no business with the
law, and the law haint no business
with them But let one of the third
class--let Il woman steal a sheep
does the law soothe her in these COM
fortin' tones? No; it thunders to her,
in awful accents: You haint no bust
ness with the law, but the law has
good deal of business with you, vile
female; start for States prison. You
haint nothin' at all to do with the law,
only to pay all the taxes it tells you
to; embrace a license bill that is ruinin'
to your husband; give up your inno-
cent little children to wicked father
if it tells you to, and few other little
things, such as bein' dragged off to
prison by it, chained up for life, and
hung, and ct cetery."
'Methought l once heard the
words, signs the female, True govern
ment consists in the consent of the
governed. Did dream them, or did
the voice of a luny pour them into my
carp
"'Hain't l told you, frowns the law
on her, that that don't mean wimmin ?
Have got to explain TO your weakened
female comprehension again the great
fundamental truth that wimmen hain't
included and mingled in the law books
and statutes of the country only in a
condemnin' and punishin sense, as it
werep Though / feel it to be bendin'
down my powerful manly dignity to
elucidate the subject further, l will
consent to remind you of the consolin'
fact that, though you wimmen are,
from the tender softness of your ma
ture and the illogical weakness of your
minds, unfit from havin' any voice in
maxim the laws thas govern you, you
have the right, and nobody can de-
prive you of it, to be punished in 8
future world Jest us hard as man o.
the strongest intellect, and to be hung
in this world jest as dead as dead
man; and what more can you ask for
you unreasonable female woman your
Then groans the woman as thu
great fundamental truths rushes upor
her: Il can be hung by the politica
rope, but l can't help twist it,
I" Jest so, says the law.
"'Alasv slthes the woman to herself
would that had the sweet rights Of my
wild and foolish companions, the idiot
and lunys! But says she, venturing
with beating heart, the timid an(
bashful inquiry, are the laws alway'
just, that l should obey them :hus inn
plicitly?'
Idiots! lunatics! and wimmin! Ar,
they goin' to speakP' thunders the law
Can l believe my noble right carp Cal
/, bein' blindfolded, trust my seven
teen sensesp I'll have you under
stand that it haint no woman's bust
ness whether the laws are just or un
just, all you have got to do is jest t,
obey 'em, so start off for prison, m,
young woman.
=" But my housework.' pleads tn
woman. 'Woman's place is home;
is her duty to remain at all hazard
within its holy and protectin' pre-
cincts. How can | leave its sacre
retirement to moulder in State
pIisonP
'Housework!' and the law fairl
yclls the words, he is so filed wit
contempt at the idee. 'Housework
Jest as if homework is goin' to stan
in the way of the noble administratio
of the law! l admit the recklessnes
AMI immortality of her leavin' tina
holy haven long enough to vote; but
guess she can leave her housewor
long enough to be condemned an
hung and so forth.
But have got infant, says tn
woman, of tender days. How can
go?'
! "'That is nothin' to the case,' say
the law, in stern tones. The peculis
conditions of motherhood only unfit
q female woman from ridin' to tow
with her husband, in a covered ca
riage, once year, and layin' her vol
Q on pole. I'll have you understan
l it's no hindrance to her at all in
Q cold and naked cell, or In publ
: courtroom, crowded with men,
; LAS the young women totter alon
: to prison, is it any wonder that 81
sithers to herself:
Would that were a idiot! Ala
is it not possible that l may becon
even now luny? Then / should be r
7 spected. Josiah AHen's Wife.
4 WOMEN IN JOURNALISM.