The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-09-07
NOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
THE OLD AND THE NEW.


An Agreeable Change In the Order Of
Thinys-The blessings OF Employment
for Women.
Many years ago, a class of school,
girls about TO leave school, listening to
an address given by their instructor for
their special edifcation, were told that
''woman's profession should be to make
Others happy"
If this is true of women, is it not
equally true of men? Certainly it is
the business of every gentleman TO con-
slider and respect carefully the tastes
and feelings of those around him. Dis
regard for others not only betrays that
''deathful selfishness," which Ruskin
rightly calls .'vulgarity." but it shows
want of good breeding which has
been well defined as 1.-THE apotheesis of
self-rcstraint" Moreover, thoughtful
ness for others is prime essential in
that religion whose blessed founder has
said: "lnas,nuch as We have done it to
one of the least of these, We have done
1t unto me-" Furthermore, and as an
argument for that class of people whose
mental vision is too narrow to look be-
yond the things of time and sense, it
may be said that courtesy is not only
n matter of principle and honor, but
of policy. To honor is to be honored,
and he who disregards others can not
wonder If in the end he too is disre-
garded.
Without doubt it is the duty and the
privilege of every woman to do good,
to scatter sunshine in dark places, to
help those who need help, to make the
little world through which she moves
the brighter and better and purer and
more wholesome for having lived in il.
But why Woman's profession? Why
not mans as well? The fact is, the
speaker had no idea of any other pro-
fession being open to women. In those
days. it was generally supposed that
the chief end OF woman was to be mar
ried-to be good wife and mother.
The many who failed to obtain nus
bands were apt to be regarded with
pity or contempt, and designated ''old
maids" term of obloquy. that in this
enlightened age of women, is happily
going out of use.
In those days there were few employ
ments open to women. A young wo-
man, compelled TO earn her living,
might teach, or sew, or weave, or do
homework. What else? Really, there
was little else she might do. Every
other employment was considered I'M
feminine. / remember, as child,
thinking how much better it would be,
If women were employed as clerks and
saleswomen in stores. instead Of men,
seemed so very etfeminate to see a
strong, able-bodied man, wasting his
strength in measuring off ribbons, or
lace or calico. But, although it was
considered quite right and proper for
MIR. A. to sell ''dry goods or to pre-
pare prescriptions and powders in his
large, handsome store, to have had his
sister or daughter do the same work |
would have been shocking, to Mrs. |
Grundy, at least. Indeed, this feeling |
TO great extent, unhappily, still pre-
walls. say unhappily, for is it not a
pity that so many valuable lives should |
be sacrificed to blind, unreasoning preju- !
dice? Prejudice, which cramps and |
letters and chills the free spirit by false !,
notions of right and wrong or of deco |
rum, giving the brother fresh air in |
abundance. with free exercise for all |
powers OF body and soul, keeping the !
sister smut IN to a narrow and often dis |
tasteful routine OF petty household de- |
tails, or matters connected with dress |
and society, till she is ready for any
escape from so monotonous existence,
and hence 20 many miserable, ill-assort-
ed marriages; 10 use 4 homeiy proverb.
''Ou: OF the frying-pan into the fire."
Ennui, caused by dearth OF congcnial |
or varied employment, exists to far
greater extent than is generally known
among girls of all classes, especially |
just after the business and stimulus Of |
school life is over. For the brother,
there Is then business college. or pro-
fession. or he may go out into the great
world ''to seek his fortune" to get new
ideas, and TO practice what he has
learned. He learns TO labor. she learns
to wait; the latter is much the harder
task. Wen has de Maistre said: ITO
know how TO wait is the secret OF sue
cess"
In recent newspaper. is the sad
death Of young woman who put an
end TO her own life, for no apparent
reason other than disappointment in
her first efforts ut earning something.
In other words. she had not learned TO
wait. Without doubt, every year hun
dreds Of young women of good families
and education. with excellent natural
abilities. lose their health, their reason.
or their lives, simply from ennui. or
from the want of congenial employ
ment. If these same girls had been
in business or college, with their
brothers, or had given vent for their
energies in any of the many ways of
usefulness for which they were designed
oy their Creator. they might to-day be
veil and happy, busy with their proper
vocation, and at the same time finding
the truth SO well expressed by sanity
Eerbcrt:
''An worldly joys go less
To the one joy Of doing kindness"
1t is matter for rejoicing. that as the
world advances in civilization. new
azenues of usefulness are continually
ODeuInU to Women 4,1uu Hoi,oL> |