The Russellville Democrat., 1889-03-21
American Women.
ESTELLA YANcEY.
From Hamilton College Monthly.

any other country. Be this compll ment sincere or not, the most ot us gladly accept it; for It is true, as has been sad .! us--thoLgh not by way of mpliment, we are some what susceptible to flattery.
 The more we see of the brilliancv, wit, and refinement of society Tn the eastern cities, the plainer it becomes that, if America has, in one short century out-rivaled the mother coun- try Tn all the elegancies of fashion able life, it IS because of her treat ment of women. Some one has said. "In America woman's lot is as near being perfection as an earthly lot could be-" In America every woman is an uncrowned queen. Seeing and approaching this high position, she seeks to fit herself for it's responsi biities; and it is her charming in dependence, and consciousness of power that render her and American society so attractive to foreigners. We believe that our society wom- en are as graceful, and accomplished as any that grace European courts. Indeed, some of Europe's greatest court beauties were American girls. It is not long since Lady Randolph Churchill graced American society, and added greatly to it by her spark ling wit and pleasing manner-and what queen is more vivacious and pleasing Tn her manner than the present mistress of the White House?
 But when foreign travellers and writers say that our women care for nothing but society, and that they lead kind of butterfly existence, we resent the statement at once, and brand the one who gave it utterance as unworthy of our notice. Our greatest society women have another existence.
 What country can boast of more true, noble, heroic daughters than our own? Tracing back to the pic neer settlements along the Atlantic coast we find our women truly noble in their heroism. Who can say that woman is a coward, after having read the history of the Colonists? The character of brave Hannah Dunstan rises before us from the musty pages Of biography, and shines as bright now as it did in earller history. Dur. ing the early settlement of this coun try, our women were as brave as their husbands, fighting the Indians when necessary, helping with the erection of their homes, and tilling the land. Later on we come to the Revolu tionary women. Words can not de- scribe the trials they underwent, while their loved ones were fighting for home and liberty. Subject at all times to the attacks of the Indians, and equally cruel royalists, they never lacked courage, and were al- ways ready to and their country men, even to taking arms themselves, if necessary. Molly Pitcher gained for herself the title of Captain Molly by taking her husbands place when be | fell.
 After the strife of war had ended, and peace reigned once more, little was heard of our women, until the country became more prosperous. During the time intervening between the close of the war and 1925, wom- ans sphere was to stay quietly at home and superintend her household. Indeed the birth verse Of each might have been, "She looketh we'll to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."
 To day woman has found that there are things outside of the home circle that man can not or will not do without her aid. Though she no longer displays the same character of bravery recorded of the women of earlier history; yet it is a dormant quality, and only needs the oppor- tunity to manifest itself.
 We have had our Grace Darling. While England sounds aloud the praise of Grace Darling, we send up three cheers for Ida Lewis. We love the beautiful girl who braved the fury of the storm tossed sea. alone, and unprotected. save by the Father who guided her frail bark and made her the means of rescuing perishing victims from sinking vessels.
 During tue late war we had nun Der Of Florence Nlghtingales. Mob. Ter, truer women meyer lived than the black haired, black eyed South ern women who left their homes and went to watch with their equally noble, fair haired Northern sisters beside the bed of wounded and dy- ing soldiers. Clara Barton has been correctly styled the Florence Night ingale of America. She has not on- ly nursed the sick in our hospitals, but she has crossed the waters, and taken her station beside the sick and suffering of other nations.
 Our missionary women and lee turers are of such character that they may be weighed in the balance and not found wanting. Miss Fran cis k. Willard as President of the Women's Christian Temperance Un. ion, stands at the head of the largest body of organized women in tine world. We have produced some of the greatest actresses on the stage, Who can out rival Mary Anderson She is not only theatrlcal star but good pure woman, as well. We love Clara Louise Kellogg, the gifted woman who sang before she talked, . We have had our writers, writers as gifted as any other nations. II ,, has not been long since Louisa Al colt was laid to rest beside the deal