Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-03
WUMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
WOMAN'S SPHERE.
The Position Woman Occupies as Con
pared to That of Man.

- O0'eAOAA w oAhdn occupies as Com
pared to That of Man.
DO you take an interest in the posi-
ton of women, Waldo?'
No"
81 thought not. No one does, unless
one Is In need of a subject upon which
10 snow his wit. I'm sorry you
don care for the position of women;
should have liked US to be friends; and il
Is the only thing about which / think
much, or feel much"
Waldo looked at her. 1t was hard to
say whether she were in earnest or mock
ing.
81 know it is foolish. Wisdom never
kicks at the iron walls it can't bring
down" she said. But we are cursed,
Waldo; born cursed from the time our
mothers bring us into the world till the
shrouds are put on us. Do not look ut
me as though l were talking nonsense.
Every thing has two sides-the outside
that is ridiculous, and the inside that is
solemn"
Il am not laughing" said the boy,
sedateiy enough; ''but what curses you?'
He thought she would not reply to
him. she waited so long.
ut is not what is done to us, but
what is made of US" she said at last,
THAT wrongs us, No man can be re-
ally injured but by what modifes him
self. We all enter the world little
plastic beings, with so much natural
force, perhaps, but for the rest-blank;
and the world tells US what we are to
be, and shapes US by the ends it sets
before US. To you it says, Work! and
to us it says, Seem! To you it says,
As you approximate to mans highest
ideal OF God, as your arm is strong and
your knowledge great, and the power
to labor is with you, so you shall gain
all that human heart desires. To US it
says, Strength shall not help you, nor
knowledge, nor labor You shall gain
what men gain, but by other means.
And so the world makes men and
women.
Look at this little chin of mine,
Waldo, with the dimple in it. 1t is but
a small part of my person; but though
/ had a knowledge of all things under
the sun, and the wisdom to use it, and
the deep loving heart of an angel, it
would not stead me through life like
this little chin. / can win money with
it; / can win love, l can win power
with it, | can win fame. What would
knowledge help me? The less woman
has in her head, the lighter she is for
climbing. / once heard an old man
say that he never saw intellect help
woman so much as pretty ankle; and
it was the truth. They begin to shape
US to our accused end" she said, with
her lips drawn in to look as though
they smiled, "when we are tiny things
in shoes and socks. We set with our
little feet drawn up under us in the
window, and look out at the boys in
their happy play. We want to
go. Then a loving hand is laid
on us. Little one, you can not go,
they say; your little face will burn, and
your nice white dress will be spoiled -
We feel it must be for our good, it is so
lovingly said; but we can not under
stand, and we kneel still with one little |
cheek pressed wistfully against the |
pane. Afterwards we go and thread |
blue beads, and make string for our
neck; and we go and stand before the |
glass. We see the complexion we were |
not to spoil, and the white frock, and |
we look into our own great eyes. Then |
the curse begins to act on US. 1t fin |
ishes its work when we are grown wo-
men, who no more look out wistfully
at a more healthy life; we are content
ed, We fit our sphere as a Chinese
woman's foot fits her shOe-eXactly as
though God had made them both; and
yet He knows nothing OF either. In |
some OF us the shaping to our end has |
been quite completed. The parts we are |
not to use have been quite atrophied, |
and have even dropped off; but in 9TH
ers-and we are not less to be pitied-
they have been weakened and left We |
wear the bandages, but our limbs have
not grown TO them; We know that we |
are compressed, and chafe against them. |
But what does it help? a little Bit
terness, little longing when we are |
young, little futile searching for work, |
a little passionate striving for room for |
the exercise of our powers then we
go with the drove. A woman must |
march with her regiment. In the end |
she must be trodden down or go with it;
and if she is wise she goes.
Il see in your great eyes what you
are thinking" she said, glancing at |
him. Il always know what the person |
am talking to is thinking of. How is
this woman who makes such a fuss
worse off than /? will show you by a !
very little example. We stand here at !
this gate this morning, both poor, both
young, both friendless; there is not /
much to choose between us. Let US
turn away, just as We are, to make our
way in life. This evening you will
come to farmers house The farmer,
albeit you come alone and on foot. will |
give you a pipe of tobacco and cup of
coffee and bed. If he has no dam to
build and no child TO teach, tomorrow
you can go on your way with friendly
greeting of the hand. !, if l come to
the same place tonight, will have
strange questions asked me, strange
glances cast on me. The Boer-wife will
shake her head and give me food to eat
with the Kaffirs, and right to sleep
WI he docs That would he tho fret