Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-10-02
Eimless Lives

There Gie SW tVliS UlSEo ;.ItSueut "it'i
danger to social life ;hen toe cond'tiou OF
having nothing to do. A London coulem-
porary paints the siluatiop very vividiy ae
regards Inc young msn of the "mother coun.
try" but 1t mskel 40 al!usion o IDLE womens
of which there are probably as many In
England es o. idle mep. Happily in this
energetic country of ours, the msj ority OF
men have scne legitimate occupation
whether compelled by necessity to labor for
their daily occupation or not. II may oe
that they are aoimated by s desire for weeitb;
aud even if this be tree, it is bsiter to work
with tha sole olject of accumulation than
ro. 10 work st al But the number Of
American wcuen who spend lives Of sbsc-
lute ideuess ID dep!orabiy large Every one
knows Of women who have nothing to Go,
aud no aim in view but tue constant endeav-
or TO kill time. In thi5 they are not always
successfu. Time often gete the bes, OF the
battle, and in consequence they pass many
weary days Gnd nights. Ooe of our
contemporaries on this eide OF the Al
lentic puts the case thus How many
women OF the period think of nothing
more importent thar tbs color Of trimming
OF their dresses, the ou9th OF their visiting
ists, the last biz oi scandal, the latest opera,
or OF what they shall eet for dinner? Art
and literature are seaed books ID them, and
the idee OF doing something for the cake of
theIr own peace Of raibd never once crio,s
their empty poddles. The children, il ,uey
have any, are cared for by hired nurses.
Why should the mother b0lher her head
about them7 II they are we!-housed, well
fed, wel-dreseed and presumably well
trained, what mere is necessary Does il
matter that they grow rp almost as much
estranged from the woman who gave them
birth rs from her nelghbor across the
strest? What if they r!ss from their lives
the tender iuhuence OF daily companion
ship with the mothet? They may become
moro usefnl membfr3 OF society than she.
Wbo knows The master CT the bouse
whcre This fine lsdy ptesdes must te aali-
fed if he fode his wife well dressed aud hi7
di0ner well.cooked For intellectual Re
creation be has bis club 10 which be can
fl @. where be is always sure 10 find some
about Clearly. there is no need for the
Gne lady Of fashion to 90 anything more for
her spouse than foy her offspring"
There are scores cf women, married and
single, CT humber fortunes, whe lead aim
Ieas. useless !ives, while the husband and
fathe. is in perpetual struggle to make
both ends meet. They never think cf put
ing their shoulders to the wheal, or bear
ing any portion OF the burden of life. To
look well and dress tsstefnly, aud to get
through the world with ss little annoyance
TO themselves as possible. lie their only aim.
The contentment of spirit which is born of
busy hands and head ia stranger to them
the happiness Of we'll doing they are Dever
permitted to enjoy. They may rest we'll as.
sured, however, that the traditional gentle
man 10 black is lurking somewh here close at
beud, aud that the danger of his finding
them out is immiaen. Il is quite worth
the while ofe7erY woman 10 do something.
II conscience does not urge her to it, she
should invoke ner pride. The indolent are
slwsys the dependent once, and the fruitful
source of nischefa and m!sereP,