Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-12-04
Helpless Women.

COuIaSc aDSolute uelfleosllesS'
Few are the women who in the right
sense are strong minded enough to
break through the letters of their sur
round,ngs and think and act for them
selves
Most of them take kindly to the fact
that they live in II moral and intellect
ual cart wheeled by others hands, and
that all their actions must be governed
by prescribed rule.
They like to be waited upon hand
and foot, to be ignorant of anything
and everything concerning the machin-
cry of life, to be quite unable to pack
their own trunks, fold their dresses, and
still less do their hair.
The chances and changes of this NOR.
tai lite, however, often bring about a
different state of things, ard it is then
that these helpless women are most
profoundly to be pitied.
1t does sometimes happen that Il
woman has to stay a couple Of days in
town bercft of her husband and also of
her maid, and to hear her describe her
sutterings on such an occasion provokes
the smiles we ciyilly try to hide.
Accustomed to her country seat and
to everything that can be done to pre-
vent her being of use to herself or any
one else, she feels quite bcwildcred at
being alone.
Town life to her means conlng for
the season to the city house where lux
ury reigns as it does in the country.
But this unforeseen occurrence, neces-
stating a couple of days at hotel by
herself, is new and very wonderful
event.
We listen as she describes her terrors
at having to have bedroom in CORR.
dor where many others are sleeping,
and which, according to her statement,
is as lonely as the Sahara Desert.
Whether she expects burglars or
ghosts in a thronge3 city hotel 1t is diff
ticu]t to make out, Cor her nervous
fears are vague, but they nccessltate her
boiling and barring her door, and result
IN her not being able to sleep all night
She relates her experience as if she
were indeed deservln gof sympathy, bat
pity mixed with contempt is all we feel
rs she tells us now dreadful it was hav.
ing to do her own HAIR.
For the weak, the sickly, the infrm,
we feel very deeply, and more than all
for the fact that in their infrlnities they
require waiting upon and being attend
ed to in SO many ways which must be
most trying.
But this woman, young, in full pos
session of her faculties, in excellent
health, and by no means dull and stu
pid, seems not ashamed but proud of
being SO helpless and that excltes our
ecOrn.
Imagine a woman unable to 10 her
own hair
First she describes how hard she
found it to brush 1t, and them. as she
tells US how she progressed, the journey
from the nape of her neck to the crown
OF her head, as by her told, is as strange
as the adventures of an explorer in an
untrodden land.
She processes not to know the value
of money, to be quite in the dark as to
the s. geography Of the city, and to be
frightened at having to trust herself IN
Il cab.
The elevated railway is to her ter
rible means Of locomotion, filled with
cinders and unknown terrors.
If reyerses Of fortune come, woman
of this kind suff.rs most keenly, and
then, indeed, we feel sorry for her.
She has certain knowledge of &C
compIishments and languages, but she
has nothing that is Of marke table value
should she need to earn money for her
own support or for that of others depen.
.dent npon her.
.j3Ae las much acquaintance with the
ways Of society, but little or no know
ledge Of TIE ways of the world and how
to pilot herself through it.
OF the. 4onmon. every day details of
LIE she, l,4GNs nothing, and she has
seen very LITTLE of any class but her
own.
AS often happens she sinks under
this oppressive ig1erance, and, fright
ened and fearful. sis becomes q Deepen.
dent upon others, aul receiver of
charity.
She is not altogether to blame, for
class conditions have had much to do
with it, but there are, cine who have
sense enough to educate themselves III
y