Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-02
LIFE IN NEW YORK.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO
SEXES ILLUSTRATED.
what Woman Can Make of a Little
Hall.Room-How Many of
Them Live.

Especial Correspondence of the SUNDAY UNION
NEW YORK, January %, 1890.
at is a mothers duty to see that her
daughters have matrimonial opportuni-
ties"
These words, from the lips of wealthy
matron, seemed to listener in the deli
cate dawn of early girlhood, abominable,
and the speaker was thereafter held in
abomination.
Viewed in the light of years and expe-
rience the matron seems practical.
The woman in the ballroom is woman
almost without opportunities.
"From abnormal soil must come abnor-
NAL growth" The woman who lives long
in the ballroom becomes abnormally spir-
itual and high-minded, or the reverse.
| 1mmeasurably to woman's credit, be it
said, an incredible number lead gradually
more and more sanctified lives. They
become an Order of Nun, without the
garb; company of abnormally sainted
creatures, who, the weeks toll over, rise
early on Sunday mornings that they may
teach Sunday-schools; who, after a days
work, may gather to dress Christmas trees
or help in the distribution of Easter offer
ings.
have not hunted up statistics on this
point, but think any clergyman will bear
me out in the statement that women of
little leisure and narrow inceme do far
more volunteer work than the wealthy,
who, unaccustomed to self-sacrifce, be-
come incapable of making it.
If sacrifice and work were all, the list
were complete; but who can recount the
daily deprivations? Insufficient food, lack
of fire, and often need of seasonable cloth
ing, are tangible and easily appreciated
wants but who can measure the measure
less infnitude of mental insuticiencies?
The dry goods or entry clerk, with twen-
ty-fve or fifty cents in his pocket, can
mount, like the Lord of creation that he is,
the long stairs that lead to theater or even
opera galleries, and thence look down on
| the choicest entertainment, or, standing on
strong legs, can witness the same at the
rear of parquets. The woman can scarce
venture where rough spirits congregate,
and strength fails her standing through
performance. Clearly, the woman has the
worst of it.
Then how pitiful to see women's small
efforts to beautify and make little home
of the few feet of space about them. How
they will put this little thing here and
that thing there, and cover up this defect
i've place in the carpet with some deftly
made at adroitIy chosen bit of something,
or that blemish on the wall, or woodwork
h 4
or hunted out contrivance.
In the same apartment house in which
were recently enumerated the literary and
artistic accumulatioas of three young men
in the bathrooms was one occupied by
lady.
For sake of contrast, let me re-enumer-
ate those masculine belongings as nearly as
| can approach them from memory.
Three railroad guides, one or more al
manacs and newspapers, several theater
programmes and two trash novels. Art
treasures: A picture of two cats and
dogs head. Otherwise, general forIorn-
ness.
By hook or by crook, the woman inmate
had gotten in little stove and had thus
the means of warmth. By hook or by !
crook, she had obtained a folding bed, |
which, with inexpensive but comely |
drapery, stood in one corner, without de- |
traction to the remainder of the room and |
taking up but small space. In the oppo-
site corner was placed small circular
table with crimson cover of felt pinked |
out on the edges. On it were placed a
fancy workbox, several books and a pretty
basket. Two corner shelves above were
trimmed to match the table cover and
held a limited but tasteful collection of |
ornamental trihes. A window curtain,
looped back by crocheted loops, gave a
neat finish; a small rocker with gay cush-
ions tied by ribbon and low, upholstered
chair completed the little picture of ar
tistic effort.
A tiny but agreeable sitting-room re-
suited, nor l think can the difference be- |
tween the two sexes be more forcibly illus
trated than by the comparisons just drawn.
In fairness, too, it must be added that not
many dwellers in bathrooms can by hook
or crook get hold of stoves, but must do
the best they can minus that or any other
individual means of warmth.
They live there all the same, however.
Think then, in thinking of this great
city, of the company of women who sit in
little dens, majority of them patiently.
They await translation. | can think of
no better term, and in regard to them the
recollection of Marguerite, horne from her
bed of straw in the arms Of angels, appears
appropriate.
Think Of them as they sit in those small
Enclosures deprived of every natural out
let for the affections, of every object in
which woman must delight. Think of
them without domestic life, and woman
without domestic life does seem like some
plant trying to live without soil or sun
shine. do not mean matrimony neces-
sarily, but something domestic. Some
range in which to patter around; some
where to Elk" to dust or have busted in
the mornings and take care of at night
somewhere to be a bit fussy about, and say
Look at this" or 'Look at that" some
where to cook, if only little; somewhere
TO wash, if it be only the least thing
somewhere where the woman can be some
thing of a woman. / would not care much
FOR the one who does not banker after some
Of these small cares.
1t has been cried up as wonderful
step forward, mark of the worlds pro-
sress, that so many occupations are thrown
open to women. Undoubtedly as more are
thrown open, and women more educated to
hem, chances of an escape from the hall
'oom will become multiplied in that pro-
portion.
But nevertheless, it looks like a cruel
of Natures laws, that women
hould thus compete with men. 1t is
loted with pride in women's societies, etc,
hat this women does this thing and that
woman does that thing which some man
night do, and the most casual observer
must note how women now penetrate
from Battery to extreme north
,rn city limits.
Yet the sight fills me not with pride but
l would not turn these
women out. / would freely grant them all
md everything, but it would with rare
Exception, be granted to so many blighted c
ives.
Think Of them living, so many of them,
n their little radii of few feet, not run
iiBg from them as men do, and coming
'ack as animals to caves or hollows, but i
making the most of their limited aIlot- a