News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-09-11

wanting. 1t was during the war when
a widow and two daughters from New
Orleans came to New York, the mother
was well along in years, the older
daughter had attained the age of
womanhood and the younger was
still in her youth. They assumed to
rank with the Southern aristocracy;
and if an ignorance of all that was
practical would do it they verified be-
yond a doubt the truthfulness of the
assumption. They knew absolutely
nothing of the methods of gaining an
honest living! What could they do,
what did they do? The mother hadin
her younger days known something
of music, and she picked up something
by conducting a choir in a small
church. The older daughter tried to
pass herself off for a stage actor and
there was nothing the younger one
could do, and the way they lived was
thus: They would engage board at a
strange place; when the payday ar
rived they were anXiously watching
the mail for a check from their banker
in New Orleans, and they continued to
watch and expect, explain delays and
promise, until Indulgence ceased to be
a virtue and then they were turned
from the house to practice the same
upon the next who should be credu-
lous enough to give them a welcome.
O the helplessness of those who have
never learned and are too proud to
learn
Could the sufferings, misery and
shame that pride and incompetencv
have begotten, be all written out it
would make a book that a lifetime
would be too short to master. 1t is
but a step from a life of helplessness
to a life of shame, and many q
daughter of plant morals have taken
that step to their everlasting sorrow
and disgrace. 0 the dignity of self
reliance! the legitimate child of self
helpfulness. Would that every mother
as well as daughter knew their worth.
When a teacher | had two girls for
my pupils who were nearly of an age,
one always looked tidy and neat, the
other was carelessly dressed. One
morning as the tidy girl looked upon
her mate and saw a rent i'll her dress
as she lifted her eyes to hers, she ask
ed: Cant you sew?" | would that
that girls mother could have heard
that reproof coming from that gentle
girl, Cant you sew?'
Again a woman who can help her
self can help others, and it is law of
humanity that those who can help
Others most stand the best chance of
being helped themselves. This world
soon tires of giving something for
nothing; we have to reciprocate, and
the more we are helped, the more we
feel our obligation. Much of the in
felicity of home life might be fore
! stalled if woman ever entered upon
her duties with an intelligent gift of
helpfulness, if she could be indeed u
help-meet. / could point to homes
broken and rent and the secret is not
infidelity, not incompatibility, but
simply incompetency. There is n
great deal said in these days about
SUlhg SrH sNi i0f61 ior more stringent ia"s.
Doubtless our laws are too lax touch
ing this matter. He who writes upon
this subject to awaken the conscience
of the nation is doing well, but that
wise woman who conceived the
thought of gathering our daughters
| into a school, where they may be
taught the best method of doing that
which must be done in every home in
| our land, has done more in my judg-
ment towards staying this evil than
all appeal to law. Think you that
| the husband of the woman OF whom
the text speaks could have been pre-
vailed upon to sue for a bill of di-
vorcement? There is not a man in
Christendom that would not give his
life blood to preserve the sanctity of
such q home, if in fact he deserves the
name of man.
What did Queen Esther, when she
would ask of the king a request?
Whv she feasted him and then he was
ready to grant her wish to the half of
his kingdom. What did our Lord when
the people were faint and hungry?
Fed them. 1t is these ministrations
that touch the heart and rivet the af-
fections, and the woman who can
render most acceptable service, other
things being equal, has the advantage
of her sisters. When we are hungry
nothing will answer as substitute for
the staff of life. 1t is vain for incom-
potency to plead ignorance of bread
making and kindly offer to give us
some exquisite music from Mozart on
the grand piano as a substitute. No,
no. saws the hungry man, feed me
with food sufficient for me, and then
give me Mozart, Beethoven and all the
other great composers if you like.
The prophet was hungry and told the
widow to make him a little cake. Our
Lord was hungry as he came down
from the mountain and wanted food.
What woman is there, if her husband
ask bread, will she give him a stone?
But what if her bread in specific gray
ity resembles the stone? The best an
tidote for an appetite for strong
drink that | know of is a home trans
formed into a paradise by loving
hands. lighted by smiles, filed with
: the music of sweet and loving voices,
and supplied with wholesome food for
body and soul, and the man who will
not forego the saloon and cup for
| these is a wretch before whom it is
; vain to cast your pearls. Be practi-
cal and helpful and suffer not incom-
petencv to change the sweetest joys
! of earth to the gall of bitterness.
Finally, woman should be an orna-
+ ment as well as useful and helpful.
] Much is demanded of her that she
2 may reach the high position possi-
e BILE. Macaulay says, 1.-The most
: beautiful object in the world, it will
+ be allowed, is a beautiful woman"
: The higher the finish, the more mark
d ed a blemish upon the painting. The
). nearer heaven lifted the more fearful
r the descent if she fall Virtue crown
e ed with meekness and grace are her
a most becoming ornaments. | know
n of only one who was sought and won
h for pure ugliness. Socrates chose
Is Zantippe because hewanted the discl-
l. pline that her violent temper would
s. enable her to give him, and Judging
from his willingness to die when he
j. drank the fatal hemlock, her disci
t, pline had been effectual He was per
is fectly resigned, but this is an eXcep
he ton. Woman is expected to be less
S. faulty than man; though his tongue
o. be profane with cursings, her tongue
st must be sweet and heavenly; though
IN his breath be foul with emanatior
Dr. from the cup and weed, hers must b'
III faultless; though his words may b.
er seasoned with the vulgar, hers mus
Sc be chaste as the snow; though his lit
Il, NAV be blotted and dark, hers mus