Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-07

be drawn at business women" Mrs. Blanks
point seemed to meet the views of the COM
mittee, hence all ye teachers, writers, women
who work, can consider yourselves debarred.
Only idleness is noble, only dependence is
arstocratic. Women who work cannot
have blue blood. Strike off their names.
Mrs Burnett is writer and business
woman-mark her of. Mrs. John A. Logan
is business woman-cross her out. Mrs.
A keeps a school-give her the 60 by. So
ciety must be kept clear of women with
brains. Considering everything we don't
know but what it would be good thing to
have the snobs rallied off. But how to do it
is solemn and perplexing question that
must stand over.
Of the women who have had fame aud
greatness thrust upon them by their hus-
bands becoming Presidents, but two stand
out as possessing more than average brains
or showing more than negative characters.
Mrs. Washington's tastes were for MIN and
housekeeping, and the official duties ir-
posed upon her as first lady" were a cere-
monious bore.
She went through them with dignity
and according to rule, but she counted time
thus spent as her "lost days." But Mrs.
Abigail Adams, vile of John Adams, is
famous on her own score as we'll as bv ac-
cident of the position of her husband as
President. She had remarkable political in
sight, and was the first woman in America
to demand equal rights for women, and
urged her husband, pending the adoption
of the Constitution in 1776, to remember the
women, and said they would not hold them
selves to obey the laws in which they had
no voice. OF course John" was talked
down in the convention, but her son, John
Quincy aiterward took up her side in Con-
gress.
THE WORK OF MRS. HAYES.
But since her day, among all the women
who for few brief years have dwelt in the
light that beats upoL throne, only one has
shown the courage of her convictions as op-
posed to precedent and has given the force
OF her individual views on a great moral
question. The others have been content to
enjoy the glory OF the position with which
fate and lavish luck have provided them
just as the commonplace wives share in the
good fortune of husbands whose brains and
lucky stars acquire such wealth as would
give ancient CIesus the feeling of being
poverty stricken if he were alive.
Mrs. Lincoln reached the summit of her
hopes as the wife of the adored Lincoln.
That her powers were not equal to the stu
alton is an old story. Her tastes and aspira-
tions were for social glory, and it would ap-
pear as the irony of fate that her lines were
cast when Society" so called, was at the
lowest discount. Mrs. johnson, being an
invalid, hardly appears in the annals OF the
Republic. but she has the distinction Of
having taught her husband-who from the
tailor's bench rose to the White House
chair-to read.
Mrs. Grant will reach immortality as did
the vile of Julius Cezar as the wife of her
husband-glory enough. Mrs. Hayes Sc
cured a place for herself. Her name will
ever be held in holy remembrance by those
whose ideas were enforced by her individual
influence. Mrs. Garfield never impressed
herself upon the people as a woman of force,
intelligence or capacity, A mystery sur
rounds her personality to which only the
gossip Of Washington gives the trace of a
key.
Mrs. Cleveland, hundred years hence,
will rank with Mrs. Madison as to beauty,
tact, social genius and aptness for immortal
ity as Presidents go. Mrs. Harrison is
hardly cut out OF immortal stuff, unless her
genius for painting is away and beyond her
social talent Still she will always find q
line in the encyclopedias, as have her
forerunners by virtue Of her husbands name
and fame.
Why should the spirit of mortal be proudf
was problem which staggered Abe Lin.
coin, the beloved and martyred President
Why women should trade upon their hus
bands titles Is another.
BESSIE BRAMBLE