Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1891-01-17
REFORM IN MORALS.

These are the days-the hacyon days--of the
reformer, and he has indeed a poor reform in tow
If he cannot find ears to hearken to it. Since Par,
ne's fall it even looks as though morals were 60
ing to be renovated. The morals which the ethical
laws ascribe to woman are in a constant state of
rejuyenation. She Furnishes and scours and pol
ishes, and If in some unforeseen manner spot
prints itself on her character, it is that nGelble
she finds 1t hard to remove it. Society forever
keeps morals for woman down on convenient
shelf, and Mrs. Grundy is the lynx-eyed supervisor
thereof
But mans morals are away up ON the top shelf
so high up that even Madame Grundy, by stand
ing on her tip toes cannot see the condition they
are in, so she has no idea but what they are in a
very dusty, besmirched state, but she cannot get
at them, SO what is to be done.
The social purity reform climbed up and peeped
at them, however, and essays the somewhat bold
information that they are in very cobwebby con-
dition, and it is proposed to rake them down and
after polishing them up, put them on the shelf
with morals for women, where Mrs. Grundy can
oversee them.
Now this is not tvd idea, however. disastrous
it has proven Ia the case of Irelands leader Ex-
q
times, but after the manner ''hic fabula doset"-
cover up your tracks more skfully next time.
Tolstol held up immortality for inspection be-
tween the covers of the Kreutzer Sonata in man
ner highly unpopular and unprecedented. But it
must in time bear fruit The pool of social i'm
purity will not always be as well bridged as now
and in the past. When Tolstoi's pen stirred it up
unpleasant odors reached refined nostrils and gave
much offense, and there comes a clamor for re-
form in literature.
America puts it thus: 'The next reform must
be reform in literature, and it must be so sweep
ing that the world will be cleaased of the entire
race of social sophists hasty realiss, society nov
elists and sensational reporters
But does Tolstoi belong to this set? think not.
An old man, with footsteps bent toward that mar
row goal in ''the City of the Absent he turns
States evidence against his own sex-if not in the
interests of social purity, what then? From that
evidence society turned its head in disgust but
away down in its heart it knew truths had been
uttered Men did not approve for obvious reasons
women were not in favor of it-they feared lest it
fall into the hands of the immature Good women
have made idols always of men. Shall thew eniov
seeing those idols stripped of the vestments with
winch their fancy has ever clothed them, and watch
them tearlessly whel,tbey are trailed through the
mlre! Scarcely What wonder they protest?
But brave women are about ready to look mat
terS In the face, and the time is coming when, if
man refuses to bring his morals to be polished up
and left where they can be seen, he will find him
self holSted upon the top shelf among the cobwebs
and other stuffy uncongenia company
The new element which has entered into civiliza-
ton is woman Her first and most important
work is remodelling her standard of morals for
man. establishing and marking out for him line
Of duty and giving him something to live up to.
Woman has heretofore demanded little and she has
received it, Human nature is prone to yield up
what is demanded of it. Man has demanded that
woman shall be the foundation rock of truth and