St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-26
BETTER OFF THAN THEN.
Vast Changes for the Better for
Women since the "GOOd Old
Times"

Vast Changes for the Better for
Women since the "GoOd Old
Times"
If any creature on earth has reason
for exultant, fearful, heavenward-ris-
ing thankfulness it is the modern
woman. Never in all the worlds his
tory has she been so free from burdens,
so exalted in privileges as to-day, con-
tends writer IN the Arena. This nine
teenth century is the era of her corona
ton. To-day she stands queen of her
self and of the world. III the palmiest
days of the ''good old times" the only
woman who was allowed any privileges
or culture was the cOurteSan. The
wife's home was a prison, and her
hands alone were of value.
Whether or not she had any brains
she was not permitted to discover, and
this was held substantially true the
world over until within the last hum
dred years; and the most convincing
proof of this is the character of the
books of the best society. You would
not dare to read aloud in mixed society
any book of the last century. Books
were not made for women, and so
whether they were decent or not was a
small consideration. Even the old
preachers INDUCED in cOarSeneSS of
language that would not be permitted
in a political harangue. Some of Martin
Luther's sermons could hot he read III a
modern school.
Swearing in the drawing room and in
the "best society" was no uncommon
thing ninety years ago. Even the ladies'
themselves not rarely INDUCED III 1t.
Dean Ramsey tells an anecdote that
well illustrates how it was regarded.
A sister was speaking of her brother as
much addicted to the habit, and she
said: "Our John sWearS awful, and we
try to correct him for it; but" She
added, alphabetically. mae doubt it IS
great set-otf to conversation. The
''double entender" and indicate allu-
Slons, such as now no respectable COM
pany would endure. were then quite
common in mixed society.
Eighty years ago eminent lawyers
would use language in the court room,
in the presence of ladies, for which they
would now be arrested by the sheriff.
Then womeIrwe punished by being
publicly whipped on the bare back.
Prisoners in pillories were pelted with
eggs and jeered and tainted by the by
ISLANDERS. The whipping post, the
stocks, cropping, aud branding were
common. 1t was no very rare sight to
see a man and his wife. from the first
society, sitting on the gallOwS for an
hour with ropes round their necks.
And those who favor the harsher
forms of punishment might prottably
take notice of the fact that milder
councils, fewer crimes, and the general
elevation of society are invariably ac-
compartments of each other. To be
Door and insane then was worse than
torture or death.
The poor were ISOLDE at public
auction, their board and Keeping
knocked down to the lowest bidder, who
pleased. AlmShouSeS were almost I'M
known.
The common school girl of to-day is
better off. in all that makes life desira-
BILE. than was any queen of 200 years
ago. More comfort, more purity, more IN
telligence, more refinement. more ev-
erything worth having these mark
the advance of our SUeial life. Never
were houses so good, never was furni-
ture SO convenient and abundant, never
was dress so comfortable and healthful.
never manners so simple and sensible,
never the means of all enjoyment and
development so common and so univer-
sally accessible as to-day.
And yet in spite OF these facts there
are large numbers of people perpetually
bemOaning our degeneracy and signing
over the departure of the good old
times" OF our early American life. The
reason of the present distressing state
of affairs [ heard explained not long
ago. One man thought it was because
the ''gOod old doctrines" were not now
preached at all, and the other was
equally sure chat it was because they
were preached all the time. Never was
a grander fallacy than this whole idea.
Never was more ignorance of the past
displayed than by those who talk of the
falling away of modern times. Never
was The church so bright and fair as
now, and never did the sky of the future
redden with a more glorious promise OF
the coming day. In these good old
times" men lived under the horrid shad-
ows Of frightful representations. Now
it is to modern science only that we owe
our emancipation from the yoke of this
awful tyranny.
Scientific explorers have been over
the earth; and finding no mouths OF
hell, that is gone. Science has eX-
planned earthquakes and volcanoes, and
now devils fight no longer in the bowels
of the earth. Ktna and Vesuvius are
no longer vent holes of the pit. AS
tronomy has shattered the follies OF
astrology, and people have found out
that stars are minding their own bust
ness instead of meddling with theirs
and eclipses, no longer moon-swallow-
ing monsters, are only very natural and
well behaved shadows.