The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-01-22
In WOMAN'S BEHALF.
THE TRUTH IN "HANNAH JANE
Women Who Forget Accomplishments and
Grow Did Early.

Women Who Forget Accomplishments and
Grow Old Early.
That painful poem, Hannah Jane"
Is full of disagrecable truth, but it is
truth, and that is the saddest part of it,
says a writer in the Chicago Inter
Ocean. There are thousands Of just
such faded. detected women who have
been left behind in the race, and are no
longer mated to the husband. who was
not the superior at the outset The at
fractions OF youth are transitory, and
there must be some compensation in
added character and experience, for the
faded bloom, the wrinkles and the loss
of grace.
A woman's life is comparatively cir
cumscribed. The wife and mother must
spend much of her time at home. She
misses that refreshing contact with the
world, the exhilaration and stimulus
which are derived from the interchange
of opinions and ideas. Instead of re-
plenishing from these sources, she is
constantly giving out to the children
who appeal to her upon every occasion,
and who draw upon all her resources,
mentally, spiritually and physically.
Regard for the bodily well-being Of q
family-the clothing, the preparation
of three meals day for three hundred
and sixty-five days in the year. the nurs-
ing in sickness and the regard for
health--all these, faithfully attended
to. leave, apparently, little time for
reading or the cultivation Of what used
to be called accomplishments. There
Is little time for reading books or even
newspapers; there is no time to prac-
tice. keeping up the music" that was
once cultivated as promising talent
Cleverness with the pencil, a faculty for
languages, or a talent for writing, all
are sacrificed to the urgent demands Of
the growing family, and the sacrifice,
for it is a sacrifice, is not always made
cheerfully. The woman who aspired to
be something on her own account is
haunted by regrets of unused ability
and undeveloped powers, and this with
no differentiation Of the sacredncss OF
the duty of wife and mother, and in the
full knowledge that these duties were
voluntarily assumed.
In nine cases out of ten. however, the
married woman who becomes too much
absorbed in domestic matters does SO
unconsciously. She lets the sewing en-.
croach upon the reading, and the sweep
ing and busting and setting in order
swallow up the hour that could be
daily spared for writing and practicing
and no one is any the better for it. A
little palmer food, fewer and palmer
garments, will leave the household il
no way defrauded of its rightful dues
and it will be the gamer in other ways
The mother who is well read, who car
direct the reading of her family, whc
has not forgotten her music or drawing
is much more than the mere providel
for bodily needs. She is an intelligent
helpful. interesting friend, of whom
her husband and her children neve,
tire. Women are beginning to discover
this for themselves. as the thousands o.
clubs throughout the country. the ma
| jority of whose members are married
give sufficient evidence.
1t is not easy to keep up, but it car
be done. There are hundreds Of WON
| en- who support their families with per
and brush, and never appear hurried ol
harrassed. and their housekeeping doe.
| not suffer because of their professions
work. A woman died recently in ;
| Western city who belonged TO one O
| the oldest and most distinguished fam
lilies of Philadelphia. As bride sh,
emigrated with her husband to wha
was then n wilderness. She reared ;
large family, sewed, cooked, did tn,
hard work of the farm with her owl
hands, bat she never deteriorated. He
children were a credit to her. and sh,
instructed them herself in music. il
French. and history and mathematics
In the latter part Of her life she wa
native city-but the one where sh
found the opportunities which she ha,
sacrificed. and for which she had neve
ceased to long. 1t was beautiful
sight to see her sitting at the piano
stately, silver haired and gracious
playing with all the enthusiasm of
modern lover of Chopin or Beethoven
She was person of strong will. an
had not relinquished single custom o
accomplishment, although for year
she lived with no society but that G
her husband and her little children
She had retained all her refinement 6
manner and dress that characterize tn
gentL,women wherever she may live
and what she did is possible for othe
women. In this age. with books to b
had for the asking, with the opportul
tiles for travel. and study. it is to b
hoped that poor Hannah Jane is an G,
:inct type.