The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-07
In WOMAN'S BEHALF.
SOME HEROlNES.

SSVbG VI6n0fINESs
4 Class Of Women Who Battle Against
Odds That Would Down a Man Every
Tim.
woman commits no greater mistake
in this world than to believe that the
wealthy women of our land lead useless
lives. Some lead busy existence COM
pared to which that OF her humble sis
ter is luxury Of rest and leisure.
Their work is done where you do not
see it, my dear general woman, but it
is done, well and nobly done. Their
lives are not given over to social pleas
ures as you might be led to suppose
from reading about them in the papers.
Their stations in life demand of them
certain social duties and when they
fulfill these demands they are given
prominence in the public prints,
and you read about them. But behind
the social figures are the women-as
God-f.ar.ng. as gentle, as sympathetic
and as womanly as those members of
their sex who give over their entire life
to the welfare of their fellow beings
From their homes go out blessings to
thousands, of which the world never
hears. The noblest deeds done in this
world are the quiet charities, and many
OF the wealthy women are quiet, minis
tering angels, whose right hands never
know what their left ones do. There
are wealthy women in New York who,
more often than the world knows OF,
60 ont in their carriages, not for pleas
ure drives, Tut on errands of mercy,
and who strcw seeds of charity in many
a barren place Do not accuse me Of
speaking Of generalitics when say this.
Again and again have been placed in
positions where ! have watched their
quiet workings, and seen the OPEN
heartedness and genuine pleasure with
which they dispense of that store of
worldly riches which has come. to them
in such generous measure.
There are few words, however. to be
said on the other hand. 1t is common
mistake among many who live for the
good Of Others. and have the where
withall to make this life happier and
brighter for many a sorrowing one,
that the great privat:ons Of this world
are only suffered by those in sheer want
and poverty. The very poor have their
needs, and multiplicity of them. and
blessings be upon those who seek to al
leviate them. But there is a certain
class of women III this world for whom
an all-suiiicient amount of sympathy is
felt refer TO that vast army of wom-
en- with whom life is daily battle.
Somewhere in our small villages, Oft
times in the Ecol1s and corners Of our
great cities. these women endure untold
heartbreal1s and head-worries Their
brains reel under the great problem.
which comes back day by day, of how
to make 81 do the work Of -, You. my
favored woman of comfort and easy
purse, can form no idea of what that
daily battle means. There are thou
sands of women to-day throughout this
country who, although the world will
never hear of theIa: are living heroines,
who will 60 uncrowncd until the laurel
wreath OF Gods own reward is placed
upon their rrows. They are women
who, with IN income OF five or six hun
dred dollars per year. and often less,
arc going through daily privations as
keen as the blade of a knife SO that
their homes may be bright to their hus-
bands, and food and clothing for the
children be on hand when needed
These women, my friend. need word
of sympathy. a kindly pressure of the
hand. God-bless-y0u from sincere
heart: yea, they need something more.
1t is not money which these women ask
or would receive. They are willing. yea,
ready to labor for what is given them.
Let woman work as she may. but
If she sees her efforts rewarded with
nothing but adversely. il instead of go
ing forward she sees herself and her
family retreating month by month, !
tell you il is enough to crush the best
and strongest will. These women of
whom l write are not to be met in the
world. Dear souls, they have no time
to 20 ont except to the stores to buy
their needs. They are the women wEo
make their homes their lattlefields,
, They are behind the strong and sturdy
men who work in the factory, the store,
and in the Office on meager salaries.
Not only must they keep up their own
spirits, but often their strong natures
are drained to the dregs to give encour-
agement to their husbands. We men
can speak of women as the weaker sex
as much as we choose: but | tell YOU.
my male reader, there are struggles go
ing on in this world borne brayely and
hel oically by women, which we men
would have laid down long ago if they
We're given Us to carry.-Ladies' Home
journal