The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-10
WEALTHY WOMEN.
Their Lives Not Given Wholly Over to
Social Pleasures.

Their Lives Not Given Wholly Over to
Social Pleasures.
A 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 compared to which
that of their humble sisters is a luxury of rest
and leisure. Their work is done where you
60 not see 1t, my dear gentle woman, but it
is done and well and n0bly done. Their
lives, writes n contributor to the Ladies.
Home JOurn al, are not given over to social
pleasures as you might be led to suppose
from reading about them in the papers.
Their stations in life demand of them GER
tain 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-fearing, as gentle, as SYM
pathetic and as womanly as those members
Of their sex who give over their entire life
to the welfare of their fellow-beings. From
t heir homes go out blessings to thousands,
of which the world never hears. The noblest
deeds done in this world are the quiet chart
ties, and many of the wealthy women are
Qui ministerng 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 If, go out
in their carriages, not for pleasure drives, but
on errands Of mercy, and who s.rew seeds
of charity in many barren place. Do not
accuse me of
SPEAKING OF GFNERALITIEs
When l say this. Again and again have
been placed in positions where | have
watched their unique workings, and seen
the open-heartedneSS and genuine pleasure
with which they dispense of that store of
worldly riches which has come 10 them in
such generous measure.
There are a few words, however, to be
said on the other hand. 1t is a common
mistake among many who live for the good
Of others, and have the wherewithal to
make this life happier and brighter for
many sorroNing one, that the great priva-
tions of this world are only suffered by
those in sheer waEt and poverty. The very
poor have their needs, and o multiplicity
of them, and blessings be upon these who
seek to alleviate them. But there is a GER
tain class Of women in this world for whom
an al-insufficient amount of sympathy is
felt l refer to that vast army Of women
with whom life is daily battle. Some
where in our small villages, ofttmes in the
hooks and corners of our great cities, these
women endure untold heart-breaks and
head-worrles. Their brains reel under the
great problem, which comes back day by
day, of now to make ST do the work OF 81.
You, my favored woman of comfort and
easy purse, can form no idea of what that
daily battle means. There are thousands
who. although the world will never hear
Of them, are living heroines, who will 90
uncroHned until the laurel wreath of Gods
own reward is placed upon their brows.
They are women who with an income OF
five or six hundred dollars per year, and
OFTEN LESS,
Are going through daily privations as keen
as the blade Of knife. so that their homes
may be bright 10 their husbands, and food
and clothing for the children be OH hand
when needed These women, my friend,
need word of sympathy, kindly pressure
of the hand, a Goddess you 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, if instead of going forward she
sees herself and her family retreating month
by month, | tell you it 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 go
out except to the stores to buy their needs.
They are the women who make their homes
their battle-fields 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 en-
couragement 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 going on in this
world, borne bravely and heroically by
women, which we men would have laid
down long ago if they were given us to
carry.