Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-04-18
success in the Life. of Prominent
Women.

Tread by Mrs. ". G. Marshall before the L n. L O.
Any careful student Of history will
clearly perceive that the advancement OF
a nation is in line with the progress Of
its women.-A brief notice of some who
have become eminent in life by reason of
their success may teach US something OF
the How and the Way.
OF some Of those who have been famous
as the mothers of great men, we note brief
ly, Mary, the mother of Washington, Su-
sauna, the mother of the Wesley's and
Abigail Adams. We read of these thatmor-
al principle was thoroughly inculcated In
the minds of their sons. Not that they
coddled, nursed and daudled, dressed to
death, by either mother or servants. If
such had been the case, the world would
never have known the strong endurance
and incorruptibte patriotism of the Father
of his Country; it would not have been
blessed with the aggressive piety of John
or the sweet hymns of Charles Wesley;
while those who have read in the letters
of Abigail Adams, her ringing declara-
ton of independence, written several
years before seventy-six, realize her fit
ness, as wife Of the elder Adams. as well
as her power as mother, in shaping the
destiny of her son, John Quincy.
OF those who have been known as phil
anthropists, we will speak only of Doro-
thea Dix, Clara Barton, Florence Night
engale and Lydia Maria Child, whose
life work proves that when a woman gives
her mind to it she can easily persuade
the recording angel to write her name In
letters as bright as Allow Ben. Adhem.
Seasons of war and pestilence have
been the call to action, in many an hour
of need, and there are always women to
respond, when human suffering appeals
for aid. And though amid the army OF
willing workers, few rise above the rank
and file so as to attract attention, let US be
thankful that every true though, humble
and unnoticed life that is lived, goes to
help make up the character OF the nation.
We note that few people attain emf
hence, who are unwilling to combat diff
culties, and that nearly all the women
whose names shine in Literature, Poetry
and Science have climbed slowly with
weary feet over rough paths. The bright
girls of fifty years ago saw their brothers
sent to colleges, and the wealth of the
family used to advance them in all the
professions, while their sisters were told
to knit, sew and braid straw hats. This
naturally aroused the ambition and COM
bativeness of some, and the result is such
history as has been made by the Beecher
sisters, Catherine and Harriet, Sarah ].
Hale, Margaret Fuller, Alkaline T. Whit
ney, Elizabeth Stuart phelps, Louise NJ.
Alcott, Julia Ward Howe, Alice and
Phoebe Carey, Maria Mitchell, Elizabeth
Agassiz, Rosa Bonheuer and Harriet Hos
mer.
To insure the prominent success of
such women as these it was only necessa-
ry for some one to say, "You are woman
and can't do it."
Just imagine such women as Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Cady Stanton, Mrs. Livermore and
Miss Willard asking permission to enter
learned professions, as those women of
Germany did the other day! No wonder
the Reichstag sat down upon them.
American women would have entered the
professions first, and snapped their fin
gers at the Reichstag, afterwards.
A good many years ago, in 1851, group
of interested students read aloud, the
opening chapters of a new story in the
National Era. It was called "Uncle Tom.''
Our wise Professor of languages listened
and said it was pretty good "for woman
but, said he, II used to board with her
she wasn't the best cook in the world" An
inquisitive girl asked, "What did you stay
with her for if she was not good cook?"
Why, said he, "We young men could
learn more from her than all the profess
ors in the Theological Seminary. She
was born teacher, and many lesson in
41OOICW WO IoClbOu W ACL BLU AOOA-
ed the cradle with her foot and stirred the
browning coffee"
Let us hope the day has passed when it
shall be required that all women shall do
all things.
The attainment of success and eminence |
in any walk of life, must to most women,
mean years of labor and effort, directed to |
something else than housekeeping and
the care of family. A few years ago,
not many women would dare hold the
heresy, that woman's life should be de- !
voted to anything else; and even now If
any woman becomes prominent in letters,
art, science or travel, men enquire at once,
"Can she make pie?" Whynot ask Of
great military leader, "Can he shoe
horse"
These women of success have always
stood as sponsors at the christening of re-
form.