The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-26
THE LILY and GERANIUM
What They Saw and Heard at Music
Hall Last Evening.
GARFIELD CLUB LADIES' NIGHT.
Gpsschss BY Mrs. j. Ellen Foster. Roswell
q. Horr and Gov. Ladd-Lots Of Folks
There and . Zig Time Enjoyed-four
Hundred and seventy-six Present.

"what's up tonight" said geranium
20 = lily as nodding their heads. on the
plstform of Music Hall they locked out
from . screen of other pretty flowers over
ths big hall with long tables laid arrow
with delicate napery aud heaped with
eatables to which hundreds of ladies and
gentlemen all in their best were doing
justice.
sThe Garfield Club of Pawtucket is
celebrating some victory with its guests"
said the lily. "Oh that must be Reeves
Rand I've heard the flowers tell about. 1t
sounds like the mourning and trumpeting
of the wind In the forest branches, only
different. as men are different from
Mowers. See, can almost fan with my
big leaves the man they call Governor,
and yonder him who is to be Governor.
What Is Governor?
81 do not know" said the geranium,
sbut perhaps they are here like the flow
ers for ornament. They are both hand
some men,"
ssrhe women please me most" said the
lily. "Ihey are like flowers, and yet ike
men. They speak with silvery notes. II ke
those of birds, and their shining hair is like
leaves and their gay dresses bright with
flowers"
"Husn, said a sedate palm in the back
row, ''the President is beginning TO
speak =,
said that there could be no doubt OF the
wisdom OF having ladies' night, and he
seemed very we'll satisfied that IL was he
who suggested the holding of such ladies'
nights at the meeting OF the state league
presidents in New York. He referred
with eminent satisfaction to the work
l.xrp 10 lei md In ha a. ar
tion. and called upon Gov. Ladd TO re-
spond for the State, "Rhode Island-at
the right of the line in 1892"
Now see," said the big palm, "you
were wrong, or partly wrong at least,
about the Governor, for he is going to
speak,
Gov. Ladd said he congratulated the
club on the large gathering OF Pawtucket
people who had removed TO Providence.
1t was pleasure to talk over success, and
Rhode Island had shown TO the country
that she was no longer a doubtful State.
We are indeed grateful for the grand vic
tory. The campaign had been one o. edu-
cation. and the speaker believed that edu-
cation and intelli9ence were all that were
necessary to make the nation Republican.
The influence of women In home life can
only be productive Of great good. There
were probably few women in the country
who knew thoroughly what the Republi-
can party was doing. and Tor that reason
the Governor said he was pleased to
seem them present. There was no doubt
as to the result of the fall election so far
rs Rhode Island was concerned.
When Mr.. Tiepke introduced Mrs. j.
Ellen Foster of Iowa to make the speech
OF the evening, the palm whispered TO the
lily: Tell me what she is like. You are
nearer the front of the platform than L."
''She Is fine, strong looking woman,
said the lily. dark haired, clear eyed,
w..st hat la
and sways and convinces. She holds her
heal as IL she were proud OF her woman
hood and her smile Is beautiful. My
How she is laying down the law to them"
Mrs Foster had written out her speech,
which WAS u great mistake. For, excel
lent as 1t was, the inspromptu introduc-
tion in which she congratulated Little
Rhody upon its glorious victory. bowed
her head in comic shame for recreant
Iowa, and spoke brave and true words for
the practical politician, and the witty
parentheses when she threw her paper
down and talked straight from the shoul-
DER. were most effective. She said:
1T has always been the mission of
woman to serve. The civilization of any
age or country may be tested by the ma
ture and the quality OF her service. In
barbarous times, being mans slave, she
prepared his food, not herself partaking
Of II; with the children she bore to him
she waited his caprice or command.
with standardization her occupations
were advanced; her work was of q higher
grade, though her relation of servitude
remained. Not until the Christian era,
wherein God digniiied woman in the per-
son OF Jesus, the babe In Mary's arms,
was the possibility of woman's equality
taught and the character OF her service
proportionately elevated.
with the maintenance OF the rights of
man In popular government and the
elevation Of all labor thus secured, woman
received a share OF consideration; until
now. In theory. IL not in reality, she is
deemed fitted for the noblest places in
human efforts. IL needs from hence
forth only to be shown how this service
may be rendered and what its probable
results will be; by which l mean, that
only the Ignorant consider woman con-
stitatieaally -tiisfaslified- for the ffobicst
and the widest service.
woman has not chosen her own
occupations; may she not, without AFRO
gance say. that like Christ, she has pleased
not herself, but has done that which was
needed most? And now, when wars are
over, the nation has entered upon the
pursuits OF peace, and n new century of
prosperity has brought TO us possibilities
OF civilization, unknown in the history
OF the world,-it is not strange that the
inquiry comes, what can woman doS
II America is to fill its place,-if popu-
lar government Is to answer the hopes of
patriots, and the prayers OF humanita-
rians,-how shall woman aid in this full
fillmentf We answer, by being true to
herself, and In this. as in all proceeding
years, TO inquire what needs most To be
done. When this is answered. then we
shall know what place woman sha II
occupy In the politics of the present day.
with individual development, with
mental culture, as distinguished from
mere brute force. the arguments which
move men 20 action are changed. Appeals
TO the higher nature take the place of
arguments based on sense and sensuality.
In short, mans ideals have changed. aud
the ideal State OF the twentieth century,
toward which we rapidly stride, is State
In which woman's instincts and woman's
faculties will be as influential in the past
IS they have been In any other arena of
action or domain of service. Womans
position In the civilization of to-day, aud
In the ideal civilization Of the next cen
tury. Is not accdent-not n mistake-it IL
an evolution. In the nature of things it
must I've 30.
Most OF all, the American people need
education In political rights and duties.
The masses do not care, because they do
not know. Where il the best teaching