Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-01-31
IN BRIEF.

Lucy Larcom
IN BRIEF.
s.One flesh" is the divine declaration, and
vet. two laws is what the world has been
saving for many centuries. True men Of
whatever rank rebel against dependence
and reject with scorn the idea of 4 pater-
nalism in government that puts them in the
attitude Of benefciaries, and yet the Sc men
ass. that woman be content with depend
euce which, in her case as much as in theirs,
is demoralizing. Woman is every day
growing into 4 better realization OF her
true position, she knows that nature makes
DO distinction in its laws, she hungers,
tlirsts, needs roof and raiment, and to this
may be added wants, quite as real, of her
intellectual being. How are these wants
TO be supplied! Men are not more willing
than they have been to assume marriage
obligations, neither because man has
taken unto himself wife is he ready to
take charge Of the women Of two families.
Thus it is seen that it is a question Of
economies, whether woman shall be self
sustaining, a pensioner on mans bounty,
or else a married slaYe2
Every sober woman must be glad for any
new opening of occupations which saves
her sisters from "eating the bread of an
other and alleviates for them the hard
fact Of existence. In doing this there is no
need Of an unsexing The woman who
works is really less liable to this than is the
lille follower Of fashionable follies. a
woman gaining her own living not only
learns to use it well, but she learns by ex-
perience, if in no other way, that in the
struggle for existence, in which men
through mistaken ideas put her at q disad-
vantage, whatever advantage her womanli-
ness gives she cannot afford to squander
Ill a silly attempt at masculinity.
Women are now asking their brothers for
share IN the business of life. Manly men
will grant them their place whenever they
show a capacity and determination to fill it,
and viii stand by the side of brave and
true woman just as cheerfully and more
heipfully than if they appropriated the
leadership and fixed her, without regard to
ability, forever in the rank OF subaltern,
for women must work, and nature, not so
ciety, is their base of supply from which to
draw the necessities life creates.
-
If men in this period of the development
OF the race would maintain the headship
they so stoutly affirm to be their inherent
right they will be forced by coming waves
to stand well at the helm and show by their
deXterous management a right TO guide
The craft No woman of sense will dispute
a mans claim to headship so long as he has
q head, but when he claims it solely be-
cause OF sex, then is she justified in ques-
ti0uing that particular mans claim. It is
not in the nature of things that women
lower the standard for themselves, and
what man must do is TO keep in advance.
i divine authority for the relative position
is quoted, let the one quoting remember the
latter part Of his favorite text: Gwen as
Christ is head of the church." Gwen as''
implies q headship because of infinite su-
periority. 1.-The Master" was greater in
love, greater in wisdom and greater in sac
ridce than any to whom he says, Follow
me-" =
If it were not irreYerent one might think
that many women dissent from the fiat
given forth when light was spoken into
being, and do not say that it is good. Per
haps it is not good for gay colored or I'M
swept carpets, not good for cobwebs in
corners, not good for dust On bric-a-brac
and furniture, and lastly not good for the
untidy woman advancing through the dim
parlor 20 meet her guest sitting in the
gloom. When will the dear women learn
that sunlight is life to all created things,
that faded carpets and curtains sink into
the least of ittleness compared with faded |
cheeks. Let the blessed sunshine in; it |
llumines hearts and lives as well as rooms. !
Do not make the parlor where you receive !
your guests the haunt of gloom and the |
abode of chilliness. A gloom that chills !
the heart, for even CHEEKY woman feels |
the effect despite the most persistent effort |
al cordially. Open the shutters, lift the |
curtains and let into the home all genial |
health-giving influences. Shades soften the |
glare and give whatever of seclusion is
necessary. Day and night let the light |
shine, in and ont. The good done is not
only physical but has also 4 moral side; 4 |
well lighted house is an object lesson, aud |
a cheerful home is suggestive of happiness
and inspires the thought, "Why not for
met" Although only a passer-by, one may
be stimulated by the vision TO create place
that for him shall be ''home."
-
There is q note of warning in the terrible
tragedy at Memphis, Miss Alice Mitchell
killing her former girl friend because of
alienation. It IS no uncommon thing, as
mothers and teachers will agree, for girls
at an age when their emotional nature is
awakening 70 form violent attachments for
each other and to carry their loves to the
verge Of passion. This girl was wrought
to fury which is identical with that OF a