The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-09
THE ROANOKE TIMES. SATURDAY DECEMBER o 1893.

San Chung and Su Deb. the great poets Of
uomestlc ethics. These she has learned by
neart III her Youth and teaches, her chill.
urcn III tur1. They are simple and pretty
lines which ihculcn,c parental self s.cri.
flee, paternal and maternal love. filial uf
1ection' purity of mind and body, mildness
OF speech, kindliness of ix,nncr, industry,
thriit, patience aud forbcNruncc. Practic-
ing these virtues, the day is always too
SNORT LOT her. Her life passes calmly
and equally. She yearns to he a mother
and usually has her desires gratitied Inv
three or four children Where the u,,io,
proves unfruiiful, she generally adopts one
or more infants, and proves as good n
mother TO them as she would to her own
flesh and blood.
The Chinese DIother-in-Inw.
In the management of her home she prac-
tlcaily relives her past. The books which
are read or recitcd from are those of the
classic masters, and never works contain
ing lnuelicate, erratic, mawksh or vulgar
words or sentiments. The pictures. statu-
airy anu inscriptions which decorate the
rooms are, however conventional they may
be, OIL the piirest class of Chinese art. When
her husband : friends call, she oversees the
preparation OF the foods and drinks, but
never exposes herself to their puze Sh.
an, especially when unmarried, goes to
balls and theaters or sits in the same room
with men who are not intimate relatives
so strict Is she in the observance of this
rule that she seldom knows the street in
winch she lives or the people inhabitiuu the
adjacent mansions
30 long as her mother-in-law lives her
jurisdiction is confined to her room mr.
rooms. Here she is queen regent and her
husband submissive subject The Chinese
humorously style him Chang foo or rods
man, lie being her absolute property within
distance of Il Chinese rod or II feet With
In these narrow limits she is an autocrot
worthy of the Russias When her mother
in-law dies, she becomes the sovereign of
the entire household. According to Ell.
quette. she is the supreme mistress and the
husband an honored guest.
such Is her domestic status briefly
skctched. 1t was not always thus Ages
ago women led lives in China the same as
their sisters do today in Christcndom. They
played important parts in art, science. lit
erat,lre, politics aud satecraft rh.i pro.,
ress WAS advocated by philosophers and
statesmen, but The good achieved was more
than counterbalanccd by the evils caused.
lhildelity' assassination and plots were of
daily occurrence. Unscr,pulous women
v,
at no cruelty nor crime To CRAFTY passion
or ambition.
n Troublesome Creature.
In nearly every riot, rebellion, war and
revolution IL woman was the moving cause.
There was social deterioration and retro.
greSslon until the nation was split into n
legion of warning tribes and factions. ASH
remedy To what threatened determination
ana chaos the sages suggested Il change in
the education Of woman. This was done.
ana benefit accrued. Out of the earliest
came other changes, until the present sys-
TEN was evolved. This has now stood the
test OF centuries, and in its main features
Will probably endure rs long as the Chinese
character remains the same. Nothing can
be simpler than the ideals of wife under
these conditions. She desires to make her
home happy. to aid her husband in his daily
duties to give her children the best posi-
bic education and to leave noble memory
to posterity. CHANG ST. Den