The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-29
TIE soUrnEKk WoMAN.
Some OF the characteristics of Her Best

Some OF the characteristics OF Her Fest
Type
The palm In the matter Of social charm
goes, by general accord. TO the Suothern
woman, but the fullest praise the North
ern papers bestow upon this delightful
creature is only Of her delicious languor,
her softness Of manner her sweetness Of
voice, her exquisite physical curyes-and
leaves her, were we 10 judge her by their
category Of her merits, only a sort Of
social oyster after all, with no mental
muscle. and mistess only Of the art of
singing 10 the accompaniment of a mas
culine Lutte.
Now, music Of this kind as we all know,
Is very beautiful. and melodious domestic
ducts very much to be desired-witness
the divorce courts and the clubs-but IL
Is certainly wise for a woman to have so
af tuned herself 10 fine mental and moral
issues as 10 be able to give forth good
round, strong, rich notes whether the ac-
Compartment be masculine or not, or
whether or not there be any, and Il IS
not unfrequently the case that she finds
II decidedly more harmonious and more
comfortable without the accompaniment.
1t Is unfair TO attribute TO our Southern
women, creatures Of light and warmth as
they are, none OF that energy and strength
OF character which enables the most sem
sltive and delicate woman to rise to a
moral crisis, or 10 face brightly the out
look OF a life in which, perhaps. only
struggles are 10 be foreseen, and where
wrestling gloriously with the bread and
butter question Is TO substitute the easier
eonquests Of which the drawing-room was
the field, and the armor nothing more
harsh TO the touch than the silk satin
and lace creations Of the fashionable and
clever modiste.
Energy is. properly speaking, n quality
OF the mind and If the women OF the
South, positively heroic as their sacrifices
have in many hundreds of cases, been.
do not possess that physical energy which
Is aggressiyely evident on a Boston street
or a Chicago thoroughfare. we should
thank Cod and take courage" That
Is the energy OF the bloomer and "wO-
mans rights school which is "A notorious
ly lean and lanky school. physically and
morally. Women like that absolutely un-
sex themselves in their arrogation Of the
prerogatves Of the physically stronger
sex, and forget that their greatest power
IS only attainabie through the highest
reverence for their birthright of con-
eummately gentle womanhood.
Physical energy OF the sort that wears
short hair is loud-volced and strides bold
iy and urgently into politics. and the
professions is, let US thank Providence,
not the kind that characterizes our sweet
Southerners.
They recognize the fact that gentleness
and strength. mental, moral and physical,
must ever travel hand in hand for the
attainment OF the greatest power
They know that nothing can compensate
a woman for the sacrifice of that quality
called sweetness. the moral aroma from
the flower Of character.
II S. undoubtedly true that their
climate prcdisposes them TO physical in
dolence, but physical Incidence Is far
removed from mental slowth or moral
inaction.
Many Of them who buried their hus-
bands and their worldly hopes i'm the
graves OF the war between the States,
and who. previous to that era which is
the glory and the anguish of the South,
lived as delicately as any flower that
blows have resurrected those hopes in
the children whom their efforts have
educated. and Of whom their self-sacritlce
has made sons and daughters tit TO be
the children OF such fathers and such
mothers.
Go into one Of our typical "oid school,
Virginia homes. Where will you find the
carpet more worn. the pictures more
faded or the faces OF the occupants more
Ever the colorcd maid who presents the
worn receiver for your card is as far
removed from the regulation 1898 servant
as the two poles.
What but strength of character what
but a yeritable rock OF viii, could have
enabled a slip Of a woman, faint and
grieying from a mighty sorrow, TO rise
heroically and nourish and educate her
dependent little children 10 womanhood
and manhood so lovely and so desirable?
II takes pluck and heart courage tc i've
under such conditions. and T. van never
Do said that our Souther. women are only
social moths They may not be ohstreper-
ously and aggresslvely hdgety and for
ward, but their strength and energy IS Of
the kind which has never failed 90 rise
70 great crises; II is as deep. as quiet. as
inexhausuble, as their hearts are warm
ana their natures loyal. A LODGE.