The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-15
ONE STANDARD FOR RoTv
SEXES.

josiah Aliens children have been
brought up to think that sin of anv
kind is just as bad in a man as in a
woman; and any place of amusement
that was bad for a woman to go to was
bad for a man.
Now, when Thomas Jefferson was a
little feIler, he Was bewitched to go to
circuses, and Josiah said:
Better let him go. Samantha; it
hain't no place for wimmen or girls,
but it won't hurt a boy" +.
Says I, Josiah Allen, the Lord made
Thomas Jefferson with just as pure a
heard as Tirzah Ann, and no bigger
ears and eyes; and if Thomas Jeffer-
son goes to the circus, Tirzah Ann
goes too"
That stopped that. And then he was
bewitched to get with other boys that
smoked and chewed tobacco, and Josiah
was just that easy to turn that he
would have let him go with 'em. But
says I, Josiah Allen, if Thomas Jeffer-
son goes with those boys and gets to
chew n and smoking tobacco, I shall
buy Tirzah Ann a pipe"
And that stopped that.
And about drinking, says I, Thomas
Jefferson, if it should be the will of
Providence to change you into a wild
bear, l will chain you up and do the
best 1 can for you. But if you ever do
it yourself, turn yourself into a wild
beast by drinkin', I will run away for
I never could stand it, never. And,"I
continued, eff I ever see you hangin'
round bar-rooms and tavern doors,
Tirzah Ann shall hang too"
Josiah argued with me. Says he,
''It doesn't look as bad for a boy as it
does for a girl"
Says /, 'Custome makes the differ
ence; We are used to seeing men.
But" says I, when liquor goes to
work to make a fool and brute of any,
body, it don't stop to ask about the
sex, and makes a wild beast and idiot
Of a man or woman; and to look down
from Heaven, I guess a man looks as
bad layin' dead drunk as a woman
does"
Says I, Things look differentjv from
up there than what they do to sit is
a more slightly place. And y2t talk
about looks, Josiah Allen. don't go
on clear 10 oks; I go on principle. Will
the Lord say to me in the last day,
Josiah Aliens wife, how is it with the
soul of Tirzah Ann as for Thomas
J~efferson's soul, he bein' a boy, it hain't
of no account Mol I shall have to
give an account to him for my dealings
with both of these souls male and fe-
male. And I should feel guilty if I
brought him up to think that what
was impure for a wonan was pure for
a man. If a man has greater desire to
do wTong-whiCh I won't dispute"
says I, lookin' keenly onto Josiah, he
has greater strength to resist tempta.
ton. And so" says I, in mild accents,
but firm as an old Plymouth Rock, ''if
Thomas Jefferson hangs, Tirzah Ann
shall hang too"
I have brought Thomas Jefferson
up to think that it was just as bad for
him to listen to q bad story or song as
for a girl, or worse, for he had more
strength TO run away, and that it was
q disgrace for him to talk or listen to
any stuff that he would be ashamed
for Tirzah Ann Or me to hear, l have
brought him up to think that manli-
ness didn't consist in having a cigar in
his mouth, and his hat on one side, and
swearin' and slang phrases, and a
knowledge of questionable amusement,
but in layin' holt of every duty that
comes to him with O brave heart and a
cheerful face; and helpin' to right the
wrong and protect the weak, and
maxim the most and the best of the
mind and soul God had given him. In
short, I have brought him up to think
that purity and virtue are both femin-
inc and masculine, and that Gods
angels are not necessarily all she ones.
Samantha Allen.