The Helena independent., 1893-12-06

dren In turn. They are simple and pretty
lines which inculcate parental self sscri-
flee, paternal and maternal love, 6lial at
lection, purity Of mind and ss,dy, Utldness
OF speech. kindlinesa Of manner, industry,
thrift, patience and forbcsrance. Practic-
Ing these virtues, the day Is always too
short for her. Her life passes calmly
and equally. She yearns TO be a mother
and usually has ler desires grntilied by
three or four children. Where the union
proves unfruitfnl, she generally adopts one
or more infants, and proves as good =
mother to them US she would TO her own
flesh and blood.
The Chinese Mother.in-law.
In the management Of her home she prac-
tically relives her past. The books which
are read or recited from are those OF tho
classic masters, and never works contain
ing indelicate, crratic, mawkish or vulgar
words or sentiments. The pictures, statu-
ary and Inscriptions which decorate the
rooms are, however conventional they may
be, Of the pnrcst class Of Chinese art. When
her husband y friends call, she oversees the
preparation Of the foods and drinks, but
never exposes herself to their gaze She
cannot comprehend how a European wom-
an, especially when unmarried, goes to
with men who are not intimate relatives
So strict is she In the observance Of this
rule that she seldom knows the street in
which she lives or the people inhabiting the
adjacent mansions.
So long as her mother-in-law lives her
Jurisdiction is confined to her room or
rooms. Here she Is queen regent and her
husband q submissive subject The Chinese
humorously style him Chang -foo'' or rod q
man. he being her absolute property within
distance OF Chinese rod or 12 feet. With
in these narrow limits she is an artocrat
worthy Of the Russias. When her mother
in-law dies. she becomes the sovereign Of
the entire household. According to eti-
qnette, she is the supreme mistress and the
husband an honored guest
Such is her domestic status briefly
sketched. 1t was not always thus. Ages
ago women led lives in China the same as
their sisters do today in Christendom. They
played important parts in art, science, lit
| erature, politics and statecraft Their prog
ress was advocated by philosophers and
statesmen, but the good achieved was more
than counterbalanced by the evils caused.
Infidelity, assassination and plots were Of
daily occurrence. Unscrupulous women
of the nobility, and even royalty, hesitated
OF no cruelty nor crime to crafty passion
or ambition.
A Troublesome Creature. =
In nearly every riot, rebellion, war and
revolution q woman was the moving cause.
There was social deterioration and retro
gression until the nation was split into a
legion Of warning tribes and factions. Asa
remedy to what threatened determination
and chaos the sages suggested change in
the education of woman. This was done,
and 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 possi-
BILE education and to leave a noble memory
to posterity. CHANG SU Deb.