The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-18


their happiness as there is lacking to
that of the most wretched Of their sis
tiers in other countries. But 1t seems
TO me that If our women would thought
fully pass in review the lives and
status of the women in foreign coun-
tries they would Mind so much to be
thankful for that they would be
ashamed to talk Of wOman's down.
trodden condition here.
In the very first place there is no
country on the earth where men are
so kind, so indulgent to their wives. or
who treat them with such a sincere re-
spect and show such a chivalric sense
Of poiiteness to women in general. OF
course there are men who fall short,
but I honestly believe that If we could
study up the genealogy of each rude
man we would And it but the lingering
traces of his foreign ancestry cropping
up to the surface. like the hidden lodges
of stone on a hillside The true Ameri-
can man does not want wife for what
fortune she win bring him nor to have
her work to support him, but to make
him home. sacred spot and refuge
from all outward worries. How few
women realize that this is a high and
noble thing to do. and how very few
reach the standard they could attain!
And when they fail to make that home
all that their husbands have hoped for,
and disappointment on one side and I'M
fulfilled duty on the other bring differ
ences, the man grows morose and the
woman wants to vote. AS if anything
on earth can take the place of a sacred
duty.
do not want TO enter into a discus
sion of these questions. and Will only
say that in all my long and varied ex-
perience 1 have always noticed that the
happiest women are those who give the
best efforts of their lives to making and
keeping happy homes and asking moth
ing beyondl the appreciation of their
consciences. their children's welfare and
their husbands love. There are many
men, IL is true. who do not deserve
good homes and wives, but there are
also many women who don't deserve
either who think they do.
What L want to make clear is this:
Women have opportunities here that no
other country affords them. Intellect
and courage will find their level in this
country, The girl who can only be an
operative will stay one, but out of
thousands of such rose Lucy Larcom.
The late Mary Booth worked at vest
making for a tailoring house in her
young days, and sat with French
grammar before her while setting the
stitches. and we all know what she at
tanned. There is scarcely any avenue
closed to intelligent and diligent women.
Women fill important positions in every
branch of business and have gained
great reputation for honesty, more Tor
that. I fear, than perfect proficiency.
Still we need not be ashamed OF what
women have done here.
The men are left TO do mems work
that which requires a mans strength
and power; But look az women In
Europe! What do we see there? Women
crowded out Of all intellectual employ
and put into the fields TO do mans
labor. In Germany you see women
bent, wrinkled, old before their time,
blowing digging, building houses, max
Ing roads, carrying stones, laying rail-
road tracks, working in the harvest
field. pulling canal boats, carrying
water through the streets. saving wood
and in many other equally laborious
employs. They can scarcely ever read
and hardly know the meaning OF home
except as place TO throw their tired
bodies down at night after they nave
cooked for their resting husbands 10
eat. The German peasant woman, the
Swiss the Hollanders and above all the
Russian and Bohemian peasant women
are all treated more Ike beasts than
human by their husbands and sons.
They receive no consideration for any
Of women's weaknesses and hardly
know they have souls 20 be saved.
The Italian women take life easier
than the thrifty German races, but stil
they do more work than the men, get
less pay and are beaten regularly, as
are the most Of the women mentioned
above They are absolutely broken in
spirit like oxen TO the pillow.
The Austrian, Bavarian, Hungarian
and nearly all the Slavonic races expect
their women 10 do the drudgery In the
fields. and nearly all the public works
in those countries have as many women
as men toiling as laborers. ! once saw
a whole steamer loaded with Russian
and Bulgarians, women and men, going
20 Constantinople. their labor having
been contracted for on railroad. There
Is a story told that an embankment was
in danger Of being washed away, there
being nothing 20 stop the little assure
with. Take a woman" tho contractor
cried, and the nearest one was seized
and pushed into the hole. This shows
the consideration shown for them. The
Greeks say / have child when son
Is born: a girl Is called only girl, and
not a child.
In France women do the hardest and
most mental OF the labor. In the coun-
try they must do all their share Of the
outdoor work and cook and keep house
beside, and the Frenchwomen do near
IN oil the heavy lifting as porters every
where. They work with the men as
fishers; I'm fact, bear the heaviest bur
dens everywhere. This for the peas
antry The middle classes In France
and trades but the less said about the
majority OF this class the better. They
cannot marry. being poor, and they can
not rise above the positions they occupy
and often fall below II. In Germany
few girls work as clerks, copyists OF
any honorable employ. Either IL Is
domestic service for them or field work
or none at all. unless a little music
teaching or some other Of the starveling
trades II is not considered "respecta-
bic" 10 work at anything away from
home.
The wives Of all the better class OF
ueopIe I'm all Countries mean the mer-
chants and tradesmen and skilled arti-
eans-have the happiest lives I'm that
thev nave nothing TO do but keep their
homes but when IL comes to an equality
with their husbands, a chivalric tender
ness from them or any voice In the gov
eminent OF home affairs or indeed any
manifestations Of distinct Individuality,
n Is not tolerated for an instant. wo-
man IL only woman and must keep her
place. which is far beneath that designed
by God and her nature for her. The
German races are not remarkable for
sentiment toward their wives.
We all know how woman Is but
cbattel to be bought. sold or given away
fed and sheltered. but treated like ire
sponsible beings. Perhaps the only places
where the young girls have a voice I'm
the choice Of husband are Bulgaria,
Roumanfa and Montenegro. In all the
other countries they are sold or given
away like dogs or cats and treated like