Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-03-02

TO mankind born musical genius.
When she was years old, she played the
piano. AT 8 years old she used to go
home crying through the streets because
the village boys guyed her as the girl
who played the fiddle But she did not
give it up on that account. The story
of her first public appearance at 8 years
of age is peculiarly charming. She was
at summer picnic with her family and
friends, and in an interval Of the music
asked the orchestra leader if she might
take his violin and play something. He
consented, as much amused as surprised
at her audacity. Then, without a thought
that she was doing anything that drew
attention to her, but with most delight
full naivete and childish unconscious
ness, she took the instrument and poured
upon the air such strains Of music
that it drew spellbound crowd about
her. There was no suggestion of stage
fright there, for the child knew nothing
of that uneasy self consciousness which
is the bane of all our lives, and which
we ought to pray to be delivered from.
The child's parents foresaw the marvel
GUS future that lay before her and wise
ly gave her every advantage. She stud
led in Europe several years, leaving
nothing to chance or natural gifts, but
pursuing study drill which few men
OF women either would care to endure.
When she was 18, that greatest Of vio-
inists, Joachim, who was her last teach
er, frankly told her that neither he nor
any other master could do more for her;
that she was to be one of the masters
herself. She must develop the rest in
her own way by studying still and hear
ing all the good music she could. Since
then she has been before the public
constantly, playing always in the lead
ing orchestras Of the country 1t is
very pleasant to read of a career in
which there have been SO few sorrowful
drawbacks and SO little discouraging
waiting as in that of Maud Powell. But
let not, therefore, others who do have aw-
full drawbacks and fearful struggle and
waiting give up. Somewhere and some
how the reward will come. We may be
sure of that, dead sure. So to the sad,
tired workers, greeting, sympathy and
hopel
Mrs. Dow, the lady who owns and
manages such large street car interests
at Dover, n. H, is said to be not only
the street car magnate, but also s'a skilled
housewife, a judicious mother, a good
shot with gun and pistol, fine swim
mer and the possessor of property worth
100000" Isn't that about enough for
one woman?
It is time our higher institutions of
learning were opening their doors to
women. 1t is indeed. Otherwise they
would soon have no longer any distin-
guished students The men college stu
dents Of this day are distinguished for
their hard kicking attainments in foot
ball, their proficiency in travelling negro
minstrel performances and their tough
arms in rowing matches. 1 have not
heard in five years, that now recall, of
oneyoung man college student of extraor-
dinary promise in scientific or literary
studies Very welll Let the boys go on
and kick high, throw hard and travel
through the country shrieking their col
lege yells. Meantime the girls will buc-
kle down to work and fulfill the real col
lege purpose, stealing from the boys the
honors the Longfellows, the Charles
Summers and the Phillips BrooAses used
to win. We women are not complaint
ing any. Why should we?
The hand that holds the purse strings
is the hand that rules the world.
Mrs Julia Brown is Boston's first
woman undertaken.
The anticrinoline league Of Great
Britain has already nearly 5000 women
pledged not to wear the monstrous steel
hooped skirt, no matter though it be-
come the fashion twice over. We talk
considerably about womans emancipa-
ton in our time. To my mind crucial
test Of that emancipation will be wom-
ans willingness to put herself inside the
frightful iron cage that incased the sex
80 years ago. The steel hoopskirt is
thoroughly ugly and inconvenient. It
is also dangerous. Many were the acci-
dents that befell women in the days when
it was worn. They caught their heels
in it and tripped upon their faces. In
several instances girls working in fac
tories were caught by their crinoline and
drawn into machinery and ground to
death. If women consent to wear that
frightful, ugly skirt again, shall have
my opinions Of them; that's all.
The noble strength that comes to us
from attempting and carrying through
difficult enterprises is the best part Of
our reward.
In all your wrestling with the world,
the flesh and the devil, never cease strug-
Cling onward toward the sweet, lofty
ideal Of truth, sincerity and purity The
absolutely sincere, just person gains a
power over mankind that sneaks and the
underhanded never can acquire with all
their trickery.
Miss Della Maloney is worthy foreman
of District 49, Knights of Labor, in New
York city.
ELIZA ARcHARD CONNER.
A GULF COAST WRITER. 4