The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-04
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they still forget, conceding her the right,
| If you please, that there is a something
called womanliness which woman should
| cleave unto as She would cleave unto her
virtue. that the ordinary political cam
paign Cannot foster.
! Our second class insists with all the
earuestneSs of people who are bent de-
| termnedly upon defending a sacred
institution from public dissertation, that
| woman should be absolutely eliminated
from public life. They claim that the
only place appropr ately lighted by her
presence IS the domestic hearthstone:
that whenever she steps beyond the
limit of that sacred emblem. she is liza
bic to surrender the deep respect, the
chiyairou, regard in which she has al
WAYS been held by mankind: that her
time should be unremittingly spent in
attention to homework, her husbands
buttons, her children's wants, her
fathers whims or if, perchauce, she be
without any of these kindred ties, she
should al most, not step beyond the linn
its of a schoOlroom or a sewing room;
that IF she wants to know anything she
should ask of her husband at home" or
lacking that accessory 10 happiness or its
reverse she should ask Of the next near
est of her masculine friends in authority
despite the distraCtingly attractive mag
aZiue articles and newspaper headlines
surrounding her IN such protusi0n.
Let me ask you, my friends. whose
touch is SO soft and soothing as a
wOmau's Ill time of sickness or pain:
Whose lips can tell with more simple
eloquence the rich heart experiences
God has sent or plead with more potent
words for others to come and drink of
the fountain from which flows the
Peace everlasting" Whose voice can
set the heart chords vibrating to Joy or
faith or serenest peace or the sorrow
which brings rejoicing at last ike hers?
Whose stories of other climeS and PEG.
pie can more instruct and charm:
Whose heart can respond more promptly
and generously to all cries of affection
or need or oppression in any form
Whose earnest pleading has done more
to bring humanity and common sense
into many of our laws than hers,
though she is not heard in legislative
halls? Whose hands have staid more
who were about TO fall from weakness?
Aye, we of the third class hold that
there is place for woman in public life.
Who is more beloved today than our
dear Francis Willard or more success
full public benefactor? Who holds
warmer place IN nations heart than
Florence Nightingale? Who has done
more for our women than Hannah More
or Madame de Maintenou Whose heart
ever responded more sweetly to the cries
Of the weak than Jennie Lynd'S? These
and the successful ranks of women min |
lsters, physicians, writers and represen-
tatlves of many an other class of public |
who are earnest, sweet-voiced, |
Intelligent, thoroughly wide awake |
women who wear no wedding !
ring or else have lost the ties which Inn !
tied their spheres by years or something |
5adder, for birds will oulgrow the home |
nest and old death will NOW; all these |
make it absurd. savoring of foolishness, |
10 say woman has no place in public |
work"
She has settled that indisDutably. Her |
place Is fairly won aud absolutely ten
ible. 1t only remains 10 be seen how
he will hold it. 1t NAV be as a very
queen, as royalty as any crowned head
or if she is only true to her wOmanly in
tincts and does not permit the desire for
anne and admiration from a gaping pub
&c to become paramount to the desire to
)e a modest, womanly woman she may
wear crown of loving respect and
easily and always. But there
ire things which from their very nature
must and it seems to me il is
Iod-given instinct that she should
brink from, and it really does not seem
necessary for her to violate her instincts, !
ince she may, in most cases at least,
,erfOrm such work through some
Medium.
But Hannah More has said this far
more forcibly than | can, a woman
rhom you would call strOngminded, i'll
he latter part of the last century. She
avs:
Let not women view with envy the
cen satirest hunting vice through all
he doublings and windings of the hui
nan heart: The sagacious politician lead
lg nations and directing the fate of en-
Tres; the skillful LAWYER detecting the
bliqui,ies of fraud; but let her remem-
er that TO all that nature can bestow
nd books can teach, must be added
esides that consummate knowledge of
le world to which a delicate woman |,
as no fair avenues and which even if
he could attain she would never be
opposed to come honestly by"
Aad John Lord adds: Thus spoke d,
iannah More at the age of "a with !
'ider experience of society and "A pro- !
)uuder knowledge of her sex than any !
oman Of the eighteenth century, and
5 distinguished for her intellectual {
fits and cultivation rs for her social l
races and charms-the pet and admra-
on of all who were both good and great
her day, both among men and j
omen. Bear these facts in mind We
)secure. inexperienced, discounted. en-
ous. ambitious seekers after notoriety .
novelty! Ne rebellious and defiant a
1ponents OF the laws of God c
nd the laws of nature, if such c
omen there are? Remember G
IaG the sentiments | have f
lSt quoted came from the pen of 7
oman and not a man. She recognizes
e eternal distinction between the )
here Of man and the sphere of
oman, and without admitting any in
riority of woman except in physical
rength, and a sort OF generalization of '
asp. T
The point is, sisters, we may do these @
ings, but can we afford TO go too far, o
en 10 demonstrate that we have the il
yht? VIOLET DEWEY. d
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