Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-08

New York, March 2.-She was very
clever woman. Everybody said that, SO
II must be so. What everybody says
always is the truth. had been listen
ing to her lecture. She knew moro
about astronomy and mechanics, and
peoples souls and politics, and books
and pictures, and the why's of every
thing, than had ever believed one per-
son could know. She was very learned.
And she had elected to talk about some
thing that, no matter what 1t was,
always drifted into telling how women
were treated like dolls and how sugar
plums were given to them. She quoted
from the Greek, which nobody under
stood, and II made me think of Aspacia.
She was very glib with Latin, and that
brought to the front prayer-book in
my mind. She said harsh German
words, but they made me think of the
German haus-frau. And then, as she
wandered OFF into English, told Of the
position of woman, there arose before
me sweet feminine figure surrounded
by little children all waiting to welcome
to his home the man Of the family. l
know this wasn't what she intended, but
IL was the way it came to me. And
when she finished up with grand fire.
work exhibition of words, she said, tive
do not wish sugar pums," felt my
head aching and was glad it was all
over. Everybody congratulated her and
sud how much good she was doing. l
was too small for her to notice, aud so
she didn't miss tue pleasant words that,
perhaps, ought to have said, but |
went home and wondered.
Bah EuLoGIzEs WOMAN.
There was bright fire, and I and a
poor old friend in the shape of dog,
who was beginning 10 lose his teeth,
but who was loving and affectionate,
and who, when he raised his soft eyes
to mine, seemed TO say, "My friend,
what do you think about it all ?"
Knowing he could read what l thought
that's where dogs are greater than
men--I patted him on the head, and
together we looked at the fire, and read
the story of woman. Thought l,
II may be great to be so learned, that
one is able to speak Greek and Latin,
and to be walking encyclopedias; but
isn't II more to be able to convey in the
language we all speak, the something
thar means help and sympathy And is
il wrong to want to have the sugar
plums Of life Do you know what they
are9 I'll tell you. If you are woman,
they are the words Of appreciation, of
loving appreciation, from the man whom
you have elected to be master of your
heart and hearth. They are the glad
some thanks from little children. They
are the kindly words from the friends
TO whom you have been able 10 give q
helping hand. II is worth while to be
only woman, and to get the sugar
plums of life. 1t is thousand times
more worth having, is this position OF
being only woman, than to be that
woman who stands before the public,
and, lessening her womanhood, thinks
the applause of the common crowd is
desirable.
she is very apt to talk about the work
of woman she did the other night when
heard her, and she doesn't stop to
think about woman. She talks very
learnedly about the physical side Of
woman, and she hasn't brains enough
to realize that woman is swift of foot
that she may get the more quickly to
those who need her; that she is soft of
hand that she may touch the sick and
the sore more gently than would man;
that she is clear of eye because she
must see when her heart and body are
in conflict, and must help decide which
is right; that she is small of stature be-
cause, in h.r own way, she doesn't at
tack a mans brain, but she touches his
heart. Indeed, that woman physically
is built to be only woman. That's all.
and why shouldn't she have the sugar
plumss They are hers by right; and
the sugar plums are so sweet. The
thanks, the thought, the loving word,
the little gift, the persuasive touch, and
the kiss of love make up the ugar plums
of woman's life and make her better,
stronger and more capable of living as
only woman should.
MOTHERS GENTLE INFLUENCE.
Does your boy-child come to you and
weep out his little troubles because YOU
understand Greek? / think not. It is
because you are his mother and he
knows you will soothe him and make
him happier, and when you see the tears
dried, and the brightness come back to
his eyes, you have gotten the sugar plum
that some women think SO little worth
having. And when the man you love,
and to whom you belong comes to you,
tired and worn out with the fight against
the world, and finds with you rest and
consolation, does he ask you whether
you know anything about mechanics
You know he doesn't. He comes to you
because you are woman, the woman
he loves and who loves him, and when,
by some womanly spell You have made
him forget, for little while, the trials
and tribulations, then he says, either by
look or by word, how much he appre-
ciates you; would you give up that
sugar plum for the sake of standing
before a mob and having their vulgar,
unsympathetic applause?
This great lecturer objected to one
being only a woman, and yet, in the
fire light, my dear old Chum and ]
seemed TO see woman we both know.
Sue Is clad in the habit of the order To
which she belongs; she did not enter
an ignorant girl; she had loved and
lost, had suffered and knew what suf.
fering meant, and she had given up her
life to the care Of those who were in
pain. 1t isn't q pleasant work. You
and read about nursing and it sounds
like a romance, but really 1t means tax
ing care of those who are irritable, con.
selling those who. refuse consolation,
bathing and washing tired, worn bodies
and never being certain that the sick
one is pleased. In this woman's case il
means going to whoever is poor and
calls for her. Her name is never pub
lished in religious paper, she Is nevei
held up as a model, but day In and day