The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-05-25


partment, languages, literature,
mathematics, science, she stood Sec
ond to none. She was several times
elected to represent her class in lit-l
erary contests, and along all lines
was recognized as one Of the leadingl
spirits of her class. She married
Immediately after graduation, and
though many years have elapsed, isl
still "doing her own work, +" sewing,
mending and caring for children.
We do not say that this woman's
life is wasted, we do say that
much of her power is wasted, that
it is an infinite pity that, doing sol
much well, she should be forced tol
spend her time in the endless,
thankless routine Of fighting dust
and cobwebs, sewing on buttons,
ETC., while her intellect is starving,
and the faculties which in her girl
hood promised so much have lost!
their cunning through long disuse.
The other case is similar, Of al
young woman Of remarkable natural
ability as an artist, who dropped
her brush when she entered the mat
rimonial estate, and long exclusivel
welding Of the broom and dishclothl
have rendered clumsy the once
skillful fingers.
1t is idle to say that such cases
argue simply lack Of force in the
women themselves Men as well as
women are victims to the customs
and prejudices Of society. 1t is
over man that Carlyle mourns as
drowning in the despicablest of
puddles; the priceless gift Of life
slowly strangled out Of him by the
innumerable packthreads Of social
forms" (" The thousands Of women
Of whom the two given above are
representatives, are simply being
strangled by these 'packthreads,
or, to use Mrs. Mary A. Livermore's
striking figure, "they are lying in
the trough Of the sea-"
True, it would not be difficult
thing to seize the rudder strongly
and steer straight out into the calm
depths beyond the chopped up seas
of the shore. The difficulty lies in
seeing the possibility. The des-
picable "packthreads' which bind
them to their doom are the spider
webs Of custom. To "do her own
work" and do it SO that it shall be
beyond criticism is the generally
conceded duty Of the young wife in
moderate circumstances. But in
the due course of nature this soon
makes it utterly impossible for her
to do anything else. However kind,
generous and well intentioned her
husband may be, nine times out OF
item she does not feel at liberty to SO
much as suggest that she desires
anything different. He may give
her freely, without question, what
ever money she asks for, but she
must always ask for it, and she feels
that il is his, not hers. She accepts
lunquestionably the old status, and
though she never explicitly states
the case to herself Tits mere state
ment would show its absurdity) }
-Itacitly assumes that as wife, mother,
cook, housekeeper, etc, she is bare
'Ily earning her board and clothes.
4 Nine times out ten the husband
Ills unconscious Of all this. He ac-
Icepts her sacrifices without SO much
as knowing that she is making sac
), Irifices; he never dreams Of the gall
ing sense Of dependence in which
she constantly lives. Other women
do the same thing; it is the usual
(, way; it simply never occurs to him
that there is a better way. He does
/, not know that his wife is ruthlessly y
sacrificing the best interests not
! only Of herself but Of him and OF
their children, andof society around
her, for which she, too, in this nine.
teenth century is responsible. "A
little consultation, little co-opera-
ton, wiser expenditure Of time
4 and money, which in the majority
E Of cases would come if the wife were
E to mention the matter, would settl<
: the problem. The packthreads o.
I social forms and customs are not se
G hard to cut when one really sets ou
r 70 do it; invariably he finds mors
: help than he dreamed would b
o given; the difficulty lies in realizing
I the true character Of our bonds ant
: in seeing that they may be broken
a The solution Of the difficulty j
!. given by the far-seeing Japanese
: empress upon the minds Of tn
/ young girls the fact that they hav'
i individual rights and duties.
! When women are thoroughly arouse,
n To this fact the end is reached
: True men are ready to give to wo
men every opportunity for the de
/ velopmcnt and free use Of thei
e powers. They are not to be blame,
e when they do not perceive the bord
r age under which women are living