The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-15

.,-,,,,o rn,rr Dtr,orss,. cons,uo.
u HN md Its Canes.

The un.s .J 10 ne present We scared in the H.
lhsw1,l. s,bcr OF our Owa aspirings II was.
EmE,s .ronkIne. an unfettered function.
fuS vl,sn, nervousness was Observable q
~. vou must understand that II IL only
rrs., mat this pretorian guard has been
ry",,t n the strictly conservative and colo
sI"....rvn We have. | believe. boon COM
pp.iio, ,sarsto denounce wrong In bare halls
-,,b. nader the heel OF oppression on
~, sIstiorrls, and turn like the worm nc
~. ,burch Easements. with rude m en- in the
~. eats. But now we rallied under allegor-
~ ..ilines: We trod moduette carpet; we
~. ourselves on real ebony furniture; we
u.,,,rized and damoselled amid tropical
,..,d. and hunted wrong to It's mountain
,.,,,.,.es over tho macaGnm OF wealth. with
,s,.,udes OF Arcadian melodies from a grand
.,.ro For nv own part. | confess that the re-
.Siu.tments Of the race are much pleasanter
). nv mind when there are intermezzos Of
pInsuti and De kovon.
Pot YOU must understand that am new at
All, business and my wings do not work WELT
a, this occasion got o comfortable corner
a, Il, velvet sofa under sweet landscape OF
pOu,,sau's near tho conservatory door. and
,,rt myself in the background with q hand
painted ian.
M little friend. Madeline. dropped down be-
,ids me and turned on her Information.
"yov you must promise me-" abe said. mot
o,un away. No headache. you know. You have
,.nted yourself at this door CONVEX Iently, hut
,ou must not retreat until you have heard Mrs.
Io,sr and Mrs jacob and Mrs. Blake. We
have all the big guns here tonight Mira
Blake Is our grizzled veteran"
But" replied. Il have heard Mrs. Blake
before. know exactly what shs will say"
But Jou haven't heard DR.. Colt. He Ia going
10 show US that 1bsen has portrayed the girl
0, tho future in The Dolls House and Mrs.
iosIer ls going to point out that the best edu-
,stor for our girls 10 girls club"
noticed that the mothers Of the movem emit
yho stood round the room in groups. did not
wear that strenuous official look that 1 had al
vars noticed when they were on the platform.
Their maxillary muscles were relaxed. they
smiled; they appeared to be felicitating each
ether. As there would be nobody but DR.. Colt
present to represent the other sex. 1 thought
It would he rather tame. But Madeline as
,ured me there would be music In the air when
hrs. Blake eliminated. and she always cul-
minated about $50.
As for the oratory Of the occasion. perhaps
Il Is sufficient to say that 1t was sharp. some
umes tnhDplbn, anu. Whou httb. Dihko Cul-
was hopeful. for she declared there
was good time coming when women would
,ay to men. I'VE are your better halves every
usy" which remark was received with iervent
Lith and piauditory assent But was chiefly
Interested in the social aspects and personal
OF the people there assem- bed.
Mrs Blako and her group represent the
larnest interchangeable. and somewhat hard
no ssr N fhia fru N chiga IL haa
,ecome with her the one issue OF life about
.hich all else revolves in subsidiary way.
lou always feel when you are listening to her
hat she has no sense Of proportion or relativ-
IT, Economics. sociology. religion. art. and
terature are incidents Of human progress.
he franchise for woman Is the overshadowing
'sue that must determine their ultimate ex-
'tence and decide the destiny Of man. Per-
Dnally this absolute possession by one idea
oes not obtrude itself She Is liberal and al
lost genial in conversation on any topic. But
le m ONT emit she gets her maxillary muscles
Il in the official gait. you can almost see the
rant man waving red flag in front OF her.
The other and younger group oil suifragists
no have come into the field during the past
aud have done 80 much to push open
he theatres and the parlors for the delivery Of
heir essays. have more varied charm Of &C.
entricity. The suffrage question Is only one
( several possible new functions for them.
ono OF them have deodorized and tinted
narchy and made a doll OF it. Others are
Italsts. They declare that all agitation 10 an
rsreise. and to have an end In view Is moral
avery. One that talked with had her little !
rain 80 rolled with Tolstol and Ibsen and
ola and Bellamy that she reminded me OF
Cleyre. She recalled the incon- |
siyable tanRle and wrangle that the Sat- |
rday Rerier declared goes or In a prema- |
l.sy ema ncipated mind. and could not help |
her to very young hoyden loose |
albrary whore there 10 q stepiadder to all |
10 forbidden fruit. To hear young woman |
nlaeteen declaiin IN contem ptuous language |
galnst the organic differences Of sex ought to
. piiul. am afraid 1t Is only amusing in
lis day 81 freaks when anything that departs
ION the normal mean attracts attention.
Then there is the small group who are led
, Mrs. Helen Gardiner. q pupil OF Ingersolrs.
Tho Insists that the woman question needs
lore reverence She will not tolerate re-
Rion Of any form ulated kind. because men
lads ell religions. and the TheoloEic God Is .
listake In gender. Her novels are pathologic
I'D smell bad in details. notwithstanding the
1stract chloride OF lime that is sprinkled ovor
smoraL
The sane morbid tendency which makes
sr dwell. upon special vices with a prurient
Irieuarity is observable in Sarah Grand.
hose clinical Imagination makes all her char
tiers drink tea and discuss unmentionabis
seases. heard one woman call this a COM
nation Of dishwater and dirt. and declare
at Il had given the matrons of the female
tdemes more trouble than the reports OF the
trial.
Jut the Helen Gardiner group defend this
y Of thing with tho plea that women have
'g'oWn the weakness that made them turn
on the unnatural
laney the entirely liberated girl Of that
olp needs 10 90 10 the police court In the
1ihing AMI the morgus in the afternoon To
.s her mind braced for the eNigencies life.
ialLhent when the Imagination must 20 to q !
T. n,spltal Tor basis OF realism. ;
~ me tendency OF premature freedom TO | I
'<seI INTO everything that is Objectionable
~ "nhlHus 10 need these extreme illustTa-
"a Inc moment tho girls OF Chicago were !
shaekled they organized Byron clubs. In
ffi Lnh ihsy drew the line at Swinburne. and
thllAdrlphia at De MRupassRnt.
nets y 10 me something inconsistent in
sIe,e',oh OF men so long as Aphra Benn
rom my woman's standpoint I insist that !
III ~ ana Bo"caccio and habelaIs have been I
,,ssI.sruHd In nothing has my sex shown its q
~ suberlnrlty so clearly as In etherealiZ-
aud making serious and seductive the 4
istoL Gle mysteries and miseries OF lie .
/, ~ heFrt come naturally into the contem- 2