The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-21
About the
New Woman and the
Chaperon
BY oRANTLAND oRlEvR

NEW YORK, April 16.-(Special cor
respondence)-Wil the new woman do
away with the chaperon? This is the
question asked of number of the lead,
ing thinkers among American women.
Their answers vary. as do the women
themselves in face. in thought and in life
work.
Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher, the widow
OF the world famous minister, has gone
back into her old home, beside the church
which she and her husband loved so we'll.
She is nearing lifes sunset. but her heart
is young, and her interest in the old
woman. the new woman and all woman
kind is Just as keen as it was forty years
ago. She smiled as she answered my
question. THAT is subject watch al
ways amuses me-. When people say girl
needs chaperon always think o. my
salt. had too much to do to require
watching. | was the. youngest OF ten
children. and my father was country
physician. In those days a doctor was
surgeon too. He was Obliged tn cut and
bleed. AMI whenever my sisters saw,
patient doniins to the house they would
rum away and hide.
Then father would lay his hand on
my heII aud say: My brave little girl
won't run away and leave her father all
alone. will she?' and for those lov,n,
words and kiss, | st2o by him when
only tea years oil al helpel him while
he cut Il mans hand off. would have
suffered anything for Il ks : indeed my
mo5aer never punished US except by re-
fusing to kiss Us when we went to bed.
..When grew into womanhoo was
glad I hal acquire the habit of working,
for when | married Mr. Beccher, bis time
WAS SO taken up with his duties that was
obliged to assume all of the management
OF the hone. | always answered his let
ters, sometimes thirty a,id forty day. |
atten,led to his personal affairs, aud
really bellows he would never have hal
new sui OF clothes ii had not bought
them. II $ salary was paid to me, the
checks ware made ont IN my na;n.. and
cashed them to save him oubl,
II took entire charge OF the children.
sent them to school ami to college. and
did everything for them without consult
ing their father to tire his hard working
brain. tied to make his home rest
ing place. 1t SEEMS ST. strange not to
have him to think ior. lou know we
were married lacking three months of
nifty years. That is great while for two
people to be together. Other women lose
their hus' ands in five, ten, fifteen or
twenty years.
II do not feel that Mr.. Beecher is dead
only gone on a journey a little while be-
fore, and even now there is so much that
l can do for him. People write me and
wan. to know things about him. Why,
only yesterday l answered thirty letters.
! sat up until / O'Clock to finish the last
one. No, ] never needed chaperon. l
was always too busy"
Mrs Lyman Abbott. wife Of the cele-
brated Brooklyn minister. and herself
widely known all over the country in her
Aunt Patience" talks to and about all
that is good and lovely in woman, an
swered the question in this manner:
II dislike the phrase new woman, ex-
Gee ingly. There is no such thing. We
men are the same now as they alays have
been. They have always been free but
to hear them talk one would think that
somebody had suddenly emancipated
them from slavedom. Our g,andmothers
we're brave, thoughtful, noble women,
helpmates to their husbands. brothers
and sons. They thought, acted and