The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-02
The aa1clia Daily Eagle Saturday gstorme, sau 1885,
mApams.s RockeR.
II L. One of the Things tho New Mp~s-
ment Has Not Banished.

II L. One of the Things the New M1vs-
ment Has Not Banished-
At an important meeting OF women
rot long since. women who represented
rrerything that was radical and strong
md new" it was funny thing 10 see
the stage strewn with rocking chairs,
Of all things the insignia. and symbol OF
frail femininity. Whatwas more, the
new" women, presiding officer ind all,
sat in the chairs, and rocked plaoidly
away during the reading of reports and
minutes. the passing of resolutions, the
seconding OF motions and all the rest of
il, just as though it were matter of
course. Butitwas homogeneous. Those
swayinS, lively chairs suggested the
nursery. and sewing-room and kindred
domestic details that were somehow
strangely at variance with the other
wise business, practical aspect of
efaiRs. One fell to wondering whether
the presiding officer would not be adj
dressed as Madam Rocking Chairman
But one also wondered whether the
rocking chair was not an unacceptable
thing for wcm3n-the American
woman, that is to say; whether she
could no mere get away from or get rid
of 1t than she could hsr own identity.
1t is true that good taste, coupled with
q growing appreciation OF foreign
standards, has banished the rocker from
the American drawing-room. but it still
holds its own in boudoir, nursery ard
other none the less important because
Inore intimate apartments. It is SAID
that the rocking chair is gradually max
ing its way into other countries. The
English women and even those of the
more conservative continent ore begin
ming to realize the boon and the blessing
that it is TO womanklnd. It is curious
fact that il is &c Womankind alone thai
Il appeals. Men rarely sit in a rocking
chair, and when they do it is with an
uneasy, ron-accustouied air that be-
trays their non-appreciatio1 at once.
1t is the proud bonst of Philadelphia,
says an exchange of that city, that its
drawing rooms contain more rocking
chairs than any other city in the world.
A physician once said: The rocking
chair is nothing more nor less than an
expression of the nervousness of the
American woman. She must have some
vent for her suroharged feelings, her
over-wrought, highly-strung sepsiSili-
ties, and she resorts 70 the rocker. I
don't know that it is an Objectionable
habit-Yocking. Il is, IN measure. an
outlet, an escape valve for much that
would otherwise be pent up and react
upon the woman herself. / do know
this, however; you can always tell a
nervous woman by the amount of rock
ing she does. Under pressure of any
worry, excitement or irritation, she
flies 70 her rocker as the drupkard to his
bottle or the opium fend TO his pipe.
And she rocks, rocks. rocks, first violent
~ and spasmodically; then, as her ex-
element cools, more slowly and stesdl-
~, until the worry or irritation or what
ever else it may have been abates. Then
the rocking ceases altogether, and the
woman sits tranquil and quiet. No,
should not call the rocking chair the
american woman's enemy; her best
friend, rather, for it acts like a kind of
lightning rod, carrying of force that
might otherwise wreck and ruin her.
Detroit Free Press.