Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-14

france, OF catherine or Russia, com
pared with the worth of some Of OIL
Christian mothers. many of them gone
into glory?-or of that woman men,
toned in the Scriptures. who put al
her money in the Lords treasury?-ol
OF Jephthahs daughter. who made 3
demonstration OF unseifish patriotism
Or of Abigail. who rescued the herds
and hocks of her husband or o,
Ruth. who toiled under a tropical sun
for poor, old, helpless Naomi or o,
Florence Nightingale. who went at
midnight to stanch the battle-wounds
OF the Crimea?-or of Mrs. Adoniram
Judson, who kindled the lights of SAL
walton amid the darkness of Burmah
Or CT Mrs, Hemans, who poured out
her holy soul in words which will for
ever be associated with hunters horn.
and captive's chain, and bridal hour.
ana lute's throb and curfew's knell at
the dying day?-and scores and hun
dreds of women, unknown on earth.
| who have given water to the thirsty
and bread to the hungry and me licine
to the sick and smiles to the discour-
aged-their footsteps heard along dark
lane and in government hospital and in
almshouse corridor and by prison gate?
1here may be no royal robe-there
may be no palatiai surroundings She
does not need them; for all charitable
| men Will unite with the cracking lips
or iever-struck hospital anu plague
blotched laZaretto in greeting her as
she passes: Hail Hail. Queen of
Vashti."
Again: want you TO consider Vashti
the yelled. Had she appeared before
AhasueruS and his court upon that day,
with her face uncovered. she would
have shocked all the delicacies OF
oriental society, and the very men who
IN their intOXication demanded that
she come. in their sober moments
would have desplsed her. AS some
flowers seem to thrive best in the dark
lane and in the shadow. and where the
sun does not reach them, so God ap-
points to most womanly natures re-
firing and unobtrusive spirit. God once
in a while does call an Isabella to a
throne. or Miriam to strike the tim
brel at the front of host. or a Marie
Antolnette 10 quell French mob. or q
Deborah to stand at the front of an
armed battalion. crying out, up, Up,
This is the day in which the Lord will
deliver Sisera into thine hand" And
when women are called to such outdoor
work and to such heroic positions. God
prepares them for it; and they have
iron in their souls and lightning in
their eye. and whirlwinds in their
breath, and the borrowed strength OF
the Lord Omnipotent in their right
arm. They walk through furnaces as
though they We're hedges of wild-fiow-
ers and cross seas as though they were
shimmering sapphire; and all the har
pies OF hell down 10 their dungeon at
the stamp of her womanly Indignation.
But these are the exceptions. General
~, Dorcas would rather make a gar
ment for the poor boy; Rebecca would
rather fill the trough for the camels:
Hannah would rather make coat for
Samuel; the Hebrew maid would rather
give prescription for Naaman's lep-
rosy; the woman OF Sarepta would rath-
er gather few sticks to cook a meal
for famished Elijah; Phebe would rath-
er carry letter for the inspired apos-
tie; mother Lois would rather educate
Timothy in the Scriptures When see
a woman going about her daily duty
With cheerful dignity presiding at the
table, with kind and gentle, but firm
discipline presiding in the nursery. 60
ing out into the world without any
blast OF trumpets following in the foot
steps of him who went about doing
good say: This is Vashti with a
veil on" But when | see woman of
boldness, loud-voiced with
a tongue of infinite clitter-clatter. with
arrogant look, passing through the
streets with the step OF a walking
beam, gayly arrayed in very hurri-
cane of millinery, cry out: "Vashti has
lost her veilr' When / see a woman OF
comely features, and of adroitness of |
intellect, and endowed with all that the |
schools can do for one, and of high So |
cial position, yet, moving in society |
with superciliousness and hauteur. as |
though she would have people know |
their place, and an underlined combina-
ton OF giggle and strut and rhodomon-
tade, endowed with allopathic guam
titles OF talk, but only homeopathic in
of sense, the terror of dry
goods clerks and railroad conductors, |
discoveries of significant meaning in |
plain conversation, prodigies of badi-
age and innuendo-I say: Look. look. |
Vashti has lost her veilr'
Again: | want You to consider Vashti |
he sacrifice. Who is this | see coming
put of that palace gate of Shushan? liz
seems 10 me that | have seen Der be-
lore. She comes homeless, houseless,
'riendless, trudging along with a broE-
IN heart, Who is she? 1t is Vashti the
sacrifice. Oh, what a change from regal
position TO wayfarer's crust. A little
while ago. approved and sought for;
1ow, none so poor as to acknowledge
ler acquaintanceship Vashti the sac
'ifice! All! you and L have seen it many
time. Here is home empaiaced with
beauty. All that refinement and books
md wealth can do for that home has