The record-union., 1896-12-06
TO YOUNG WOMEN.
Lady Cooks Comments on the Present
Conditions.
Unmarried Women Should Study the
Probabilities of Moves on Lies
CheCker-BOard.

(By Lady Cook, nee Tennessee Clahin.)
The life of young unmarried woman
is a period of promise, of hope and anx-
iety. If she has no definite occupation,
she is altogether uncertain of her fu-
ture, and may be driven by unforeseen
circumstances in any direction. Her
character and person may be all that
could be desired, and hope may hutter
round her heart and fan her day dreams,
nevertheless she cannot escape the anX-
iety that besets uncertainty. But one
thing she may do, and her duty 10 her-
self demands it of her; she can prepare
herself for certain given eyentualltles;
she can study with the interest that
keen chess player feels in his game, the
probabilities of the moves on life's che
Quered board and so avoid a checkmate.
If from the careIessness of her par
rents, or from any other cause, her edu-
cation has been neglected or not worked
on the most useful lines, she must study
to make good the deficiency. Every per-
son arrived at years of reflection can
do this and many Of those most distln-
guished for intellectual abilities have
taught themselves. 1t only requires good
sense and moral resolution. Books and
other means are cheap and accessible
to ALL and two or three hours day OF
steady work would effect valuable re-
suits. and bring pleasure as we'll as
profit If one-third of the time devoted
to useless and pernicious novels were
spent in serious reading, the sex would
of NO nd xvonrlitU
that is now made against it. Serious
reading, too, offers charming variety;
poetry. history, biography, travel, phil
osOphy and all the sciences. There are
golden mines in English literature which
have been rarely explored, and many of
our best works lie buried in dust on their
shelves. The race of the maudlin 'Yel-
low Backs meanwhile goes on merrily.
1t is not from such pabulum as these
afford that the minds of sensible Eng
lish women can be nourished. They fos-
ter false emotion and spread the seeds
OF many falsehoods, but rarely quicken
higher sentiment or lofty thought. In
tellectual taste was developed for bet
ter purpose than to become the slave OF
the trashy three-volume novel
The girl emerging into womanhood
clay be satisfied With her moderate per-
sonal attractions, or may be lowered
with the fatal gift of beauty, but
something more is required before she is
fit TO become &. wife and a mother, or
even useful member of society. Phys
ical loveliness is fascinating while it
lasts. but it's reign is brief, and no
amount of artificial substitution can
supply its place. Intelligence and ami
ability. however, never grow old, and
pretty woman without these, even in
the glory Of her youth, is only a play
thing for an hour. She whose
soul is Illuminated and beautified can
afford to dispense with cosmetic pow
ders and paints and other deceits. En-
gaging in mind and natural in body,
she leaves lures to harlots, and wins es-
TEEN by her candor and virtues. Her
charms never decay and in the evening
of life she is as dear to her husband as
on the morning of their wedding day.
Tt is the strongest reproach to young
women that they rate the ornamental
ton of their bodies so much higher
than that of their minds; that they
spend nearly all the time and money
they possess in personal decoration, and
Give so little toward cultivation.
Yet we know that they do this because
the majority of men prefer it so, and
therefore the reproach lies still heavier
on these They ask for dolls, and they
get them; for empty headed women who
pail upon them before the honeymoon
is over and the matrimonial market is
consequently flooded with such.
We live in a world of beauty-beauty
above and around US. Wonders beset us
at every step, but every marvel is
solvable problem. A flower is q delight,
a leaf a miracle Of power. And if we
cannot yet penetrate the mystery of life
itself, we may understand it's organ
isms, and gradually unfold the pro-
cesses Of nature. By doing this we ur-
oerstand her: we appreciate, love and
reverence her. We see that she is very
good. We recognize that we are part
of her. bound up by numberless affini-
ties with all she has evolved. SO that,
not in the Scriptural only, but In the
true biological sense, we can say TO the
worm; Thou art my brother" and can
realize the duty and the pleasure of
sympathy with every living thing
Above all, we can trace the progress Of
the human organism from it's germ to
its complete development, and learn
what may affect it for good or
for evil. Is any one foolish enough
or mad enough to think that
this Is an improper study for a pure
minded woman? If so. he is In the
depths of ignorance and In the bonds Of
superstItious prejudice. For this Is not
only her right but her duty. Is she. the
future mother, to know nothing Of
motherhood? She, the producer. to be
excluded from sexual knowledget Let
this rubbish be taught to monks and
nuns. II they Will, but not to the would
be mothers of an imperial race.
The chief danger to young women at
the outset of their lives is fattery-es-
pecially male flattery. Foolish mothers.
in their fondness, cocker them from in
fency, teach them before they can lisp
TO love SNOWY clothes and ornaments.
compliment them to their faces. and
give them the first taste for what may
at length become their ruin. Thus we
see little girls mincing in gait and af-
fecting the airs of adult vanity. AS
they sow they reap. The girl in her teens
gets lover. who writes sonnet to his
mistress eyebrow" As she grows older
her appetite for fiattery becomes grosser
and, at length. Unsuitable. To say moth
Ing Of others. the practiced seducer-
and we have large number of that
profession in our midst-plies her skill
fully, artistically, and fools her TO the
top OF her bent. All this has only one
ending, All know il; all foresee it. Yet.