The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-07-10

ments upon the coronation, and whether
she come up from the shanty on the
commons or the mansion of the fashion
able square, greet her with the shout
"All hail Queen Vashti. - What glory
was there on the brow of Mary of Scot
land, or Elizabeth of England, or Mar
garet of France, or Catherine of Russia
compared with the worth Of some of oul
Christian mothers, many of them gone
into glory or of that woman men
toned in the Scriptures, who put all hel
money into the Lords treasury--or OF
Jephthah's daughter. who made dem
onstration of unselfish patriotism-ol
of Abigail, who rescued the herds and
focks Of her husband-or of Ruth, who
toiied under tropical sun for poor old,
helpless Naomi-or of Florence Night
ingale, who went atmidnight to stanch
the battle wounds of the Crimea--or OF
Mrs. Adoniram Judson, who kindled
the lights of salvation amid the dark
ness Of BQrmah-or of Mrs: Hemans,
who poured out her holy soul in words
which will forever be associated with
hunters horn and captives chain and
bridal hour and lute's throb and cur
few's knell at the dying day - and
scores and hundreds of women, unknown
on earth, who have given water to the
thirsty and bread to the hungry and
medicine to the sick and smiles to the
discouraged-their footsteps heard along
dark lane and in government hospital
and in almshouse corridor and by prison
gate? There may be no royal robe
there may be no palatial surroundings.
She does not need them, for all charita-
BILE men will unite with the cracking
lips of fever struck hospital and plague
blotched lazaretto in greeting her as she
passes: "Haill Hail Queen Vashti. "
Modest Merit.
Again, / want you to consider Vashti
the yelled Had she appeared before
Ahasuerus and his court on that day
with her face uncovered she would
have shocked all the delicacies Of orr
entail society, and the very men who in
their intoxication demanded that she
come in their sober moments would
have despised her. AS some flowers
seem to thrive best in the dark lane
and in the shadow aud where the sun
does not seem to reach them, SO God ap-
points to most womanly natures re-
firing and unobstrusive spirit. God
ONCE in awhile does call an Isabella to
4 throne, Or Miriam to strike the tim
brel at the front of host, Or a Marie
Antoinette to quell a French mob, or a
Deborah to stand at the front of an
armed battalion, crying out; up, upl
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 were hedges of wild flow
ers and cross seas as though they were
shimmering sapphire, and all the har-
pies of hell down to their dungeon at
the stamp of her womanly Indignation.
But these are the exceptions. Generally
Dorcas would rather make garment
for the poor boy. Rebecca would rather
fill the trough for the camels. Hannah
would rather make a coat for Samuel.
The Hebrew maid would rather give a
prescription for Mammals leprosy. The
women of Sarepta would rather gather
a few sticks to cook meal for fam
ished Elijah. Phoebe would rather carry
O letter for the inspired apostle. Mother
Lois would rather educate Timothy in
the Scriptures.
When see a woman going about her
daily duty, with cheerful dignity pre-
siding at the table, with kind and gem
tie but firm discipline presiding in the
nursery, going out into the world with
out any blast of trumpets, following in
the footsteps Of him who went about
doing good, I say, This is Vashti
with a veil on" But when / see a
woman of unblushing boldness, loud
voiced, with a tongue of infinite Glitter
CHATTER, with arrogant looE, passing
through the streets with the step Of a
walking beam, gayly arayed in W ~
hurricane of millinery, ] Or ont
"vashti has lost her veill" .yben sef
. woman OF comely = ,atures and Of
adroitness of ipt sllect and endowed
with all tnaS the schools can do for one
and OF bSsgh social position, yet moving
in society with superciliousness ano
hauteur, as though she would have PEG
pie know their place, and an underlined
combination of giggle and strut ano
rhodomontade, endowed with allopathi'
quantities of talk, but only homeo
pathic infinitesimals of sense, the terror
of dry goods clerks and railroad con
ductors, discoveries of significant mean
ings in plain conversation, prodigies OF
badinage and innuendo, say: Look
look Vashti has lost her veil. "
A Sacrificing Spirit.
Again, want you to consider WASN'T
the sacrifice Who is this / see coming
out sf that palace gate of Shushan? L
seems to me that have seen her before
She comes homeless, houseless, friend
less, trudging along with broker
heart Who is she? 1t is Vashti the sac
rifice. Oh, what a change it was from
regal position to a wayfarer's crust A