The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

women, and by girl-woman 1 mean one
who has every desire of a woman-her
| bravery (else she wouldn't be at work or
trying to learn how to work. and the years
| of girl, which give her a right to enjoy
herself. Somebody says to me as am
talking, "Bab, you are too enthusiastic
| No am not; not bit. The world is full
of pessimists who make bitter (by their
words) even the sweet odor of violets; who
see nothing good either in heaven or earth,
forgetting that OH earth there are women.
If when every woman child were born its
future from its cradle to its grave
were arranged for no one would be
happier than I. / do not believe
in women having to earn money, ex-
cept by earning it as grateful daughters,
loving wives and devoted mothers But,
alas there are so many women. Ana up
on the frail shoulders OF so many women
falls the support OF so many otners. II
there is woman worker in the family be
sure that she is caring for somebody, and
men should blush with shame when they
allow women to earn money for them;
that is, of course unless they are lnVallus.
But right here, where there are thousands
of women working, there are women sup
porting lazy, sbiftJess men-brothers, sons
or husbands-and doing it willingly; los
ing their beauty. losing their attractive
ness, losing all externally that IS theirs
by right of their womanhood, because
they have not only to work, but to Work
too hard.
You know L am telling the truth. You
need only to look in your own small town,
If you live IN one, TO find the shiftless man
who is supported by woman. If there
is one In the small town, how many are
there in the great big cities? There are
women who are supporting drunkards.
Do you know what that means? To give
man his daily bread. his clothes and the
roof that covers him, and in addition,
when you are alone to find yourself utter
ing silent prayer that he NAV come
home sober. To have him appear drunk,
beastly drunk; to put cold cloths on his
head to try and induce him to take some
medicine, to work and watch until he goes
to sleep; perhaps to have bruise on YOUR
forehead where he struck you, and which
YOU excuse because he did not know what
he was doing. After a sieepless night to
find yourself at your work, and to have
the editor or the p1cture-buyer or the mer-
chant wonder why you don't throw more
life into your work this morning" These
women are the martyrs of the nineteenth
century.
1t is sadly true. But there are pleasant
things 10 think about even among the
workers. There is going to be many a
pleasant evening for the lonely girl, and
she is looking forward to it now with ioy,
for she is sure that the good time will
come, since it is being furtnered by the
large-hearted woman who made ii pos
sble for her who needed it to learn to work
well. That is the secret of ito do it
we'll. And that is what in her own wo-
manly way Mrs. Dunlap Hopkins has
done. I am not great one for Haunting
the star-spangled banner; some of the
stars are not much credit to US, but the
one which reflects the State in which Mrs.
Dunlap Hopkins was born is a credit to it.
self and to all the world. Which onep
Wall one Of those great hic Western Opas
big enough to give birth to generous
women and appreciative men. L never
look at her, l never see those clear,
earnest dark eyes of hers that 1 do not
think:
ladv with lamp shall stand
In the great history of the land
noble type OF good
Heroic womanhood.
A prediction? Well there are worse
fortune-tellers than BAB.