The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-15

the sun SLliilSS.
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Men are given to making sarcastic
remarks about the great horde OF wom-
en- i'm public life, but if every man who
takes upon himself the voluntary obli-
gatien of matrimony performed his
Whole duty as a husband and father,
there would be fewer women before the
public to-day. The result of my obser-
Walton leads me to believe that women
who ale sheltered by love, appreciation,
and protection, do not long for the
plaudits of the world. The rule is that
women who pursue the hard path OF
public career that deprives them or
uuiet, domestic life, do SO because cir
cumstances beyound their control have
placed them there.
7 believe that woman's work still
obeys the law of Paridise-that here,
as there, she is the helper Of man, not
his rival or antagonist. Eve was DOUBT
less better companion and better
helpmeet to Adam than another Adam
would have been. A profession with no
women in itwould be like Eden without
Eve. A profession which should have
lost all the natural differences between
it's masculine and feminine member
shin would be like Eden with two
Adams and no Eve. TO destroy all
distinction between the spheres of man
and woman is to rob her Of her royal
affection, the delicate respect and
chivalric protection which man has
ever been ready to accord her as the
oueep of nature and the empress OF
society.
Yet woman's entire equality does no!
divest her of her womanhood, does not
obliterate the distinction between the
masculine and the feminine. The sane
ton of inspiration is odded to the
discrimination which "nature itself
teaches"
The woman is the glory of the man,
and if be did not worship God, believe
he would choose her before every other
idol.
EITHER sex alone is half ITSELF" and
the highest ideal of the "single, pure
and perfect ANIMAL" is the two-celled
heart beating with one full stroke.
Doubtless we all agree that the femi-
nine element of humanity is the more
refined, the more subtle.
1t is just that, which, left to itself,
the most easily finds its own work,
breathes forth its own influences. The
land may be measured and bounded,
and may need to be graded, but not the
fluid air. Leave it unobstructed and it
will find its place. It's invigorating ef.
fects will report its presepce. 1t will
not be in mans way to hinder his emo
tions. il will ever be with him to
trengthen and enliveu.
So am sure we need not be anxious
to define or describe woman's place OF
work. Recognizing her feminine ma
ture, and neither enticing nor driving
her away from its proper exercise, we
may best leave it to find it's own place
and way. Yet man once actually said
to me "Since the various avenues o.
business are becoming available to wom
en-, they are positively getting to be
masculine" Poor man ! He had no
yet learned that masculine woman
will he masculine anywhere, whether
you find her rocking the cradle or max
ing stump speeches. Masculinity is in
nate. There is no condition of life tina
imposes it upon anybody.
Some one has said that the working
woman must win her way on meri
rather than manners. Very well, my
sisters, but just as soon as the cloak o
womanliness is cast aside, do not be sur
prised if you receive the same treatmen
men deal out to one another.
If you adopt masculine ways expec
dealings to correspond.
Men admire womanly women th
world over, and in order to be enshrine'
in that corner of their hearts wher
mother, wife, and sisters are held sacred
the department must at all times b
tiDged with gentleness and sweetness
commingled with dignity that is ia
more powerful than the assumption o
wilfully aggressive manner.
heard a sweet-faced little woman
talking the other day about the advan
tage of sex in the working world.
could not refrain from saying, "M.
dear, mans advantage over woman j
in his muscles, not in his brains. MAJ
must do the hard physical work in tn
world" This is the law of adaptation
And, since work is quite US much a mat
ter of body as brains, the mass Of mel
will always be paid more than the mas
of women. This is political economy
Let US not think that woman wa
put into the world to compete wit
man, but to complement him. Not t
show that she can do what man cal
do, but what man cannot do.
cannot understand how any woman
who has been accorded the greatest Z
all earthly blessings, happy home, ca
desire any career that interferes with il
TO be queen of a happy home, loved an
appreciated by kind husband and Iii
tie children, with the privilege to liv
up to our ambition either in the worl
of letters, music, or art, with time fc
study and Improvement, together wit
congenial social intercourse, truly thi
is the grandest sphere possible for won
an. For her very nature is love he
characteristics are sweetness and gent
ness her charm, courtsey and kint