The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-12
THE KLONDIKE WIDOW.


kiondiker. and the world sympathlzes
with the fervor which leads him TO face
the terrors OF Alaska's frozen plains, her
snow garmented mountains, her bound
ing. treacherous waters He IL An appre-
ciased hero. But who gives more than a
passing thought to the Klondike widow
as an entity TO be seriously considered7
With tha proverhiai disposition OF the
American mind 10 sconoc,asu. the 'Klon-
dixie widow" han been popularity accepted
As joke. Should net her condition rather
appeal to sentiments OF pity and inspire
honorable interest IN her welfare?
Mark Twain's famous aphorism, BE
good and you VIII be lonesome" is par
ucularly applicable In this case. Tho
wife Is left aisne. Her natural protector
Is far beyond call. Even the poor con-
ISOLATION OF mail communication 10
abridged By inadequate transportation
facilities. AT rare intervals she receives
a short letter from her absent husband.
He recounts experiences which to her
seem trebly fun Of hazard as she reads
before her cozy IRE. She longs for. yet
breads the coming Of those missives, and
during the weeks Of silence tells herself.
with an effort At believing, that mo news
Is good news"
Is 1t not natural that she should lean
70 the distraction Of gay society, and Is
ner condition made the more bearable by
the minimizing remark OF would-be wits:
on. she's Klondike widow" It Is a
oesignation with . sting in II. The in
discriminate application OF such flippant
epithets to the women martyrs of Nam
mon worship Is an insult to American
Womanhood and q reflection on Amer
loan manhood.
Doring the last year thousands Of men
nave left their families to 60 north. 1t
IS tho commonly accepted belief that tens
OF thousands will follow them r. ;
spring. Think OF the women-,hs wives,
the mothers. the daughters. the sweet
hearts. Are they not deserving Of a dis
tinct social classification? Seattle has tha
oider set and the younger set" and
the still younger SET" and the kinder
sarsen organization-why not add the
hiondike Women's Association, adult
males barred?'
bra"n together by q common interest.
thsir meetings would always be attractive.
Aase aovices from the interior would be-
come common property. BY vigorous culti-
Valion or the fne imaginative powers of the
women one letter could suffice for such
members OF the association as had been
temporarily forgotten. Advantages would
De onsred OF society in which the lonely
women could enjoy themselves IN freedom.
serene In the thought that the absent ones
would approve. Unless some such plan Is
adopted. the social life OF the women left
behind suggests a greater problem than
does the physical well-being of tho ven
turesome men.
What force these women would cousti-
tute Ii properly organized. With the coun-
try almost depopulated. so far as males are
concerned, rare oppor unity for the ag-
grandizement OF the gentle sex will be at
hand. Let them seize any loose reins Of
government dropped In the mad rush OF
men for gold-gold-gold. Let them gather
together any carpenters who have remained
at home and cause ballot boxes to be made.
and vote-vote-vote. They could legiti-
mately elect themselves to places of power
In the land-they could dictate the policy
OF government and forever Danish from the
minds OF men the idea that women were
made to love and care for. 1t will, In fact
be the gala day Of the new woman" and
she can have things her own way-untu the
men return from their golden quest.
What would happen then? Would
woman. once disenthralled. consent to re-
sumo her position OF subservience, her
heirloom from past generations?
The possibilities OF this subject have led
me inevitably to . depression which brings
up surely and with a crash against the
stony proposition OF new womanhood."
By what steps I have progressed from the
"Klondiks widow to the new woman"
I have hardly myself realized But I feel
sure that can add to the hardships prom
ised the klondiker. a warning Of certain
danger: Beware the new woman. She is
rousing herself to q grand effort. VIII all
the gold OF Alaska, builded in narrow
stairs. enable you to climb back to the lofty
position you have held?'
No answer Is expected.
CHARLES p. BURNETT.