The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-02
BLUE GRASS REGION.
oBsr8rArIoNs or a rIRGINiAN IN
cnNrRAL KHNrUChY.
VIVA, the women Have Done-Thc Future
of the Horse Business-inhuence
for Good and Bad.

DAYS I heard OF little but the Protestant
1ne,rnary maintained by the ladies' OF sne
church Guild. the Catholic Hospital
cared ior by the Sisters Of Charity, the
House of Mercy managed by board Of
devout women with various other organ
natons Differed by females.
Among those worthy OF special mention
is tho Noman's Club Of central Kentucky
Connected with the General Federation OF
Nouans Clubs, bringing within the
scoue many departments. In the inter-
Nals of attention 10 philanthropy ana
public interests there is a great zeal of
church going and the usual amount Of So
cial cueaIcmcnts. gcncrally found IN we'll
iO-d0 towns Of zo.V0 or so population.
This activity and prominence OF the fem
in!nc contingent came somewhat in tho
nature of "a surprise to me In truth my
ideas and associations with the famous
Blue Grass Region Of Kentucky were all
connected with men and horses, and
had hitherto heard little Of the part TAX
en- by women IN the community.
There ls an Independent tone about
the women here nOucably different from
that of Southern women generally though
the majority Of the prominent families
are descendants Of Nirginans and Ten
nessccaus.
This may be in part due to the fact
that Kentucky IS a much newer State
than any of those on the Atlantic coast.
The pioneers were making their way by
bride paths I'm the Kentucky forest, more
than hundred and fifty years after VIZ
gin.a was an organized community.
Then IL was evident that slavery win
its enervating influences never had the
hold IN Kentucky that it gained in the
older States. With Ohio so close at her
side and the great. growing free West
just beyond, there must have been
more liberal atmosphere even where the
rich soil was titled by the bondman than
was possible in districts where the slave
power was strengthened by adjacent
slave holding regions.
The white women who had endured the
hardships Of pioneer life, realized their
value 10 the country. and the men who
made the laws seemed able 10 see that
they were entitled 10 some interest in the
lana they had helped 10 secure from the
savages. In remodelling their constitu-
ton more than forty years ago. clause
was introduced giving 10 widows and
spinsters holding property a voice IN
school affairs.
Having made n good start IN the di-
rection Of equal rights II has not been as
difficult in this as in many other states
10 cultivate the doctrines taught by the
National Woman Suffrage Association.
WOMEN HOLD OFFICE.
The Kentucky Equal Rights Society, or
canizcd ia 1873, has secured from the
General Assembly some notable chanse
in the law with regard TO married women.
They have also introduced co-educatlOn
into the state colleges, and are dong
good work in the direction OF prison
reform.
1t seemed time for some one to lift
up a voice in the cause or those APP
pointed 10 destruction for until a very
recent date boys as young as esht
years had been confined III the penn
tertiary.
Until the Equal Rights Association pc
Kentucky had thought there was any
objection to placing juvenile Offenders
with old and hardened criminals.
IL does not seem 10 CRATE upon the
masculine sensibiliues here 10 nave Wo-
men holding office in cities and counties.
and quite a number are county super
intendents and nOtaries public. women
have he'd the position of state Librarian
and women physicians are being APP
pointed in the insane asylums.
OF course all this stalWart sentiment
on the subject of feminine occupation
enables women who are 50 inclined 10
study professions. and II IS not consld-
cred remarkable for "a young woman 10
take w law or medicine, any more than
10 devote herself TO musical or literary
career. II Is quite a common thing Ior
n woman who has inherited property IN
the country 10 farm her own land, ana
do 10 successfully.
4 splendid type OF women IS evolved
among those who from necessity or
choice pursue that healthful and happy
occupation. Il is scarcely neeutul 10
add that. Notwithstanding the promi-
nence OF women here men and horses
are very much in evidence.
IL has been said that Lexington IS
mans town, and n is undoubtedly also
the domain Of horses. Nowhere else
have 1 seen stables I'm the principal
streets. The Lexington stable is indeed
an institution quite different from that
unsavOry establishment In most localities.
The principal stables not only include
accommodations for horses, and large
hail used by the men for discussion OF
the markets, gossip, &c, but also an
Office or reception-room for ladies'.
THE HORSE BUSINESS.
II IS indeed a great convenience IN a
region where everybody drives some
thing from the noble. highbred trotter
down 10 the sturdy little Shetland pony,
hardly larger than Newfoundland dog,
20 have place 10 leave the morse ana
vehicle: and II need be the wraps and
packages. also, 10 collect the scattered
members Of the country party before
leaving town. a schoolgirl coming IN
her little pony phaeton, or matron' WIN
tho seasons shopping on her mind. drive
into the stable and make arrangements
Tor the care OF their possessions. as
they shake Off the dust OF travel ana
straightcn their hats for the street.
!. & not a. common 10 see a party o,
gentlemen comfortably seated In the en-
latest horse sale.
What IS the future Of the horse is
momCntcus question in the Blue t-fess
country to-day. one hears all sorts OF
answers 10 the QuSry. Extremists in one
direction say the horse is doomed tha'
the bicycle and other new inventions
have killed it. Those who are welded
10 their idols. 20 TO the other extreme
and declare that the great depression IN
the horse business in the last Few years
has been due 20 the general depression
and depreciation of all values. that
breeders and dealers had been oVerstoch-
cd and that the dclectable quadruped rs
fsst rogaining IT'S position. and Will again
bring high prices as OF yore.
The idOlater Of the equine interest VIII
sometimes 30 so far as TO say that bicy-
Giles. electric cars, hOrseless vehicles, all
count for Haught and have no influence
on the horse market.
Perhaps the safe plan would be 10
strike a happy medium between sucn
opposite views 1t Is idle TO say that the
millions invested In the wonderful me-
chanical inventions Of our day, and their
steadily increasing adoption by the trav-
cling public are not worth considering.
IL would have been as useless Tor tne
wagner on the country road 10 ignore
1he urst steam engine. But after nifty
years Of steam. there are stlll wagons
and country roads.
THE MANY RIVALS.
SO after all the millions have mounted
wheels who believe I'm the bicycle, and
all the car companies have taken 10
electricity, and the motorcycle Is more
popular than the delivery wagon OF to-
day. there will san De demand for man S