Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-06
MISS MARY CARTER ANDEKSUH"

become for US the common custom and
pleasure.
And go. as the wheel of the
years has turned round, among
other changes a strange feminine
product has been evolved. Many
think her a pure monstrosity, an odious
Minerva, sprung full.urmed from the pre-
sent moment But this is Ear from be-
ing the case. She may be nit newly ar
rived, but she has been on the road
long time The longer she has travelled
the more baggage she has acquired. until
now she has appeared among us quite
laden with the essentials OF her comfort
and happiness.
THE NEW WOMAN Is HERE.
The new woman is certainly here. She
comes In various dsguises-the boomer
cd bicyclist. the womans suffragst. the
dress-reform lecturer. the doctor OF phiio-
sophy the physician, the lawyer the
preacher, and journalist. She has broken
down the barriers TO every profession and
made her way 10 the front IN the struggle
for existence. Her energy is exhaustles5
and her courage indomitable. She plans
great undertakings and shrinks from no
hardship which their Accomplishment en-
tails She leaves the shrinking for
| others-her astonished brother man and
her tinid sisters-who stand aghast at her
daring spirit and wonder what the world
is coming TO. Well, what is Il coming e?
TO n universal race OF the sO-called new
woman? VIII the next generation or the
next century see the old feminine ideals OF
gentleness, modesty and domestic soye-
reignty overthrow and all the queens OF
the home metamorphosed into stump
speakers, woman's suffragists, and man
haters? VIE the old conce ption of wo-
3 manhood and its sphere hang it's head in
shame before the brilliant victories Of its
more ambitious successor. and shrink
away into forgetfulness?
NO ENMITY BETWEEN THE TWO.
| do not think so, for strangely
different az these two-the old and the
new woman-seem. they arc. after all,
mother and daughter Widely diver
gent In many points, they are yet bound
by the closest OF ties. for the new IL
born OF the old. and In some sense OF
its desires and needs. And so / take
the title OF my toast TO imply no ueces-
sary. or even justifiable. enmity between
the two. They are placed in oppOsl-
ton. not for fighting purposes, bat for
the sake OF comparison. Each may
learn something from the other. The
daughter in the extravaganza OF her
youthful enthusiasm and folly has many
priety. Delighting too much in her new
ly-acquired freedom, she has forgotten
that true liberty lies always within the
limits OF law, and her sorrowfu and dis
appointed parent has lost patience with
her vagaries. washed her hands of all
responsibility and declared that she will
have none OF her. Meanwhile, the young
wrong-doer has been left In high dis
grace and solitary publicity, disowned Of
her kindred and exposed 70 the mercy OF
| the future. Was the prodigal son so
1 treated?
l am dubious, indeed. about her being
yet repentant enough TO have the ring
put on her finger. although 1t has hap
pened more than once that N the right
one put II on she was won from the
error CT her way. But certainly II Is
worth our while to reclaim her. 10 teach
her 10 distinguish the false from the
! true. to Ink the element OF conservatism
on 10 that OF p-ogressiveness. 20 realize
f, that the old and tried standards OF the
past have yet many a grain OF truth left
1 IN them.
WOMAN's SPHERE is BROADENING
1t cannot be denied that woman's
sphere Is BROADENING, and that many new
avenues OF usefulness and activity are
| opening before her. The woman OF the
! twentieth century Will have opportunities
| that little while ago were not To be
dreamed OF; but she will mako sad use OF
them II TO ever so slight a degree they
tempt her to overstep the bounds which
modes;y and nature have set. wo-
manly woman Is type not TO be i'm
proved on.
But truly. think We have no need Of
fear. There Is no new woman. The ogre
is fancy after all. From the beginnins (
/ OF time woman has been In all essentials
the same-ths same heart. the same III