The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-24
MARGARET FULLER ossoLL

A long time ago a child stood at a win
| dow and watched, with heart afire, with
| indignation, captive eagle tormented by
visitors to the museum where it was
| chained.
again. walking in her mothers garden, it
| was her delight to kiss and caress the
| flowers her mothers hand had planted
and tended and feel her heart stirred by
| the ambition to be "aS beautiful, as per
! feet as they"
! child thus moved to pity, thus sus-
i ceptible to the beauty written upon the
| faces of the flowers, could not grow into
other than q noble woman with wide sym
| pathies that reached out and embraced all
| mankind, with an earnest desire for the
| betterment of humanity, the spread OF
| human liberty.
In her time no one perhaps was more
| misunderstood. TO those who could not
| understand her, she was vain, self-con-
| ceited Scf-centered. But to those who
| did understand that rich, sad, striving,
| unSatsfied natureH what an inspiration
| she was for good She was "a friend whose
friendship was gift OF the gods"
| One thing she demanded of all her
| friends, that they should not be satisfied
| with the common routine OF life that
| they should aspire to something higher,
| better, hoier, than they had now attained.
| She early learned the secret that is the
| basis OF all success the secret without the
| true grcatneSS--a Willingness to work, to
! strive for the highest. This she demand
ed of her friends, the best they were capa-
| bic OF giving; this she gave in return, the
| best that her glowing, sparkling nature
| could give. unStntedly. unreserVedly as
| the flower gives its perfume. What wonder
| then that she inspired others TO HIGHER
| aims? Who can come in contact with Il
| nature that is truly noble and not feel all
| the latent nobleness in his own nature
| rise to meet the nobleness of the other
Margaret Fuller OSSOlI has been called
| the prophet OF The Woman Movement, i"
and may if you will allow the use of that
hackneyed and much abused term be
called one OF our pioneer new women"
Deep seated in her heart was the desire for
the uplifting of her own sex; never violent
never extreme in her views, but consider
ing woman mans complement, never his
rival nor his foe, and demanding for her
equal rights with man before the law.
A new woman? No, but the woman the
world has always known, only with a bet
ter understanding of the needs Of her fell
low-men, a clearer insight into her own pos
Sibiities, a broader knowledge of her own
capabilities
wish all girls might read of this earnest.
varied life as toldtby Julia Ward Howe and
Thomas Wentworth Id jGginson. No girl no
woman but viii feel her own heart stirred
rs she reads of this one Of Americas
greatest and most gifted women.
She was the devoted daughter, the low
ing, helpful sister, and to crown all, to
round out her life, was given to her a
husband s love andi;t little child.
When death caraeft her in the SURFING
sea, 1t came also 10 those dearest to her,
as she had wished. Somewhere the sands
drift over her, but she has left to the world
the memory of her fielpfulness, and each
may rear in his heart monument to her
greatness more enduring than one of granite
bronze, or shining marble.
Says Higginson shShe shared in great
deeds, she was the counselor of great men
she had husband who was "a lover and
she had IA child. They loved each other
divided: was not that enough?'-Olla Bell
Uotham.