The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-14
KANSAS BIG INDUSTRY
Is Having Its Field Day at the
State House.
Agriculture in All Its Phases
Discussed and GlOrifled.
Mrs. Noble Prentis Talks About the
Farmers Wife and Daughter.

| was the subject of a paper presented
! by Mrs. Noble L. Prentis to the meet
Ing Of the state board Of agriculture,
before a large audience at Representa-
| tive hall last night
| Mrs. Prentis was given a royal well
come after President Click introduced
her as Kansan, whom we all delight
! to honor" The speaker created ap-
plause when, In response, she said:
Yes, love Kansas, and have, since
leaving the state, constantly regretted
that am compelled to live in AGissou-
ri''
Mrs. Prentis is essentially a Kansas
| woman-a farmers daughter-and as
| she herself expresses it: IF credentials
We're necessary, could point to sundry
ancient apple trees, now falling into
crookedness and feebleness of age, and
the sere and yellow leaf, I, with my
own childish hands and feet, helped my
father set out on his farm, then outside
ka.''
Mrs. Prentis alluded to trials of the
early Kansan, and assigned to the wo-
man liberal share of the hardships
and vicissitudes of the early settlement
of the state.
1T was in the long months reaching
from one winter, through spring. sum-
mer, fall and another winter and into
spring again, during which the heavens
were locked up; Kansas earth was as
iron, and the sky as brass, that one
young witness and participant in the
dire and dreadful time saw the Kansas
woman display the sublimest patience,
the highest courage, the most supreme
fOrtitude," said Mrs. Prentis.
Following the history of the Kansas
woman through the civil war and the
restless development following those
trying times, Mrs. Prentis narrated his
tory, which was all the more entertain
ing because of it's character as personal
"reminiscences, giving at each success
i've stage a, legitimate share of the
honors which have been so royalty
earned to the women Mrs. Prentis
said;
The pioneer Kansas women. How
beloved they were. Women, patient,
brave, enduring and courageous, who
dared and endured that Kansas might
be free. War and famine were their
lot, and still they did not falter, but
with answering faith in the state of
their adoption they labOred to build a
model commonwealth. What honor is
theirs? Side by side, husband and wife
fought against the great curse of hu-
man slavery, as they have since fought
against the great evil of intemperance,
and together. they have laid the fOun-
dation of a great educational system,
unsurpassed by that of any other state
f'And the hgih qualities manifested
by these early women, these mothers of
Kansas have not failed in later years.
They have been carried in the movers
wagon to the far frontier. And partic-
ularly that high intelligence of which 1
have spoken has failed not. Go into
the shack house, the dugout, the sod
house. the homestead cabin Kansas
and you will rarely find an ignorant
woman.
I have visited these habitations in
the northwest and the homes of the
WelI-to-do farmers in the longer settled
portions of the state, finding every
where the highest type of American
womanhoOd. Woman in Kansas has
kept on as she began. This is true of
all the women in Kansas. The farm
er's wife and daughter has kept up
with the procession. 1t was hard and
close living at first, but the farmers
wife got her sewing machine and the
farmers daughter her cabinet organ
about as soon as the wife and daughter
in town.
ish. toflsome, 1own-looking women,
without joy in the past or hope in the
future once, but they were Indians, and
have gone away There have never
been white women of that type here
the climate isn't good for such.
THE farmers wife and daughter
have advocated all the improvements
that have come to the state. Nobody
ever heard of a Kansas woman voting
where she could vote, against anything
for the advancement or betterment OF
the community. There are many Kan
sas districts where they never would
have had a new school house had not
the women voted for bonds.And among
the later means OF 1nJS1lecIuaI, moral
and social advancement, Kansas Wom-
en-the farmers wives and daughters
the women on the farms have adopt
ed the Woman's club, whose claims
and advantages were set forth with
rare brilliancy and force by a bright
Kansas woman, before the board of
agriculture, one year ago.
''At the next session OF the Kansas
legislature a bill will be introduced,
providing that the state library, the
property of the people of Kansas, shall
be made the source of supply for these
libraries, and that the books of a mis-
ceIIaneous colleotion shall be sent out
where they will do the most good This
is the proposed beginning, and the Wo-
men of Kansas should see that the be-
ginning is made. Details are to be ar
ranged later, but the women of Kan
saS-the farmers wives and daughters
should raise the signal The women of
Kansas expect every legislator to do
his duty and should take such steps as
may be necessary to insure that the
signal is understood and Obeyed.
ssThis all the farmers wives, and all |
the farmers daughters should know,
and the Kansas farmer who has his |
vacation his political conventions, and
and rest should see that his wife and |
daughters needs are remembered. If |
all the family can not leave the farm |
at once, take part one and part anOth-
er year. but always providing, that the !
mother goes. The mother needs most |
the rest and change The wise husband
and father will arrange for the rest,
comfort and pleasure of the mother of !
his children.
THE farmers wife is a. woman of
thought. Her way of life is favorable |
TO thought to reflection. Far from the |
'nadding crowd she is far from its
distractions, it's noises, the sight of its !
sins and it's miseries. In her life, there |
are whole long still days, when there is |
no sound louder than that of her feet |
upon the floor, the ticking of the clock, |
and song of some lone bird in the door |
4 TnrT1-f r7rr hos 2 (
she goes about she thinks and thinks. |
She has work to do, certainly, but it is