The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-22

This girl is q puzzle. The girls wonder
why she is so beloved by their brothers
and cousins. "Of course" they reason,
"she is a dear, sweet, little thing, but then
there is nothing extra ordinary about her"
never dreaming that it is just that quar-
ity which is admired and loved. Extra
ordinary things are all very well when we
go sight seeing, or take a days Journey
into some curiosity cabinet to see the
queer articles which are in the world, but
for the everyday purposes of life we want
something like ourselves, something not
above sympa thizng with our ills, ailments
and tempers.
Woman's influence in China, says the
ST. Louis Globe Democrat, is greater
than is commonly supposed. Records of
the great Flowery Kingdom are full Of
examples of women famous for their
learning, neroism and high principle.
Sometimes women achieve absolute power
over the household. for there is popu-
lar saying "She eats rice with her hus-
band" which is used to express the rule
of the female tyraut. The most aston
ishing instance of feminine power to-day
is of course, the career of the Dowa-
ger Empress, Eszi-Chi. 1t is said that
to-day the greatest mandarin of China
would far rather face the Emperor
Kwangsa than the secluded lady whose
firmness has often been tried and never
been broken She is still the power which
rules the colossal country Of 3OO,WO,OOO
people, country subject to colossal dis
asters of flood, famine, epidemics, earth
quakes and instruction, and which is now
in the throes of revolution and warfare
AS an instance of the Empress Dowager's
strength, it may be recalled that she de-
posed her strongest vizier, Prince Kung
in, hXTa dPPTPe a.
zette because "he overrated his import
ance." In common with all other nations
the women of China represent the most
fervent religious element. They are said
to indorse enthusiastically the Boxers
movement, and to be fighting with pas
sion to help rid the country of the detest-
ed missionary.
That the women of China do not lack
courage is proved by the fact that they
sometimes seek suicide as relief from I'M
happy marriages, and uncongenial hus-
bands would frequently be murdered
were it not for special punishments, zig
unanimous and Slow devised for all wo-
men who should attempt homicide. The
mere existence of this law proves the ne
cessity for ii. Again, not long ago, fif-
teen young girls of Canton threw them
selves into the river to escape from mar
rying the husbands chosen for them.
Two other recent examples prove the
heroism of the Chinese women of high
degree A daughter of the Chinese min
lister to London, Kwo-Sung- Taon, was
married at the age of II. When her hus-
band fell i'll and all food failed to nourish
him she cut shce off her own arm and
nut it in the broth. When he died she
tried to commit suicide, out of grief, and
would eat nothing but gold leaf, to induce
death. 1t failed to poison her, and she
then starved to death. Her sister -law
Mrs. Kwo, a sister of the Marquis Tseng
tried also to follow her husband to the
land of spirits. but the use of quantities
of gold leaf failed, and she finally took
compassion on her children, agreed TO
live. and managed her father-in-law's
property while he was in London. Ii
Hung Chang penned a memorial to the
Dragon throne, requesting that these two
women should be awarded a sign OF i'm
perial approval
Notwithstanding the degraded condition
of women of the lower classes, the female
idea is high In China, and the annals OF
the past show a long series of virtuous
and heroic women, who have made an in
de.ible impression upon the national
mind. The mother of the great sage
Confucius, is held as a model, for, as his
father died when the child was 3 years
of age, his training was accomplished by
his mother, who. it is said, gave him the
foundation for his great moral maxims
The next philosopher OF Importance, Men
cius. was also indebted to his mother for
the foundation of his character and mind
as well as his philosophy.
Woman's lot in China is, however, not
an enviable one She is not received into
the world with JOY and is given very lit
tie education At - she is banished from
all companIonship, to become the young
girl who sits in the house" until her mar
riaee. when she weds some one she has
never seen. Then she must obey her hus-
band and her mother-n-law; she may not
come into contact with men In the out
side world and as rule, she cannot
road. She may, however, receive ladies
and return their calls. The patriarchial
system is so universal that the father Is
n despotic ruler over the family, and
married woman becomes so entirely part
Of her husbands family that she has to
vieid her duty and her obedience to her
husbands parents, who frequently treat
nor more as a slave than as daughter
in-Iaw. The doctrine inculcated in the
chinese classics Is that a woman has
,hree stages OF obedience; first, TO her
father; second, to her husband (efter she
ID married): and third, to her son on her
husband dies), when he reaches mannood.
The old proverb goes; Men wish tnelr