The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-01-19

She watched the bird pecking up
the last yellow grains, but Waldo look
ed only at her.
When she spoke again, it was very
measuredly.
"They bring weighty arguments
against us when we ask for the per-
feet freedom Of women" she said,
"but when you come to the objections
they are like pumpkin devils with can
dies inside, hollow, and can't bite.
They say that women do not wish for
the sphere and freedom we ask for
them and would not use it.
eff the bird does like it's cage and
does like It's sugar and will not leave
it, why keep the door so very carefully
shut? Why not open it, only little?
Do they know there is many bird
will not break its wings against the
4 bars, but would fly if the doors were
open?" She knit her forehead and lean
ed farther over the bars.
| t'rhen they say, If the women have
the liberty you ask for, they will be
not fitted! If two men climb one lad
der, did you ever see the weakest any
where but at the foot? The surest
sign of fitness is success. The weakest
never wins but where there is handi-
Gaping. Nature left to herself will as
beautifully apportion mans work to
his capacities as long ages ago she
graduated the colors on the birds
breast. If we are not fit, you give us
to no purpose the right to labor. The
work will fall out Of our hands into
those that are wiser"
She talked more rapidly as she went
on, as one talks of that over which one
has brooded long and which lies near
ones heart.
4 Waldo watched her intently.
They say women have one great
and noble work left them, and they do
it ill. That is true. They do it execra-
bly,. 1t is the work that demands the
broadcast culture, and they have not
even the narrowest. The lawyer may
the chemist see no farther than the
windows of his laboratory, and they
may do their work well. But the wo-
man who does, woman's work needs
q many sided, multiform culture The
heights and depths Of human life must
not be beyond the reach of her vision.
She must have knowledge Of men and
things in many states, wide catholic
ity of sympathy, the strength that
springs from knowledge and the mag
nanimity that springs from strength.
We bear the world, and we make it.
The souls Of little children are mar
velously delicate and tender things and
keep forever the shadow that first falls
on them, and that is the mothers, or,
at best, a woman's. There was never
great man who had not great moth
er. 1t is hardly an exaggeration. The
first six years Of our life make u.s. All
that is added later is veneer. And yet
some say if woman can cook a din
ner or dress herself well she has cul-
ture enough. "a
/ The mightiest and noblest Of human
work Is given to us, and we do it i'll.
Send a navy to work into an artists
studio and see what you will find
there! And yet, thank God, we have
this work" she added quickly. "It is
the one window through which we see
Into the great world Of earnest labor.
The meanest girl who dances and
dresses becomes something higher
when her children look up into her
face and ask her questions. 1t is the
only education we have and which
they cannot take from U.S."
She smiled slightly. "They say that
! we complain of woman's being COM
PEELED to look upon marriage as a pro-
fession, but that she is free to enter
i upon it or leave it. as she pleases.
Yes, and cat set afloat in a pond
, is free to sit in the tub till it dies there.
1t is under no obligation to wet its
feet. And q drowning man may catch
at straw or not, just as he likes. It
Is glorious liberty! Let any man think
/ Tor five minutes Of what old maiden
hood means to a woman, and then let
him be silent. Is it easy to bear
1 throughout life name that in itself
slgnltes defeat-to dwell, as nine out
OF ten unmarried women must, under
the finger Of another woman? Is II
easy to look forward to an old age With
out honor, without the reward of use
full labor, without love? wonder how
I many men there are who would give
up everything that is dear in life for
| the sake Of maintaining high ideal
purity
1 She laughed little laugh that was
clear without being pleasant. "And
then, when they have no other argu-
ment against us, they say: Go on. but
when you have made woman what
you wish and her children inherit her
culture you will defeat yourself. Man
| will gradually become extinct from ex-
cess of intellect. The passions which
replenish the race will die Foolsp'
she said, curling her pretty lip. "a
Hottentot sits at the roadside and
feeds on rotten bone he has found
there and takes out his bottle of Cape
smoke and swills at it and grunts with
I satisfaction and tho o,,It,,,ol al,;l11 %