The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-23

pitied odd maid" of other days. If the
father had not accumulated enough to
leave her a competence, which was diff
ficulS in those times of small fortunes,
she had no resource except school teach
ing for a pittance or the unreWarded
slavery of the needle. Even these oppor-
tunities were few, and her usual fate was
the unpaid, little-regarded position of the
spinster drudge in the family of a married
brother or sister, without honor and with
out profit. and with the general verdict
of having made a failure of life.
Under these circumstances it is not
strange that the vast majority of women
would rather take any chances than those
of single blessedness." But In those
days. as now, the villages were denuded
of young men, who were obliged to seek
livelihood elsewhere, and even men went
to sea or to war or "out West to ind
a fortune. With more prospective wives
than prospective husbands, and with the
strong necessity for marriage on the part
of women, 1t was out of the question to
wait for ideal husbands" And, under
such conditions, what sort of an ideal
was a woman capable of forming? With
out education herself. she was not fitted
for an inte' lectual companionship, and,
although she would feel a natural pride
in any high position her husband might
attain she was little ada pied to bear her
share OF its honors
In all ages women have striven to en-
body the ideal of themselves which men
have cherished, and the latter have been
so situated that they could search for
the ideal wife defer marriage until she
was found, or failing in the quest, lead
useful, honored, independent lives. in no
wise affected by the fact OF never having
welded. Mans ideals in generations
past were comprehensively expressed in
the 3lst Proverb-virtue above all else.
and then the perfect housekeeper indus
trious, benevolent, God-fearing, at work
before daylight in the morning and not
letting her candle go out at night For
uncounted generations women strove TO
live up to the standard OF this woman in
the Proverbs, and If they fell behind oc-
casionally, the preachers. the elders and
the husbands pointed to the Good Book
and spurred them ON.
What sort OF an ideal for a husband
these women were formulating in thelr
minds through all those generations,
never will be known, for the records were
kept by men and the opinions of women
were not considered worthy Of a place
therein. We may imagine. however. that
II might have been comprised in a single
sentences The ideal husband is the one
who does not take advantage Of the power
which the laws confers upon him.
Leaving the centuries out OF consider
alton, let US so back only ffty years and
examine the relative conditions OF hus-
bands and wives. At marriage the legal
existence OF the women was blotted out
forever while the man added to his own
all which she had lost. The two were
one and he was the one with the dual
rights and privileges merged In himself.
With the last words OF the marriage cere-
mouy all the property which she possess
ed, with all rents and profits, and all
that might come TO her by gift and in
herltance. passed into his absolute con-
troll. She had spoken the VOWS which
made II impossible for her ever 10 own
q dollars worth OF anything while the
husband lived. She had entered into
partnership in which she was 20 give the
services OF a lifetime lea exchange for
her board ana clothes. while her partner
IN his death could will 20 an outsider the
full proceeds OF the earnings 81 the two.
except the use Of one-third the real 49,
tate for Mo- ana q small portion % the
personal property She could not hope BY
gork outside 70 lay w something for old