Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-08-11
MAID AND MATRON DISCUSS MARI
RAGE.


In view Of the apparent reluctance Of
many intelligent and cultured women to
assume the responsibilities of marriage
and motherhood, the New York indie
pendent asked IA lady, who is described
as IAN attractive and able young pro-
fessor in one OF our universities. to OK
press herself on the subject She did so
as follows under the heading, why Il
do not marry. by a bachelor Maid:
The bald truth is that nearly every
quality commonly recommended .ur CUl-
tivation by the ideal wife is one that
Lakeland do not wish to possess, ! am
not attracted by the triumphs of that
art which manages a husband and Yet
leaves him IN the mistaken conviction
that he is managing you, do not thrill
with tender delight at tho thought Of
being taken care Of. | even lack that
traditional instinct universally lecla, Il
to be as essential part of woman as
any of her physical organs-the nnpcra-
tive need Of a husband of such superior
intelligence that he may be looked up to-
1t is altogether hctcrodox. | know. but,
honestly. if one of us has got to be Il
fool | should enjoy a great deal more
complacency in feeling that my husband
was that one"
The married life of which have per
mitted myself to dream contains a hus-
band who may be an intellectual COM
panion, who may be willing-cven proud
to give me- encouragement ana nspira-
tion to develop in my chosen field of work,
as l. in turn, would offer appraciative
sympathy TO him in his; what my various
lovers hdvo desired i'll me is, as it appears.
"A mother for their children"
Il am not prepared to say that | alb
q oh of
| motherhood hut do refuse-and have
no words :. express the loathing with
which | reg ID the idea-to be looked
| upon as a mere means of swelling the
census report stripped of its fine lang
| uage. that is what all this prating of the
beauty of large families amounts to. |
do not believe that there is. or even has
! been, large family which resulted from
/ anything % high minded as the deliberate
| desire Of both larents to rear good cit
izons for the state"
If may have children decontly--whch
is to say. if | may have the right to de-
eide when and In what numbers ;hoy may
come-I may perhaps as a married woman
! feel that they more than repay the SUI
| icring attendant upon motherhood. stree
under those conditions that suffering will
not he sharpcucd by loss of my sclf-rc-
| spect, But If. on the other hand should
still feHl rs | am inclined TO nov. that
| am one 'll llat class OF women VINO can
do more for the world, and have their
own lives more complete. by following
| career which does not admit Of tho re-
! strictious If motherhood. | shall expect
! tho right man fD aCquiesce in my views
, no matter what may hc the criticism of Il
clamorouS public And he will if ne be.
indeed right But | do not count nuch
upon finding him, because | seem to have
looked over the assortment pretty thor
oughly already
TO this rather selfish and one-sitcd
Wow of tho subject, Mrs Mary Virginia
Tcrhuno, better known by her nom lie
plume Of Marion IIarldnd, replies as FOL
lows:
AS a woman who loves and cham
piors her sex, and who has lived long
time in world which is Us yet new To
our frank and able Bachelor Maid
deny emphatically that brutality, lust
and barharous selhshness on the part OF
men are the rule in communities com
posed OF reputable, English speaking
people who send their daughters as well
as their sons to college, and are them
selves -abiding. God-fcaring citizens. %
Citing n long line of married lovers
welded IN mind and in hcart-who have
wrought together to make the world
better and happier" Mrs Terhunc adds
II would not dare essay to oatalogu,
the vaster number of welded worthio,
whose fame has never gone beyond III,
crcumscrlhcd areas clorifed by their in
dwelling and Joint labors. We have al
T read and admired DR. Holiness hoauti
full figure OF the great vessel moving
majostically out of the harhOr impcllcC
> rnd guided by the gallant little tug which
} has locked arms with it, In this connoc
= ton | may observe that one Of the
, choicest autograph letters In my pos
] tai A,,t. g.,
which he says. arropos of a book h
had done me tho honor to read and Il
| like i ought to know something of tn
worth of Ewes Daughtcrs.' having
lived with one Of the best OF them To-
"a forty years In fine Mrs
Tcrhunc saws:
, mo amount of higher education will
shake, much less reverse. the heaven
/ ordained law of the gravtatiOn of maj
- to woman and woman 10 man in tn
= relation which brings more joy ana NOR
f of joys dark relative minor sorrow
into tho solemn opus We call human lif
than all other influences combined. !
It be piOus platitudc to link the name
G of home ana heaven and to talk revcr
r entity of the glory of motherhood, IL
a plattudc has sublime precedent. Tn
communion Of saints is the great fami
on Garth ana in heaven; when tho All
e athcr would let us into fullest compro
hcnsion of his love, he likonS 1t to tn
n mothers devotion to her offspring"
s This is certainly the saner and broad
d view, There is a "hcaven-ordained law
=. IN the union OF the sexes. 1t is fire
a country and free age, and the bachlo
2 maid can order her life as she chooses
@ but the time may come when she wi
j. find that she has kept her complacencN
" oh