The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-06-02
WOMAN IN WAR.
BY fRMA PORTWOoD.

"hS"SaJ ~ Siihb5 " wal IS wei
as peace have been performed by women.
While the true mission OF woman is to
reign as the enthroned queen OF a hap
Ply home, yet when to do battle becomes
a sacred duty, she has not been found
wanting. War with its attendant blood
shed and devastation is always to be
deplored, and the cruel and bloody a
that is being waged by two mighty ma
tions IN the far East today, Is a stain
upon the boosted civilization of the
twentieth century. Without claiming
that women are the equals OF men in
~teIlectually, it is a fact that some OF the
most renowned and illustrious rulers oil
empires and nations OF ancient and mod
ern times have been women. What more
illustrious reign char~acterizes the his
tory OF the English nation than those OF
Elizabeth and Victoria? Queen Eliza
beth was as much interested in her ar
mics and navies as Engldnd's most illus
trious General Or Admiral; while Queen
Victoria was llngland's beloved ruler
during some Of the most momentous Of
all British wars.
From a beautiful peasant girl Joan of
Are became ono of the unique and won
derfui personages in the history of wars
and nations. The French hosts obeyed
her commands and her generaIship and
leadership seemed to have inspired as
she snatched victory from the very Jaws
OF defeat for her beloved name in one of
the bloodiest Of all battles. The his
tory OF her life is as a story Of romance
told in sweetest song, and her name
will be enshrined in the hearts of the
French people as long as their govern
ment survives. 1t was the Spartan
mother who told her boy to return from
battle with his shield on it. The
gifted Cleopatra and her tragic death
marks an important chapter in the be-
ginning Of the decline and fall of the
Roman Empire. 1t would take volumes
to relate tho heroic and daring deeds,of
the fair ladies in the crusades of med
iaevaI times.
While it is seldom the province of
woman to lead the charge on battle field
or to command fleets on the bosom of
the mighty deep, yet the mission of
woman amid the boom Of cannon and the
battle of muskatrp, it~-ooay vrict war
Is indeed noble, Always the advocate
OF peace, frequently the inspiration Of
battle, with her sweet hand OF charity
She Is the bGnediction to the hospitnls
OF armies and nations, the sweet angel
that ministers to the dead and dyin1
who have fought and bIed for home and
land.
Inc success OF the army depends upon |
the patriotism of the soldier, and the
soldier is taught patriotism from his {
knees. The Japanese are pat I
'Iotic to tho pains of ranaticism, and So '
completely does the Japanese mother Il
her boy to the service of her '
country that she does not know her fate s.
Until tho war is ended, as the soldiers :,
n the held and women at home never !;
orrespond lest the patriotism and ;
eviction OF the army to the father-land .
hould be marred. !
Tho parting kiss and ~bonediction of !
lothor and the sweetest tear OF sweet /
cart made a hero OF many a beardless |
ooth IN tho Confederate ARMY when he .
as far, lar away frem home and loved 7
hes. While George Washington led +
ne army in the field, Martha Washing !.
IN was busily engaged preparing food !
I'd clothing for the soldiers bows, :
ebert Il. Lee, the greatest General i!
ever led a triumphant army to VIC ]
ny or encouraged a down-cast army in I
Neat, was the idol OF the Conrcderacy, !
Id ms wife true to her devotion to her I
knitted socks for the boys who I
ore the gray. 1t makes our hearts i
'eil with pride when we contemplate \.
@ brilliant daring of Mollic Pitcher I
the Revolutionary struggle. 1t is
u th"t Dolly Madison saved the Cap
l OF our nation from conaagration by I
, British Army in the war of 1872. +
ca as these are the sweetest flowers /.
It bloom in the fairest of all lands. ;
Q praise of Florence Nightingale, in
mean war, will be sung as long as the
flow to the sea, and as long as the -.
kiss the skies. i
'ur W Miss Helen Gould, by her |.
erous donation for the wants of the L
Iler boys, cndcared herself to the +
y and navy of the United States /. |
ing the spanish-Ameriean War. Miss / q
IA Barton and the Red-Cross Society +,
only ministered to the wounded and 7
in the Spanish-American War. but /. =
" they are ten-thousand miles away + }
1 their native land ministering unto ! Y
snferings of the ~contending armies L
he orient. i
brightest chaplets that ever T
med upon a warriors brow fades l. Z
tnsigniticance when compared to the r.,
'hs Of glory that await there. Their -