The Cairo bulletin., 1905-03-14
TO THE MOTHERS
OF THE COUNTRY

mally different This does not mean
inequality Of function, but it does
mean that normally there must be
dissimilarity of function, On the
whole, | think the duty of tie woman
the more important the more diff
cult, and the more honorable of the
two; on the whole respect the wo-
man who does her duty even more
than | respect the man who does his
Woman's Hard Work.
No ordinary work done by a man
| Is either as hard or as responsible as
the work of a woman who is bringing
up family of small children; for up
on her time and strength demands are
made not only every hour Of the day.
bat often every hour of the night She
may have to get up night after night
10 take care of sick child, and yet
must by day continue to do all her
household duties as well; and if the
family means are scant she must
usually enjoy even her rare holidays
taking her whole brood of children
with her The birth panes make all
men the debtors Of all women. Above
all our sympathy and regard are due
to the struggling wives among those
whom Abraham Lincoln called the
plain people, and whom he so loved
and trusted; for the lives Of thees wo.
men are often led on the lonely
1e,ghts Of quiet, self-sacrifcing hero.
.sm
Duty of d Wife.
Just as the happiest and most hon
rable and most useful task that can
De set any man is to earn enough for
he support of his wife and family.
or the bringing up and starting III
lfe of his children, so the most i'm
ortant the most honorable and de
irable task which can be set any wo
nan is TO be a good and wise mother
a home marked by self.respect and
mutual forbearance, by willingness to
perform duty, and by refusal to sink
into self-indulgence or avoid that
which entails effort and self-sacrifce.
No Easy Time For Mothers.
No mother has an easy time. and
most mothers have very hard times;
and yet what true mother wouId bar
ter her experience of JOY and sorrow
in exchange for a life of cold selfish
ness which insists upon perpetual
amusement and the avoidance of care
and which often finds its fit dwelling
place in some fiat designed to furnish
with the least possible expenditure Of
effort the maximum of comfort and
of luxury, but in which there is lit.
orally no place for children?
The woman who Is a good wife, a
good mother, is entitled 70 our re.
speet as is no one else; but she is en-
titled to it only because, and so long
as, she is worthy of it,
No wrong-doing is so abhorrent as
wrongdoing by man towards the
wife and the children who should
arouse every tender feeling in his ma
ture. Selfshness towards them. lack
of consideration for them, above all.
brutality in any form towards them.
should arouse the heartiest scorn and
indignation in every upright soul.
Duties Above Rights.
Il believe in the woman's keeping
her self-respect just as I believe in
the mans doing so. / believe in her
rights just as much as I believe in
the mans and indeed a little more
and I REGARD mo r,focr. nc d, ,,.,.t..-..
ship, in which each partner is in hon.
or bound to think Of the rights of the
other as well as. of his or her own.
BUT | think that the duties are even
more important than the rights; and
in the long run think that the re
ward is ampler and greater for duty
well done, than for the insistence ND.
N individual rights, necessary though
his, TOO, may often be. Your duty
IS hard your responsibility great: but
greatest Of all is your reward. do
not pity you in the least. On the con
trary feel respect and admiration
for you.
Teaching the Children.
Into the woman's keeping is com
mitted the destiny Of the generations
10 come after US. In bringing up your
children you mothers must remember
that while it is essential TO lie loving
and tender it is not less essential TO
be wise and firm.
If you mothers through weakness
bring up your sons TO be selfish and
TO think only of themselves, you viii
be responsible for much sadness
among the women who are 10 be
their wives in the future If you let
your daughters grow up idle, perhaps
under the mistaken impression that
as you yourselves have had TO work
hard they shall know only enjoyment
You are preparing them TO be useless /
to others and burdens to themselves. /
Teach boys and girls alike that they
are not to lock forward to lives spent
in avoiding difficulties but to lives
spent in overcoming difficulties.
Teach them that work. for themselves /
and also for others. is not a curse but
a blessing; seek 10 make them happy
to make them face life with the stead
fast. resolution TO wrest success from
labor and adversely. and 70 do their