The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1906-06-20

VI AANA &tNAAS ~ *AtS 0tCA -@l01t$AA ~
Fashion Plates, which France
! Willard declared are. an affront Il
levery woman with q brain in be-
head and a heart Ia her breast
The laws Of woman's physical be
ling require q radical reform ii
Iher dress. Through the influence
alof Christianity Chinese womel
lhaVe discontinued the custom b
foot binding. Is it not time tina
i the American woman should dis
card cramping garments and th,
lhigh.heeIed shoes which tilt thi
vital organs to an invalid angle
/ Dress reform has made s0ml
progress, and / am sufficiently op
ltimistlc to believe that By and by
There shall be an ideal dress
Ihygienic, pleasing TO the eye, ane
1.-THE Easter bonnet shall deplets
1man's pocket book no more.
Not only in the matter of dress
]has woman been drifting further
land farther from the simple lift
lof which We hear much today
3hear much because the need Of il
| is SO great. The society woman
whirls in an increasing round 81
isocial functions, while her non.
lsociety sister is as increasingly
busy in the multiplied duties ol
her domestic sphere. To live il
such a mad rush of distractine
duties is not to live, no time fol
silence and soul growth, no time
for sweetness and light; no time
for the simple joys Of home, nc
time for the rearing of children,
no time to thank Heaven, kneel.
| ing, for a good mans love.
Ny friends, we need to return
to simplicity; plain living and
high thinking. We need to learn
to hold fast to essentials, and to
loosen our fevered grasp upon a
Thousand things that are not worth
while.
Another essential TO Roman's s
success in her enlarged sphere is
broader culture. Some Of US have
had limited educational opportn.
mites; we can not now take ad-
vantage of the schools, we can not
go to college, we can not get those
| years Of study abroad which are
so valuable. But we have access
Ito books: and any one who has
them at her command has oppor-
ltunities for mental growth. The
lnumberless Women's clubs afford
additional advantages. May the
Influence Of these clubs continue
Ito spread till it reaches the farth-
lest hamlet, the most isolated
farm, the loneliest mountain
ranch, the most neager home, the
weary, drudging wife and mother
to fill all with aspiration and in
Ispiration.
Sometimes we say we have not
time for mental culture, have not
time TO read. A few minutes
daily will bring large results. AS
an illustration of this fact Henry
Ward Beeeher once said that be
became very tired sitting through
the first course of dinner, as be
never drank soup, and he finally
decided be would utilize that time.
He had Froude's History of Eng
land at hand in twelve octave vol
lumes, and every day when the
family fled into the dining room,
lhe sat down on a sofa, PICKED up
q volume Of Froude and read till
| the second course was announced.
In that way he completed Froude's
History Of England in two win
/ lters.
Another imperative duty is that
we use all diligence in educating
Jour girls cur successors. The
competition in social, professioal
land business life grows sharper
and more severe as the years 90
on. The Standards are being con-
lstantIy elevated, and the demands
on coming generations will be
greater than on any that preceded
Them. The education Of girls is
pre-eminent necessity. a
| young man with the right views
land purpose can cleave his way
Through difficulties and achieve
success, but an uneducated girl is
tdoomed to obscurity and drudg.
Iery. Education can redeem her,
making her independent and self
supporting. / rejoice at The in
creased and increasing educational
advantages for young womanhood.
/ / am glad that our girls now have
opportunities for Industrial train,
ling, that they mar receive scien.
Itifc instruction Id home making
land home keeping. This, after
jail, is the highest and best profes-
tsion for woman.
| In the present age, we find tht
Ihome menaced on all sides. anc
lone of its chief dangers is the ten
.Edeney of women to seek outside
occupations. Twenty per cent. ol
laIl wage earners in the Unite1
Estates are women; fifteen per cent