The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-23
By Maud Pauncefote.

By Maud Pauncefote.
 Copyright. 1906. by Joseph B. Boviesl (The Hon. Maud Pauncefote is the
 eldest daughter of the late lord
 Pauncefote,> first ambassador fDm
 Great Britain to the United States par- ing the long and honorable career of
 her distinguished father in this county
 the British embassy was one of he
 chief centers of social life in Wah-
 ington.)
 The courage of mon is one of tae
 many wonders of the human race. If
 it were not for this indisputable fact
 the world would not be conquered aud the greater part of 1t rendered flab-
 itable by the courage and industry of
 man. Especially in America dd we
 realize what this courage has done
 When we read of the hardships under
 gone by the pilgrims-women and men
 alike-and lthe struggle that went on
 to make homes for themselves and Eheir
 children. we begin to understand that
 were 1t not for the indomitable eour-
 age shown by them the United states
 might not now be holding It's proud po-
 sition among the worlds greatest na-
 tions. A witty lawyer once remhrked
 that the pilgrim mothers deserve the
 greatest credit. He said: 'HoE few
 sympathize with the pilgrim mothers!
 Yet, added to all else, they had to put
 up with the pilgrim fathers as we'll"
 We have soldiers and sailors facing every kind of horrible death in de- fense of home and country; firemen, whose calling is necessarily a very perilous one. fighting flames to save life and property; policemen contend ing with people maddened by drink or mobs melted to insubordination through evil advice given by socialists and an- archists: mariners, who by steam and sail are in hourly danger of storms with nothing but plank between them and eternity, and yet they face the ocean calmly and fearlessly to bring their ship and it's living freight safe to port. The ranchmen and shepherds, in guarding and herding their cattle, run great chances every winter, but with that unerrlng adherence to duty which is the main spring of the whole result they take those chances.
 Women seldom have physical cour- | age, though there are several histor- | ical instances of 1t. There was Joan | of Arc. There were the women in | who helped defend the cities | against overwhelming odds. Even now | one frequently reads in the daily pa pe-s of one woman protecting a house | against a burglar or performing other heroic acts, but usually woman's cour- age comes out in far quieter and a more long-suffering form, with no glo- ry attached to 1t.
 Washington is a spot to make one reflect on the courage of women. To see the daily defile at o'clock from .he departments. where 1000 women ire employed, is magnificent, now that Wage-earning for women is an estab- ished fact.
 No one knows what courage is need ,dl for a woman constitutionally nerv- Jus to have to be on time early every morning at an office winter and sum ner, snow or heat: but the determine ion to do or die keeps them up, for he handspring of a woman's life-love helps them along. There is usually mother or sister or there are chill ren whose very existence depends on he vigor of one member of the family. Tor them the woman works unceasing- z y, uncomplainingly and devotedly. ,
 The salaries are high in government mploy; so, with some little addition, z
 manless household can get along. ut it Is struggle.
 Then there is the courage of econ ( my, which being translated means elf-denial The married woman or oung girl not a wage-earner but one rho by necessity of reduced means de- rives herself of amusements and Of \ Il expenditure on self stitching away Tith her own hands 10 save dreSSmak- rs bills and buying nothing for her d elf except the actual necessaries of n fe-that means courage; for 1t is well II nown that shopping and clothes to the + eminlne mind are among life's temp n ltions. a
 No one enjoys economy for it means II elf-denial and constant thought. It aging and unbecoming; but quite C women practice it and S ravely deprive themselves of half the d m which Is given to more fortunate sters, making no complaint and not fl how brave they are In this b ally battle. n
 There is also the courage of endur- n lg an unhappy home. Where mur- O urs or complaints would sound bad t , women often bear bravely life of c city nagging and even actual unhap- mess which would set man crazy e