The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-01-25

Maid de Koven, the composer, Is Wen
known as an author. Among ner mrs. ~
Iafion OF Pierre Lofts Iceland Fisher
man" which was praised by the crltics
In 1884 appeared her first novel. The saw
mort and New York. 1t went through ten
editions and was republished IN Engiah1
and India Her novel. by the waters OF
Babylon" was also distinct success
The liberty of American women has
become SO universally accepted fact
that it has passed into a byword OF
comparison to the older nations.
The puritan idea has become at
last transmitted, through the light and
luxury of wealth and the diffused In
fiuence of widely scattered location,
into a basis of fine responsibility and
a finer courage. From Virginia ana
the more southern states we have
fluent charm, soft womanliness and
grace both lovable and admirable, but
regrettably lessening with the dlsap-
pearance of the characteristic life OF
the south.
It is too early to attempt an analysis
of the western idea Of American wom-
anhood, for the west. from Cleveland
and Chicago outward. is but system
of eastern colonies with only one gen.
eral and determining condition, and
that is liberty, under which individual
traits. traditions and tendencies ind
their full opportunity of develdVment.
These various ideas. historical as
well as local, in their origin have pro-
duced the types of women thus largely
indicated in our country. Profoundly
felt and almost universally operative,
beneath these varying influences, re-
mains the old-world orientalism that
women should be first charming. again
charming and always charming. Char
acter. logic, reason and other stern
requirements of life are for the most
mart left to develop in some mysteri
GUS way, INTENDED
The desirability OF thorough col
iegiate education Is as rule not &C
cepted voluntarily by the solvent por
fion of our national community The
female universities are demanded D!
the future breadwinners among won
en- and supported by them This is al
almost universal fact and 1t has
double significance. 1t is at once
promise and a reproach. In plan
words, the American girl Is superb
cially educated except when she !
compelled to earn her own living
There is q shallowne5s OF foresight
universal, a deficiency Of logic so 81
rjous and SO ominous in this certainl
universal inclination on the part
American parents that one may we
stop and inquire its reason.
In a certain celebrated essay ,
sschopenhauer, an essay as acrimcn
Gus as It is profound, he remarks upo
the universal jealousy between a
women as women. Jealousy anon
men. he insists, is largely professions
when it is not intensely personal fro
particular emotional impulse. III
male will fight for his chosen mate
long as the race continues; but wat'
a pretty woman, says this philosophe
as she walks the street and see u
chances cast upon her by the wom'
she crosses in her path They are .
chances of the Guelph and the Chic
line. The jealousy is as universal
the sex, likewise professional, IN I
sense that women's only profession
20 please the men, their masters.
.-oes further and with savage Ditt
ness declares that the iibery of WON
Is monstrous idea, German-Christi
in its origin, which is the curse
Europe. He advises the restoration
the feminine seclusion CT the mia
ages and lauds the institution OF
barem. which he insists would ell
nate vice and all the dangers wh
beset homogeneous civilizations. I
is indeed a vivid expression OF
idea of woman and her proper III
ton and limitation. But his idea
only too prevalent at the pres
time, even in America. the last outp
of European civilization. The linz
ing proof Of this deep-lying prejuc
is shown in it's application to the e
cation of American women. The
clusion derived from the prejudice
inevitable-it is dangerous to be c
er. Such a reputation may be
midable handicap in the race for !
piness, IL woman's happiness is
the hands OF man. 1t is idle to
that this Is so. And here We have
reason why the daughters OF the
arc guarded from any such peril,
beauty and charm. gentleness. 6
ness and submissiyeness are the Q
tiles which clothe young mans Is
and dictate the choice OF wife.
The question now is pertinent.
a cultivated mind. with its infini
various resources. detract
charm? Docs trained logic. wit
1npumerable applications to the |
1ems of life destroy it! 1t is a
ashing that the reasoning masc'