The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-10

apple from the Tree OF Knowledge
and eating II IL commented on. The
main motive behind her daring Is not
mentioned. however. The fruit seem-
cd most desirable In her eyes because
IT was forbidden. and the Serpent who
baguilcd her thus found his task easy.
In fact the chances are that Eve would
have been disobedient without the per-
sunsions of the Serpent, SO promo was
she, as every woman since has been, to
do what she was told she must not,
The one clause In the marriage cerc-
mony, over which women have always
paused with hating utterance, is the
promise of obedience to their husbands.
They have been TOO conscious Of their
natural and innate defiance of au-
thority and too honest 10 be willing to
give glib utterance to vow, which
they have realized bcyong question
that they did not intend to live UP 10
in any way.
The story OF Bluebeard is most tru-
~ suggestive of that trait in a woman's
character which impels her TO pry In
TO whatever is mysterious. to open
Say door which Is locked against her,
to Use UP in stark rebellion against
any express nd definite command.
Bluebenrd Expcrimentnlist.
Bluebeard was evidently man who
experimental on the weaknesses of
female nature. He set trap for his
wife, and did not set II In vain. The
blood stained key TO the secret cham
Der was, when given into her hand b.
her husband, an object calculated TO
thrill her with fearsorne disgust. but 1t
did not change her purpose, nor pre-
vent her from putting the key in the
lock--even though she sfnirched her
hands in the so doing--turning the
bolt, and passing across the threshold
into slight OF tho CORY horrors beyond.
True she sfrleked loudly enough
when her eyes rested upon what she half
expected to zee, when the spectres OF
her Imagination were transformed into
genuine and Visible proofs OF the cruel
ty of man. the certainty of whose
vengeance toward herself appalled, her
beyond measure. But with all her
fright, there ia not the slightest hint
OF anything like repentance over what
she had done. She knew that II she
were to be tried over again II would
only need her husbands saying you
must not" for her Utmost soul to Ut
once assert: "Ah. but shall"
What She Sets Her Henrt On.
THE forbidden fruit" IS always that
on which a woman sets her heart. 1t
Is the apple on the iopmost bougl,
swinging tantalizingly out OF reach,
which In her eyes bushes the reddcst
and to her mind would taste the sweet
est. 1t is the story which every con-
sideration of discretion binds her to
keep secret, that she longs most to tell
II Is the rose that she knows she ought
not to cut that seems the sweetest and
makes the strongest appeal to her de-
sires
The mind goes back to Sampson the
mighty, great of body and Of soul,
robbed OF tho secret OF his supremacy
or manhood by DeIilah. She has stood
for the image OF treachery during all
the ages since she held her lovers
sleeping head on her knees with his
shorn locks. as witness against her
constancy and devotion. and yet, Deli
lah only acted as man. women would
do to-day She found out that Sampson
had n secret In his mind. Then she had
no peace until she had wrested It from
him. She did not tell II 20 the Ph!lis-
tines because she wanted them 10 put
ont SIMPSONS eyes and set him TO de-
grading labor. All no. that was not
che reason.
She spoke out when she should have
remained silent, because of the bar
laid across her lips. She knew 1t was
there, and she could not resist the i'm
pulse to rend 1t asunder.
Women Born Rebels.
All women are born rebels at heart
They have championed insurgent
movements and aided opposition par
ties throughout all the successive
stages of their Development. Draw a
line and tell woman not to cross and
then watch her immediate determine
ton that takes her oven In q leap.
yf-y>~ III u
transformed into the thing she longs
for most, ghenever she Is told that
she cannot have 1t, or she must not
do 1t.
Probably the secret OF woman's con-
tlnued and continuous INSTRUMENTATION
Is that she has always been guch a
restricted being. Tho first sound to
which the ears OF a baby woman are
opened is: Don't do this, or don't do
that" The first decided emotion awak-
ened and translated into action on a
baby woman's part, is that which
CLEANS in her eye and trembles In
her lisping utterances, when she en-
deavors to assert her Independence.
and carry out her revolt against tho
hand that interferes with her attain
ment OF forbidden fruit"
Forbidden Fruit Symbol.
Forbidden fruit has symbolized al
ways. and Will ever symbolic that
which represents at the moment wo-
mans dearest hope, her greatest am
bition her truest revenge. her I'M
swerving determination, her unspeak-
able aspiration. her most unmistaka-
BILE courage.
Blot out the word "forbidden' and
the hope becomes Improbable, the
ambition vain, the revenge davorless.
the determination perverted. the as :
piration blurred and the courage cow
srdice.
Since the world has been created
the hand of woman has been stretched
out toward. and the heart of woman
has coveted. forbidden fruit" That
the fruit has often turned to ashes on
the lips of woman points no lesson
for other women. Each one must sep-
arately taste for herself, and the
harder the fruit Is to reach, the more
absolutely the approach to 1t is
barred, the more resolutely a woman
will press forward to reach 1t, and
hold 1t In her hand and to her mouth.
VIRGINIA MISSIONER.
WHAT WOMEN ARE
DOING AND THINNING,