Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-08-05
Friday, August ., 1910
THE STRENUOUS WOMAN.

''In DAYS of old, when knights
were bold the man was looked
to as the natural protector of
woman. She was estimated us
helpless, or at least needing pro-
lection, and the brave male went
vallantly and defiantly about to
fight i'll her behalf. Fighting was
real work then. None of your
shooting at long range, with "a
breastwork in front and Skin
mlshers to protect. 1t was face
toface and sword-pointto sword
point. Men then literally faced
each other in combat and the
struggle was deadly. The victor
carried off the woman. Later the
man got himself n horse, carried
spear, clad himself in armor
and was thus somewhat pro-
tected, but still the fight was ut
close range-a hand-to-hand con
illicit. Those gentry must have
found it uncomfortable on hot
days with a brass pot on the
head and u lot of metal plates
rlvetted into a shirt to keep out
the lnsidiOus lances of the foe.
But they fought, and if we are to
Delleve history we must conclude
that IN the majority of eases the
ultimate meaning of the struggle
was that the weak woman was
to be protected.
But all that has passed. The
woman of the present day seems
quite adequate to protect herself.
ana Is doing ii very successfully.
In those old days we read of how
they tainted in the presence of
danger. and Shrieked ut the ap-
proach of the invader. Now, as
we read almost daily. the woman
meets the midnight invader. at
tackes him without fear. throttles
him in the midst of his quest afterI
valuables and drives him out
vi ct arms, she the conquerer
and the burly burglar the van
quished. Here today we read of
a woman in New York CITY who. |
finding II burglar in her apart
ment, Tucked him with an ordi- |
nary cuspidore. pounded him
over the head, drove him back to |
the window. smashed him with a
rolling-pin, until in his struggles |
to escapeh he plunged through the
glass OF the window fifty feet
down, TO death. Another simple
minded fellow tried to snatch "A
pocket-book from the hand of "A
maiden on the streets of Chicago.
when she turned furiouslv on him
with that most convenient |
hat-pin-and she and
her companion not only rescued
the purse but drove the fellow i'm
front OF them to the police head
quarters.
Cases could be multiplied of the
heroism of women of the day.
cases where they, confronted bv
danger. have boldly turned on
the intruder, attacked him with
che first weapon coming handy
and demolished him outright.
Thus it would seem proven that
no longer does woman the frail
and delicate, need mans protect
ng aid-she can care for herself.
Very lately we read of "a man. So
JAILED, who found his way into a
nome. bent~ on plumber. The
woman OF the house was in. and (
'he wentfOr him with simple fists.
knocked him down, choked him
nearly senseless, and when he was | |
Idle TO stand, drove him contemp-
'uously out the front door. civ
NO HIM a parting kick-if we re-
all the story aright-not want d
ng any such guests. Very soon. 1
We lear, if things go on at this {
ate, the woman who once re-
orted to tears, her only refuge.
vlll be able to cudgel us poor fell /
ows into ignominious obedience )
md get the chores done bv ms v
whilst she looks on with arms d
I-kimbo, laughing at our helm d
essness. Indeed, at this rate we 4
nay be obliged to call on her to G
'rotect US, and, instead of her I
bending our stockings. she will b
-bnt we dread to peer into that Il
lsmal ilture, and stop off hand. I