The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-11


and inspiring thoughts for our page to-
day. It is the divinity of womanhood
that seems 20 have impressed the minds
OF the optimists. and 1t is good that this
should be so. MaeterDhck says that 'all
women have communications with the
unknown that are denied TO u.s." and any
one who chooses to think gravely of the
matter will know that this is truth. He
says:
Woman never foTgets the path that leads 70 the
center 1t her being. and no matter whether find
her IN oTsliencc or IN pDerty IN Ignorance or N
fnilnesz Of knowledge IN shame in glory. do |
out whisper one word that has truly eone forth
from the virgin depths Of my soul. she viii retTRee
the footsteps along the mysterious paths she has
never forgotten ard without moments hesitation
viii she bTng back 10 from cut her inexhaHstihle
stores Of love word, ook. or gesture that shall
b. 10 less pure than my own- II Is as though her
soul were ever within call, for by day and by night
y she prepared 10 give 10 the lottet appeals
from another sCs and the ransom Of the poorest Is
undiHtingulshsble from the ransom Of queen.
To realize this truth of the fine divinity
that is part of the love of every tender
woman is TO be compelled always to re-
gard them with reverence and perhaps
something of awe also. For whether it
is in their smile or their tears in their
dreams or in their stern insistence on the
toll Of our best labor which they ask US
for our own sOurs sake-to cast at their
feet. we must approach their abiding
place with humility and willingness to
learn. For if one true woman lets US sec
through the windows of her soul one
fleeing glimpse of the mysteries beyond
We shall 10 bound to see that through
those things which We cali Charm
beauty, vivacity, grace-she is working
inevitably the win and the purposes OF
God.
We hear sometimes OF men who have
suffered at the hands OF women, but /
feel about this matter as Maeterlinck
does, that chose who complain of them
know not the height whereupon the true
kisses are 20 be found, and verify do /
pity them" From the very beginning.
rather, do they suffer for us, for our
transgressions. and il is our burdens that
bend their backs They are Christ-like
in their cheerful endurance. SO if we
would think Of them justly 1t must per-
force be tenderly and our hearts must
swell with gratitude 10 them for all they
have done and are doing for Us; those
women who bear US in pain. who tend us
in illness. who comfort us in sorrow, who
inspire us To the highest that is in our
nature. whose smile is a benedictiOn, and
whose tears are divine and holy
q woman Lovely WOmani Nature made thee
TO temper man We had been brltes without you
Angels are painted fam to look like you;
Themes in yen al that We believe Of Heaven.
Amazing brightness. Trity. and truth
Eternal JOY and everlasting love-
The prize-winners in the symposium to-
day are s. f. Adkins. of 2O31 F street.
and Evelyn Hahn, 1924 Euclid street.
Their contributions follow;
Earths noblest thing. a woman per-
fccted.-LOWel.
4 perfect woman. nobly planned.
To warn TO comfort and command;
And yet a spirit still, and bright
With something of an angel light
Wordsworth.
When pain and anguish wiring the brow
A ministering angel thou.
The strongest forces of the world, the
very foundation OF the highest civiliZa-
ton. are educated and Christian wives
and mothers. Woman has helped TO dig
Nifty labor and to elevate humanity and
has thus made her name immortal De-
voted TO her family, she does not forget
welfare Of those less fortunate than her
self Best of all the true woman sees
and believes in the progress OF the race
and Improvement OF home. still hui
manity grows dearer. being learned the
more. The life of woman teaches that
with persiste1lcy and noble purpose we
can accomplish almost anything; we can
bless the world in thousands of ways,
and are untrue to God and ourselves II
we fail TO DO il. Noman is usually low
ing, and love hghtens all care and labor.
a true woman is one whose influence
aTOuses all the pure, noble, and true as
piratiOns OF the soul. She is an example
OF humane sympathy. Of calm reason, OF
lofty magnanimity, thorough integrity,
and unfaltering devotion TO duty and the
object of her affection. Hers is that sim
pie wisdom of a true heart which tran
sends the most dazzling genius Of uan.
And as one or earth's true souls, she viii
enlist the warm admiration Of all who
have an earnestness akin 10 hers so long
as the world eudures. She loses no time
in useless replnings. but makes the best
or everything. Above all, she practices
blessed optimism. that amid all the
shortcomings OF human nature, sees the
best lifts souls upward. and helps TO
make home and the world sunny by its
singing. S. l. ADKINS.
To be a woman in all that the word
means what a glorious privilege. and
yet what a far-reaching sphere Of re-
sponsibility to fnl For a woman's iniu-
ence is tremendous, for good or the re-
verse 1t is indeed "the hand that rocks
the cradle that rules the world"
Back Of every real man-every great
gnan-is his soul power. the divine urge
Of aspiration. and the inspiration thereof
Is woman There have been great things
done and there are still greater thinas
TO be done in this world. IL is mans
part TO do things, but it is woman who
sUpplies the motive, who inspires. Il
may be only a dream-woman of an ideal;
il NAV be Just some obscure domestic
flower whose sweetness OF daily example
perfumes the rough cOmmonplaces of
life: perhaps ii is the unfOrgettable men,
DRY OF some wholesome homespun mother
with her genius for sacrifice. or il may
he a princess Of the poets, but at some
time in his souls journey the touch Of
some Woman's influence has left its seed.
The real woman believes in the divin-
ity OF service: she wants to help and
she understands. That unexplainabie
extra sense which she possesses gives
her more than mere brain power. And
II Is in the part Of helpmate, cOmrade,
and wise counselor that she Yields her
highest influence. In that capacity she
Is priceless
The real woman is always TO be de-
pended upon in a crisis. Capricious, win
ming in her delicious inconsequence; yet
when a supreme moment arrives she is
ready with her unlimited resOurcefulness
10 meet any emergency. Where a man
goes under. she is just ready TO. begin.
And who serves her country better?