Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-02
NO OLD WOMEN.
The Changed Attitude of Modern w.
man to Life.

/ Go not think anyone who goes about
London with tie open eve can have
failed to observe very startling rev
oiution in the attitude OF women to
the Whole question Of life-a revolu-
ton which has not yet been entirely
bloodless.
That women should lave woman's
cause. should be prepared to suffer for
it and make many self-sacrif1ces in the
shape OF service 10 further its ends.
are only aspects of the phenomenon.
There is growing difference in wo-
man herself, in her expression and
carriage. i'll her method of dress. in
her ways of thought and her whole at
titude to life. l should say the sum
total of it means an Unborn determina-
ton to be in the game of life itself in
stead of standing outside the arena. d
protected and sometimes pampered
spectator. Just as men challenge each
other as nations-a neglected force
creeping into strength and finally ex-
listing as standing menace-so with
in the nation a neglected force is
growing and the time will come when
woman, assuming an cqu&. intelli-
gence. viii demand from the challeng-
ed power of men an equal opportunity
The end of that challenge and the out
come are secrets to be found only in
the running sands OF time
And one aspect of the changing at
tituGe of woman may be CLEANED by
observing the cid woman or one
might say that the man who desires
to observe the old woman in London will
fail for the simple reason that there
are no old women nowadays at all.
Aged SHE may be, counting the wears
and outward signs. such rs silvered
hair-if she be very honest-but old
she is not, nor will she ever become
SO in her attitude TO life, In the past
the proverb was "A man is as old as
he feels; a woman as old as she
looks" Its significance is being re
vised with startling effect in our own
day.
The proper place Of u woman was. in
the old days, at home. In youth they
decked her out as one more line Of
| goods in the matrimonial market-in
the hope that some lord of creation
would come along and take her off the
shelf He bought her with vast con-
descension, as some idler in an unac-
customed place might buy on seeing
exposed for sale bird of rich plum
age and haunting powers of song. He
took her home aud put her IN q cage,
and maybe in time for it does happen
that way out of the romantic stories
the owner grew tired of the possession
and did not lnger even to listen to
the song. The singing bird became
more of a sparrow growing dingier
and dingier and the melody of its
youthful notes gradually diminished
and became q Withered fretful chirp.
Long before she became as dingy a S a
sparrow woman's main claim to eXis-
tenCe, her decorative value in the
home began to weaken. and mostly
indoors, she warmed her whitening
hands at the waning fires of life. often
neglected. and at her best a tolerat-
ed appendage Of the house. The trag-
edy of women at this period of wan
ing beauty may be visualized by
watching the tinted leaves fall one by
one from noble tree in autumn.
But that is not the woman of today
She does not sit at home. In what
used to be her decorative days she
learns a profession or trade, an art or
craft anu uOtS ilut iliuNlt CoiiG WiA'7l4itt
there is even a bid in her matrimonial
citing. Even when there is, the bird
that is to be Gagged bargains with the
buyer-stipulates for the policy of the
open door and her right to fly in and
out as she pleases. When there are
young birds in the nest, to her entire
credit she comes often to see how the
lodgings are progressing. | have not
yet seen anything in the woman S
movement that implies neglect OF ma
ternity. She becomes increasingly