The Washington herald., 1913-10-28
ny FRANCES sHAFFER.

According to a recent definition In a
New York newspaper. the feminist
movement" 10 "a term used 10 charac-
terize the modern woman's tendency TO
shake on the shackles Of convention
that have hitherto hampered her spirit
ual and intellectual growth and the free
dom OF her lower limbs"
In commenting upon IL editorialiy the
newspaper says IL has manifested itself
OF late in many forms. being largely re-
sponsible for cigarette smoking. for the
split skirt. for the eternal discussion OF
all phases OF the man and woman oues-
tion In books. magazines, and elsewhere.
and, OF course. for the desirs TO vote.
All of which II counts "a heavy respon-
sibility for q single movement to stag
ger under"
OF course. the definition is much too
absurd and too far from facts, as they
run. to matter at all; but Its very ao-
surdity brings to mind some Of the con-
ditions the movement staggered under
and still survived. And 1t makes one
think of a little girl who happened to
be on earth at a time when there was
no feminist movement TO disturb the
world.
Asked Many Questions.
Lucy Stone was the daughter OF a
New England farmer, who naturally and
very cordially subscribed to the views
OF his time upon the proper sphere for
woman and upon the measure OF
rights that should be granted her.
They lived on rocky farm. where all
must share In the work, and 80 It hap
pened that the little girl not only
learned how to be a good cook. 70 make
butter and soap, and to follow other
hoN uvffalv fte hut algn tn assist
with the outside labors. Often and often
she was up in the morning while yet II
was starlight to drive the cows to the
fields. and as soon as she could count
she was taught to drop corn In the fur
rows and pumpkin seeds in the hills.
But while the child was hurrying
about in the kitchen and out in the
fields she was learning to think and
TO ask a great many questions And
the faster the years sped by the faster
the questions grew. Why was II, she
wondered. that after their long years
OF united labor. father and mother, the
money was all his? And why was her
mother Obliged to yield to the unbending
will Of her father?
She had pleaded to be sent to col
lcge along with her brothers Why did
her father pronounce her crazy be-
cause she wanted to 90. and why did
he peremptorily say NOT And why
were there no opportunities for girls
to earn a living just like their brothers.
because-why, they had to work and to
live just the same?
Everybody who has read anything
about Lucy Stone knows that she went
to college In spite OF the prohibition,
worked her way through alone, while
her brothers were furnished the money,
aad that aha had occasion TO ask q
great many questions In college. and
after. When she began to teach school
why was 1t, she asked, that SIG month
was counted enough for woman,
while so was inadequate for mani!
And why were the laws 90 far apart
for woman and for man?
These were a few of the things that
disturbed her; but. just as her father
called her crazy" because OF her
strange ambition for college, SO the
world called her insane. and, worse.
when she publicly asked those Questions
staggered Under Heavy Burdens.
But that did not deter her, did not
bar her and others from starting move
ment. which had several heavy re-
sponsibIlities to stagger under, perhaps
the worst Of all the burden OF trying
to arouse slumbering mankind TO reali-
! zation of the fact that the laws made
for married women were disgrace to
the trainers and to those who carried
| them along, and that the unwritten laws,
based upon custom and one thing and
another. were sadly in need Of amending.
II Lucy Stone and the rest of her
kind had not been markedly strong OF
mind and of heart they never would
have been able to stagger along under
the load Of ridicuie and abuse heaped