The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-27
THE ELDER-sIsTER TRAGEDY

Mlnna ThomaS Antrim, in September LIP
pincott's.
Among the social and domestic prob
lens that of the Elder Sister should be
more sharply focused. There are homes.
many thousands of them, where she has
thrust upon her alternately the role of
door mat and pack horse. Her life is
merely a matter of doing, and being done
out of. Happiness is to her about as
alien as a myth to a philosopher. She
has days of WEAKNESS and nights of sod
den sleep, brought on by care or work
because she must, or because to rebel is
beyond her depleted strength.
Why the first born girl should so fire.
quently be the chosen slave of her family
passes conjecture. The first born son is
more often the ruler of his brothers and
sisters, and the pride of his parents. Rare
ly is he the one who is charged with the
combined domestic anxieties, as is the
sister whose birth antedates the younger
fry. The injustice of this finally amounts
TO tragedy DUTY has killed many such
sisters, for what is a stunted life but
gradual death? That such member of
a large or a small family is valued is
not within possibility One who is be-
loved, one who is valued, is saved in all
all ways. at all times, by her kindred.
There are young women unmarried to-
day solely because they have never had
any opportunity or time to be young; who
are taciturn because they have never as
sociated with people who talk we'll swho
are spinsters. yet whose motherhood il
l,tr ~ l,ait 70 iOl1f Of
little child. And many more are there
whose talents would win them PLACE if
they had only courage to assert them
selves, or to refuse to assume more than
their just share of domestic responsible
ties. Many an invalid 90 mother cod
dies her nerves upon a couch, while her
devoted daughter crucifes hers in the
kitchen. To what end? None-absoutelyi
To permit ones individuality to be SUBJ
merged is not only weak, it is wicked, for
God has created in us all something that
makes for the life personal. The girl
who does too much for her family will
have to look for her reward in the next
world, never in this POO" is the adjec-
tive tagged on to Martha's name, and in
the family summing up pity is more akin
to contempt than to love. To be every
body's body is to be nobody, hence the
tragic error of being the burden bearer
and the too willing runner for those who
should use not only their youthful backs,
but their legs as well, and share isis
ter'sv spirit breaking duties. When finan-
cial coEditions are squally, the elder sis
ter has an especially hard itinerary. If
she is pursebearer and marketer. which
she usually is, daily miracles are expected,
and uncanny- prowess in making a very
| little money satisfy not only landlord and
tradesmen but the hundred and one incl
dental demands of careless family as
well.
| Is it any wonder that she fails to shine
after the days work Is ended? That she
prefers to stay at home rather than fare
| forth gaily with the crowd?" She is too
tired body and soul and spirit, to "get
! into the game" Her lustreless eyes and
| listless manner earn for her the reputa-
! tion of being duh, queer, unsocial. Rather
| than wait to watch for Prince Charming,
sister Martha steals softly to bed per-
! chance-who knows?-to dream of the
might have been. Favoritism of this sort
| Is sin for which God will surely hold
parents and kinfolk responsible. Among
family of young people, the elder sister
has a God made prior right to her chance
for happiness, to live the normal life of a
normal woman, of wifehood and mother
hood; who hinders her unduly has much
| to answer for, much to expiate.