A Plea for Women.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1896, 1 November 1886, Page 2

A Plea for Women.

To the Editor of the Standard. Sib,— Ton will I hope, allow m« to call attention ol “ Only a Man " to a lew worda of truth spoken by Dr Talmaga about the down-trodden state of women. I am a mother and a wife, and oan endorse bis words. He says " Let me tell you that a wife and mother bae to conduct at the same time a university, a clothing establishment, a restaurant, a laundry, a library, and bae to be health officer, police and president of the whole rea m. She ha* to do a thousand thing*, an.) t<> do them well, in order to make things go smoothly, and that is what putt the awful tax on a woman’s nerves and a woman’s brain. Qo out to the cemetery and look over the epitaphs on the tombstones ; they are all beautiful and poetic; but if the tombstones could tell the truth, thousands of them would say : •• Here lies a woman who was killed by too much mending and sewing, and baking, and scouring, and scrubbing, and the weapon* with which she wa* killed wes e broom, or e sewing machine, or e ladle. The housewife rises in the morning hall rested. At an irrtvocablt hoot she must have the morning repast ready. What if the fire will not bnrn 7 What if the olook stop* 7 What if tba marketing has not bean sent in 7 No matter that; it mnst bt ready it the irrevocable hour. Then the children moat be got ready for school. Bat what if the garments be torn 7 What if they do not know their lemons 7 What if tha hat or *»*h is lost 7 They mast be ready. Then yon have ihe diet of e day, or perhaps several days to pi m out. Bat what if the batcher wads meat nnmastioable 7 What if the grocer famishes yon articles ol food adulterated 7 It is not only tha toil of honeekeeping, but it in that sickness and sorrow go along with it. It is a simple fact that one hall the women arc invalids. I also see tha trials of severe economy. Nino hundred and ninety pins households ont of a thousand are sub* jeeted to it either under greeter or lees stress of circumstances. It is especially so whan e man smoke* expensive cigar* and at costly rsatanranta. He will be very apt to enjoin severe economy at horns. That is what kill* thousands of women The attempt to •uake five dollan do the work of seven jllars.” “ Only s Man ” cannot aay this i* not a true picture of thousands of homes. What does ha answer 7 lam, Ac.. E. S.