POETRY.

White Ribbon, Volume 5, Issue 53, 1 November 1899, Page 4

POETRY.

BY Mass. O. LANSING.

A Woman’s Soliloquy.

To vote <>r not to vote: that is the question, Whether’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The wrongs ;tn<l so row 3 that do come to others, Or to make common cause against the wrongs we see. And by opposing end them? To vote; to shirk No more ; and by a vote to try to end The oppression and the many common ills Our country now is heir to. ’Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To think, to vote ; To do; perchance help others ; ay, that’s our hope ; For iu that exercise what chance may come, When wo have shuffled oft this coil of habit, Forjwho would let another su Ter, tho’ we uiav not, The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay The insolence of office and the spurns That people sometimes lenm to bear, " hen we ourselves might matters l»etter make By simply voting? Who would honours bear, And live at ease their whole life lo g, And nothing do for any one besides, Nor know the people that about one dwell, The wrongs they suffer? or the help they need, Can we think no one Sutters wrong, since ease is our®, Or counsel patience for those ills they bear, Instead of helping take those ills away ? Does selfishness make cowards of g>»»d souls? And is not enough of resolution To bravely do whate’or we can, in every way we can: To make this world a stepping stone to heaven itself ?