People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1895 — Women and Men. [ARTICLE]

Women and Men.

Written for tlie Pilot. It is siiiJ of widow, maid and wife, That honor is u woman's life. Yes, honor is a woman's life, for without it she does not live the life of a woman, nor does the world treat her as a woman. The esteem that woman commands is secured by deportment polite, honorable and chaste; but the partner of her joys, the recipient of the blessings her holy life brings, he who loves ard adores woman for her honor and faithfulness, does not always worship at the shrine of purity and virtue. Although men appreciate respectability and demand of the gentler sex characters and conduct bordering onto the angelic, yet they themselves indulge in many practices that are wicked, dirty and vulgar. A man can revel and carouse, blaspheme and defraud and yet stand well in society. A man can get gentlemanly tight, politely swear, maliciously deceive, willfully lie and Still be honored and respected. Owing to the present conditions and practices of society honor is not an essential quality in men. Virtuons and respectable conduct really adds but little to a man’s reputation and success in life. When one of Adam’s sons does, however, step a little too far from the path of rectitude, a thousand excuses are made, everyone is ready to pity and forgive; we hear the cry, “he was tempted, the force of circumstances compelled him to do so; the poor fellow was deceived; he was misled; at heart he is honest,” and to sum it all up in a few words we hear them say : “He is a jolly good fellow and I think we ought to be willing to forget and forgive. ” Does woman find so many friends? Does anyone paliate her crimes? Who brings in the plea that the surroundings and the force of circumstances led her from the path of honor? Who is ready to pity and forgive? Oh, woman! once you stray the unfriendly world turns against you. Reformation does not win you back. No one thinks of reclaiming you, but man can be taken from the lowest depths of sin, placed at the sacred desk, a teacher and a leader of the people. Not so with woman. She has to but make one step in vice and the world will assist her to make the next. Why all this? Is not honor, honor wherever found? Is not sin, sin by whomsoever

committed? With what show of justice can we excuse the son, and for the same sin condemn the daughter? Why Dot demand as much respectability from the man as from the woman, and why not reclaim the woman as readily as the man? Oh, such injustice! The scheme of redemption was surely as much in tended for one sex as the other, but human efforts are made to palliate the crimes of the one and increase the misery and shame of the other. Society is surely responsible for the conduct of many an erring one, for we are all so bitter in our denunciations. so destitute of charity and forgiveness that we prevent many a wanderers return. If the words of advice would fill the place of words of censure and reproach, if the look of compassion would take the place of the finger of scorn, good surely could be done. Then let us be not so partial in our advice nor so unjust in our criticism, but let our words of cheer, our deeds of love and our smiles of approbation like the gentle dews and soft winds of heaven go to all alike