Facts and Fictions of Life

Оглавление

Gardener Helen Hamilton. Facts and Fictions of Life

PREFACE

THE FICTIONS OF FICTION

A DAY IN COURT

I. CRIMINAL COURT

II. IN THE POLICE COURT

THROWN IN WITH THE CITY'S DEAD

AN IRRESPONSIBLE EDUCATED CLASS

SEX IN BRAIN

WOMAN AS AN ANNEX

THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF WOMAN IN HEREDITY

HEREDITY IN ITS RELATIONS TO A DOUBLE STANDARD OF MORALS

DIVORCE AND THE PROPOSED NATIONAL LAWS

LAWSUIT OR LEGACY

POINTS HUMOROUS AND OTHERWISE ABOUT LIFE INSURANCE

COMMON SENSE IN SURGERY

HEREDITY: IS ACQUIRED CHARACTER OR CONDITION TRANSMITTIBLE?

ENVIRONMENT: CAN HEREDITY BE MODIFIED

Отрывок из книги

I read – on a recent railway journey – a popular magazine. Its leading story was labeled as a "story for girls." In it the traditional gentleman of reduced fortunes continued to still further deplete the family-resources by speculation, and the three daughters who figure in most such stories went through the regular paces, so to speak.

One taught music; one painted well and sold her bits of canvas for ten dollars each; but the third girl had no talent except that of a cheerful temperament and the ability to drape curtains and arrange furniture attractively. These girls talked over the fact, that they were now reduced to their last ten dollars and the pantry was empty, father ill, and mother – not counted. They joked a little, wept a few tears, and prayed devoutly. Then the talentless one received an invitation in the very nick of time to visit the richest lady in town (a cripple with a grand house). She went, she saw, and, of course, she conquered – earned money by giving artistic touches to the houses of all the rich people in town, and eight months later married the nephew of the opulent cripple. No more mention is made of the empty pantry, the sick father, and the two talented girls whose labor did not previously keep the wolf from the door. But it is only fair to suppose that the new husband was to be henceforth the head of the entire establishment – surely a warning to most young men contemplating matrimony under such trying circumstances. All is supposed to move on well, however, and every hapless girl who reads such a story, is led to believe that she is the household fairy who will meet the prince and somehow (not stated) redeem her father's family from want and despair. For it is the object of such stories to convey the impression that everything is quite comfortable and settled after the wedding. The young girl who reads these stories looks out upon life through the absurd spectacle thus furnished her. She sees nothing as it is. Such little plans as she can make, are based upon wholly incorrect data. Her whole existence is unconsciously made to bend to the idea of matrimony as a means of salvation for herself and such persons as may be in any way objects of care to her.

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"Abstract justice is an attribute of the masculine mind." "Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn."

"No class was ever able to be just to – to do justly by another class – hence the need of popular representation." "Women should take no part in politics."

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