"Why, Uncle!" cried Alice.
"Oh, Mr. Sawyer understands me!" said Uncle Ike. "In the Middle Ages,
when women occupied the highest position that has fallen to her lot
since the days of Adam, the housework was done by menials and scullions.
Has the world progressed when woman is pulled down from her high estate
and this life of drudgery is called her sphere? Beg your pardon, Mr.
Sawyer, but there should be no more limit fixed to the usefulness of
woman than there is to the usefulness of man."
"But," persisted Alice, "I don't think Mr. Sawyer means that exactly.
He means a woman should stay at home and look after her family."
"Well," said Uncle Ike, "so should the man. I am inclined to think if
the father spent more time at home, it would be for the advantage of
both sons and daughters."
"But," said Quincy, "do you think it is for the best interests of the
community that woman should force her way into all branches of industry
and compete with man for a livelihood?"
"Why not?" said Uncle Ike. "In the old days when they didn't work, for
they didn't know how and didn't want to, because they thought it was
beneath them, if a man died, his wife and children became dependent upon
some brother or sister or uncle or aunt, and they were obliged to
provide for them out of their own small income or savings.
Pages:
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253