ind an
honest man, but not so with a good woman, who is an illumination in
herself, the light of her influence shining with a radiance of its own.
You will agree with me that the following lines contain more truth than
poetry, and I bow to the splendid genius of the author:

Blame woman not if some appear
Too cold at times, and some too gay and light;
Some griefs gnaw deep--some woes are hard to bear.
Who knows the past, and who can judge them right?

Perhaps you have heard of banquets "for gentlemen only." Well, it was
upon one of these occasions that one of the guests was called upon to
respond to a toast--"The Ladies."

There being no ladies present, he felt safe in his remarks. "I do not
believe," he said, "that there are any real, true women living any more."
The guest opposite him sprang to his feet and shouted: "I hope that the
speaker refers only to his own female relations." I never could
understand, either, when a man goes wrong it is called "misfortune," while
if a woman goes wrong it is called "shame." But I presume, being in
prison twenty-five years, I am naturally dull, and should not question a
world I have not lived in for a quarter of a century. I tell you, my
friends, that I know very little of women, but of one thing I am morally
certain: If the front seats of Paradise are not reserved for women, I am
willing to take a back seat with them. It seems to me that every man who
had a mother should have a proper regard for womanhood. My own mother was
a combination of all the best elements of the high character that belong
to true wife and motherhood. Her devotion and friendship were as eternal
as the very stars of heaven, and no misfortune could dwarf her generous
impulses or curdle the milk of human kindness in her good heart. Her
memory has been an altar, a guiding star, a divinity, in the darkest hour
when regrets were my constant companions. It is true that I was a mere
boy, in my teens, when the war was on, but there is no excuse for
neglecting a good mother's counsel, and no good can possibly result. I
was taught that honor among men and charity in the errors of others were
the chief duties of mankind, the fundamentals of law, both human and
divine. In those two commandments I have not failed, but in other
respects I fell short of my home influence, and so, my young friends, do
not do as I have done, but do as I tell you to do--honor the fourth
commandment.

There