The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-10-27
COL. DEM. -. VOL. XXXV.. mo. 36

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their boasts about how they should
manage their wives and make ,em
obey. 1 can't help laughin', to this
day, when / think how submissively,
modestly and meekly the girls received
such talk, and with what soft and sub.
dued tones they answered, if the boys
asked 'em question. | suppose they
were tryin' to obey the DOCTORS lniunc.
tions In regard to bein' humble and
dutiful, and / presume they thought
they looked as amjable and interesting,
to tho boys, as Eve did TO Adam when
she called him her Author and Dis
poser.
There was nine girls in the first class.
Folly Parson, n sprightly, black.eyed,
rosy-cheeked girl, was TN odd one
among 'em. She was full of life and
wit; and she was considered a little
port and saucy, but we all liked her.
Sho was uncommon smart and handy.
III an accident happened, or trouble of
any Kind came along we wero all glad
to have Polly 'round. If Il little child
fell into the brook near the school.
house, she never screamed to tho biz
boys to come and git 1t out, but she'd
pull ii out herself, and git its clothes all
Wrung out fore some of the other girls
would git through screaming. When
the boys got into their big talks, she
never dropped her eyes and looked
abashod, but she'd alters put in word
herself. That night, when we were
goin' homo from school, Polly's eyes
sparkled little more'n common, and
her checks were little rcd. l thought
she'd have somethir' to say, and she
did. She told the boys she was glad
they had such nice ideas about wives,
and she hoped that they'd all be blessed
some time with wives as lovely and as
docile as the doctors wife. That was
pretty keen in Polly, for the doctors
! wife was ono of the most soft, helpless,
wishy-washy women / ever did see.
The doctor camc along in a minute.
Polly went up to him and said meekIy
and bcseechingly: 'Dr. Richards, have
you got one copy of those beautiful
lines left? IF you have, doctor, will
you please give it to me" He had
written 'em off on little slips of paper
for each girl. He looked very smtlingly
on Polly and asked her if she had lost
hers. No, SIR She replied, but 1
shouldn't like TO give mine away and
l want one to send down to Dan. Fletch-
| er's wife. l don't think that she ever
read it. She won't obey Dan. and she
will argue with him. The doctor said:
tut, tut, Poll Pm surprised, Pm sur
pIised = and he stepped along pretty
quick. Polly said in low tone: Il
thought he would be. You see, the
doctor WAS justice of the peace,
aud Dan was one Of the most ugly
and tyrannical critters that ever trod
shoe leather, and he was up fore the
doctor onlya week aforc for whippin'
his wife. Every boy there laughed in
In spite of himself
| Look hero, boys,' Polly said, run
ming ahead little and turniu' round
and facin' us, 'if you swallow such stuff
|
afternoon, you needn't one of you ever
ask me to marry you, for you'd want tC
rule with rod of iron. And, girls,
want to tell you that you'll be just like
the Doctors wife if you try TO live up tc
the doctors creed. l declare some o.
you begin to look like her already
What do you suppose that God CAV,
you the power of thinkin' and con
sciences for, il you ARE never to make
use of either" DO you suppose that hi
made IL mistake and endowed you with
more gifts than you need? You'll gil
sick of such nonsense sometime, and
then you'll quarrel with your hus-
bands. | shan'tcvor quarrel with mine,
you SEQ If do. lie shall have his
rights aud / shall have mino-you see
if don'tv
/ declare, Aunt Hannah, begin f
believe in womcn's rights; don't you ?
said Mrs. Fisllc, speaking for the frs
time since Aunt Hannah commenced
her story.
Begin TO believe! Why, child,
alters did believe in women's rights
and mems rights, and childrens rights
l believe that each human bein' ha
rights that no other human bein' shoult
be allowed to trample on
l mean that l begin to believe il
woman suffrage
'Oh, that's what you mean? We'll
Well talk about that tomorrow, an
the rest of the family can join US. But
tonight while we are alone, we want
see if we can't find some way for yo
out of your troubles. If you could &
. to the ballot,box tomorrow, Mary, an
put in fifty votes, can't see as it woul
I help you out of your present trouble
3 any more than it would lift you out
a well If you had tumbled into one
What will help me, Aunt Hannah
l What can do? p
Go to your husband with yol
. troubles. Thatll be hundred tim
| better than to brood over 'em in secrt
a and thousand times better than to t.
5 EN- to any one else. Tell him tn
= you're unhappy-thaty you're not sat
J.. fed with your present way of livil
d that you don't think God designed tn
4 husband and wife should live togeth
o as You and he are livin'. Say ever
!. thing right out, kindly and respectful
@ but as plainly and frankly as Polly Pi
Q son would. Don't keep any of yo
II grievances back, A full understand
n is alters better than a half way one.'
1t Mrs. Fiske's heart misgave her as S
is thought of the many things she wou
have to tell him, and of the way that
would probably receive it. She said
1T is easy enough to think befo
," hand how one will manage when m
a rled, Aunt Hannah. Did Polly Pars
n ever marry"
es She did, and doubt if Il better W
,e or mother ever lived. Her husband v
ne one of those very school boys who boa
at ed about maxim their wives obev.