The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-06-14
MistellaneOns Sel&ttiuns.
THE END OF AN EXPERIMENT.

"It's a very convenient house, .
said Squire Northall. "Water filter
ing cisterns, asparagus bed, dry
basement-everythIng in apple pie
order. Such an opportunity don't
occur every day"
YES" said Miss Grace Penny
hacker, cycling the premises in a
keen. business sort of way. "What
do you think, Gerty, my dear?"
Il think as you think, aunty,"
said Gertrude, who was the most
docile little white lamb of a damsel
that the imagination could conceive.
''Then well take it." said Miss
Grace, ''Pll pay quarters rent in
advance, and sign the papers to
morrow night"
The Squire took snuff in an en-
barrassed sort of way and said:
Excuse me ma'am, but is it true
that you're one of those woman:
rights people?"
"What difference does it make
whether 1 am or not?" shortly de
manded Miss Pennybacker.
Because 1 don't believe in tha
sort of thing" answered the Squire
"and I won't let my house to one Of
'em."
swell then," said Miss Grace
bravely, 81 do believe in a woman'i
right to vote if she chooses, to lee
ture if she chooses, to stay at home
and make puddings if she chooses
and to be just as independent as she
chooses. If that's being woman's
advocate, Pm one"
"Then," said the Squire, thrustins
his hands deeply into his trowser
pockets, "Pd rather not let my hous,
to you"
"Then you can let it alone" sait
Miss Grace, tipping her round ha
defantly on her nose. "Come
Gerty,"
And the obedient niece dutifully
followed in her warlike aunt's foot
steps.
"What shall we do, auntyF" Ger
trude asked, when they had walked
on a little way.
"There are houses enough" sale
aunt Grace; sand | won't be dicta
ted to! l tell you what, Gerty, the
more one sees of men the more one
gets disgusted. l wish 1 knew of al
island inhabited solely by women p
$50 do l, aunty, said Gerty, cling
ing to Miss Grace's protecting
skirts.
Miss Pennybacker selected the
next most eligible house on her list
"a Swiss cottage on the hill, owned
by an apathetic old lady, who would
let her house to Mephistopheless
himself if he had come with dress
coat, French boots, and suitable rec
ommendation from the real estate
agent.
"What kind of a neighborhood is
itY' asked Miss Pennybacker.
"Well" drawled out old Mrs. Hall,
" faint very likely. The doctor
who lives in the big house-an &C.
centric sort of a man, that won't
have a woman nowhere around, and
there amt no society, and"
81 don't want society,"" interrup-
ted Miss Pennybacker. "Give me
the keys, and I'll take possession
at oncen
Great was Miss Pennybacker's
gleeful self-congratulation, when she
found herself safely installed in
Laurel Lodge" which was the
name of the Swiss cottage on the
hill.
Roses, daffodiIs, honeysuckles,
and plenty Of currant bushes" she
chuckled. "I'Il send for load OF
books at once, and get your easel
up in the north room, Gerty."
at will be so nice, aunt" said
Gertrude, who was one of those hu-
man mirrors who reflect the
thoughts, ideas and propensities. of
those who surround them.
Miss Grace Pennybacker was fat,
fair and irty-tive-a smooth-brow-
ed, merry-eyed old maid; and Gerty.
at sixteen was just like a daisy
fresh, innocent and blushing.
Miss Pennybacker believed in the
independence of women, and had a
store of theories which she ventila-
ted on every possible occasion.
Gerty believed just what her aunt
did.
"And now," said aunt Grace, ..Pll
show that old blockhead Northall
whether two women can be indepen-
dent or not. l won't have a man
about the premises, for I always be-
lieved that whatever man can do wo-
men can do much better, if she only
chooses to turn her whole mind upon
it"
So aunt Grace had the walls white
washed by an Irish female, the gar
den hoed by a stout German frau,
and her piazza columns painted by a
sharpfaced daughter of the soil who
worked round the neighborhood"
for ten shillings a day and her
board.
doesn't this suit you, my dearF
said Miss Grace, coming in from the
flower borders with an apron full OF
gladiolus bulbs, and a trowel under
her arm.
eyes, aunty, DEAR" said Gerty,
descending from her chamber with
a purple velvet bound prayer-book
in her hand, and a white muslin
dress, and round hat to match
Miss Grace demurred somewhat,