The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-10

which for the last two weeks had been
my careful study. AS | was changing a
sentence a little more tony satisfaction,
the paper rwas suddenly withdrawn from
my hand, and on looking up saw the
face of my grandmother, who departed
this life a dozen years before! Her
aspect was stern and uncompromising,
as, looking at me over her spectacles,
she said sharply, 'Henry, what do you
call this thing?n The shock of thus
unexpectedly being brought face to face
with one who had been taught could
never "come to me-" and, more than
all, hearing the voice, both loved and
feared, completely took my breath, and
1 could not reply. She continued,
"Have 1 not taught you to thoroughly
investigate subject before casting your
influence on the one side or the other {?
And now, if it had not been so could
come to prevent it, you would have
done more harm than you could undo in
4 lifetime"
"Why, grandmother" expostulated,
''what more can man do than express
his honest convictions ?"
"Honest convietionsi" she repeated
contemptuously. "Henry Barton,
have no patience with you. What
would you think of the honest convic-
tions' of a man whose interest it was to
prove you insane, guilty of States
prison offense, or idiotic, and studied up
arguments to support his supposition,
! ignoring all facts on the opposite side of
the question? Is that your idea of jus
tice and honesty ?" she demanded, Civ
ing me a resounding snap on the head
with her brass thimble, which had been
the terror of my childhood, and even
now filled my eyes with tears.
"But what can say this evening ,"
I asked, wiping my eyes with some con-
sternatiOn as she committed my cher
ished articles to the flames.
My grandmother noted for her
promptness and decision, was a violent
old lady when angry.
"Sayw she exploded. "What would
you say if you were a woman? Don't
forget the Golden Rule!" she interected
with more vehemence than is generally
made use of in referring to that divine
principle.
81 WON'T" I replied, shrinking back
as the thimble raised two or three inches
from the table.
The old lady seemed Modified by my
submission.
"You are on the negative side" she
remarked. "Well, say that you object
to women's voting because they
wouldn't be conscientious enough about
informing themselves so as to make in
telligent choice between right and
wrong. Keep stillr' she demanded, as
tried to expostulate. ''You men take
so much pains to inform yourselves, it
is no more than right for you TO fight
against having careless voters. Sayr'
she continued, mercilessly, "that wom-
en- must not vote, because they would be
too severe in Furnishing mems little ir-
regularities, ~ and she held before my
eyes a scrap of paper which my wife
had cut from the columns of the Weekly
Ne1Cs, and which read: "John Malone
arrested for beating his wife insensible
and breaking furniture, fined one dollar
and put under bonds to keep the peace
for six months"
Henry" said my grandmother, with
an expression of severity truly appall-
ing; "Henry Barton, what are you
thinking about? Why didn't you
notice that and the other items your
wife gave you? Is it that you may
come nearer to truth and justice that
you cast aside facts for idle theories d?
No-to your shame be it spoken-you
know it is not! want you to read
that tonight and give, as an argument
against letting women into power, the
words Of your wife when she read it.
say further that you don't want women
to vote because they would refuse
license to evil dOers and punish them
when they violate laws already made.
whereas they now enjoy unlimited free
dom; as an instance Of which give the
little incident that occurred last summer
in your own town, when Sarah Chap
man complained of James Farland's
selling liquor to her boy. Your Justice |
Of the Peace refused to do anything, on |
The ground that Farland was his friend. |
and you citizens-O, my God, how can / |
say 1t of you, Henry Barton ?-uttered |
no protest, and the creature keeps his |
position to-day! You had wealth, YOU
had power, and you had a wife who
from the depths of her mother heart
plead that justice might be done. She
to the new-made grave Of your
only boy, and begged that, as you would
nave wished another to do for him, YOU
would do by this widows son; and you
You prefer that James Far
and be permitted to make drunkards
% rule your country. BY all means,
men, 1t Is against your interest 10 LET
your vile have voice in public. Stopp
She exclaimed angrily. 81 have one
more thing to say. Tell them that Won
10 not want women to have the ballot
as 1t would seriously interfere with nbe
occupation of your friend, SamnoI
Story" '7''''i'ei
sam Story is not my friendr, 7 said
IN antonishment and Indignation.
'If that is true. - she ra,,I;s.l t,r Il