Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-15
A vision OF 1893.

! I was sitting by the fireside the other
evening, thinking of everything in gen.
| eral and nothing in particular, when
hearing a noise and stamping at the door,
methought | rose to open it when it flew
back with crash, waking the cat, who
was sleeping by the fire, and causing her
| to retreat under my chair in alright.
Before / had time to wink, there
walked in young person, dressed so
! dueerly that | could not tell whether il
was man or woman until it spoke.
! 1t wore loose trowsers, reaching just
below the knee, and plaid stockings and
high boots completed the lower portion
of its attire A loose sack coat, open
enough in front to disclose a snowy shirt,
covered the upper portion of its body
while a twO-story hat was set jauntily
on the side of the head, the back hair
being cut short and parted on one side,
as | could perceive after the hat had
been knocked off by the ceiling.
''Well, what are you looking at? |
| hone You'll know Inc the next time you
see me. I suppose you would like to
know who | am Well / am the Com
inc Woman-not coming any more, be-
cause I am here; and here l intend to
stay 1t is the year 1898, and things are
entirely changed now from the time
when YOU We're born. You look as old
fashioned as if you had just stepped out
of Noah's Ark. How old are you = said
this amazing person.
stammered forth | was twenty years
old in 1873; but, of course, if it was
1898. | must be a good deal older But
where had | been in all these years.
Had |, like Rip Van Wrinkle, been
asleep!
ASLEEP? Why, of course, you goose! F.!
or else YOU would not be so old-fashioned
Come out with me tonight and see how
it is YOURSELF" she said in falsetto
voice.
but how can leave my little girl p
said | meekly.
as it possible You have a child?" She
: said, in such a tone that | felt as il
had been doing something awful, TO
have a child to tend to.
Turning to my husband, who had
: been sitting in the now darkest corner,
open-eyed with astonishment, she said
r Here, you, man, you; 90 and tend
TO your youngster I'm going to show
r your wife the elephant Hurry up,
5 y and make tracks
- He quickly rose, and she .assisted bin
1 \ Oul of the door by a shove; at winch
? looked aghast to see her take such
E liberty.
There is nothing like making mel
/ know their places, she SAID, coolly
r Don't be ali night getting ready, or the
5 fun will be all over, she said, lmpa
? tientlv, as | hastily put snug-httln4
velvet basque over my new poplln hous'
: dress. and a jaunty velvet bat on my
= head. You are not going To wear thos'
e things, are you? Why, you LOOK Ike
= grandmother. Bnt never mind com
] along.
I felt nettled at her speech, for m
: basone and hat were the latest styl
s when | bought them but just then
b Thought it was not 1873, but 1893, an
: subsidized.
b We walked down the street, and
: rubbed nv eyes to see if | was awake
t Where were the neat cottages that use
e to line the street They were gone, an
n large. five-story mansions met my sight
e "Where are all the cottages gone
; gasped. -
.tPshaw, Don't you know that fam
f lies do not live by themselves any Ions
Z. er? A dozen families rent house an
conduct il on the cooperative plan
is one large family instead Of a doZe
small ones. There is a large cOul
= in the center, and all the children in tn
house. which are not mauy-fOr II Is n6
h fashionable to have many children nov
a-davs-are collected there, and men al
. hired to tend to them, while the paren
Il are free to 90 to any and every place
Al She then said:
f "Let us 90 into this saloon and take
,s sociable smile.
70 - A smile ?" gasped l.
! eyes. YOU goose "a drink, then, 81
i said. as She dragged me into a salool
N which was carpeted and furnished wit
% sofas and arm chairs and marble-top I
~ bles. Behind the bar stood handsom
4 ly-attired woman, who was mlXlr
Is drinks. The room was crowded WI
rs bold-looking women and forlorn-looklr
i men.
or NV conductor nodded here and ther
a and said to the woman at the bar, : la
n whisky for two :" then to me, "Con
sc and sit down.
~ ~ was sitting. She took him by the nee
at and landed him at the other end OF u
e room-saying, as she sat down " h
go will learn YOU not to sit when there IS
IN woman standing, you contemplate ere
M ture!'
of A pretty girl brought the whisky al
~ y nlaced il before us. My compani
,te swallowed it at one gulp, and th
rii said "Why don't you drink? Th
in wouldn't hurt a child, it is so We
lu- mild"
Id turned towards me at her loud speed
,rc I stammered out that | wasn't used
of drinking whisky, and would prefer lie
be- onade.
vi; "That weak stuff is only fit for bah
en- and men! But you can have it, an
On. will drink your whisky - she said, sw
,is- lowing the fiery liquid without winkn
has as | drank my lemonade.
dit "Where did you pick up that graz
mother?" said black-eyed young z
ar with pert, saucy air
,re- "None of your business lou
the tend to your affinity, repiied my CO
nee panion. n o..
20 drank something stronger and did
VI W the talking. the men drank lem
eia ade and coffee, and never opened Il
nee lips.
of Just then the door opened, and a
the portly man, with frightened express
ion on his face, peeped timidly in, and Sc
ate "Sally, wish you would come no
rbe The baby is crying, and can't make
ters stop"
30 A bold-looking, red-cheeked yo
the woman-the same that had called N
and grandmother-who was sitting on
y in knee of her affinity, replied,
1ne. dare you come after me? l t9ld
dis, not to stir from the house until e
II home. Give the young one some opL
ices that will quiet her in hurry. quar-
and I'll get after you anu mani
give French leaVef