Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-07-15
MRS. GRIMFORD'S DAUGHTER.


GUS manner to her nose.
She was one of those unfortunate
abnormal developments with which
this century is afflicted, familiarly
known as "strong minded women"
A sparse, prim, hard-featured ma
tron, one who believed in "women's
rights" and considered woman gen.
orally a much-abused parsonage,
deposed from her proper sphere and
trampled on by the tyrsnt, man!
Mrs. Grimford had ceme very near
being man herself-wlat with a deep
voice, bearded chin, and a figure
quite innocent of al superfluous
curves and graces Really, if one had
changed her skirt and body to trow-
sers and coat, she would have passed
for one of the cOntemned sex without
difficulty.
But Mrs. Grimford's daughter was
quite different. AS Carrie Grimford
stood beside her mother, so dainty
and fair, with cheeks round and ripe
as a peach, deep, dark-blue eyes, and
golden, wavy hair, you wondered as
you gazed that they could both be
women and yet so unlike.
Nonsense, child" Mrs. Grimford
was saying, whilst she critically ex-
amined pale yellow butterfly.
s'But, indeed, mamma" pleaded
Carrie, sit isn't nonsense. He really
wants me to marry him."
"Marriage, Caroline, is all mis-
take" said Mrs. Grimford, laying
down the magnifying-glass. 81 don't
intend you to marry at all"
"Mamma
GA woman who marries," contin-
ued the strong-minded matron, sis
woman enslaved. l should never
have married had known as much
about life when was eighteen as [
do now. From the standpoint of a
grand mistake committed in my own
life can rectify yours, Caroline"
"But, mamma,' cried poor Caro-
line, "what shall do?"
"Do, chiId-do! !" calculated Mrs.
Grimford. "That is a pretty ques-
ton for my daughter to ask! Why,
read, study, improve your mind.
Devote all the energies of your ma
ture to solving the great social prob
lens that surround YOU"
problems, mamma" said Carrie 81
lONc Slucy w uukCl3 ouu l. III
to marry him."
"Never with my consent"
"Oh, mamma, surely you would
not"
"Caroline," interrupted her mother
in a tone of judicial calmness, "don't
you see what confusion you are
creating among these insects, which
have so carefully classified? l beg
you will interrupt my studies no
longer. Go read the report of the
Convention for the Amelioration of
Womankind. Why, what are you
crying for? A well-regulated woman
never cries."
81 wish l wasn't a woman" sobbed
| Carrie; 81 wish l wasn't something
that had to be elevated and improved.
Oh, mamma, dear, you weren't in
earnest when you said you would not
consent to my marrying Sydney? We
shall be SO happy; and he says he
will be miserable without me, and
| "Carni"n, ,.a' ~"tnnished at you
lOf course I'm in earnesS. hoe
neither gold nor gems to lay on the
shrine of the cause; but 1 have 9
daughter, aud l intend to show the
world what q woman, unshackeled
and unfettered, can accomplish. You
Caroline, should glory in becoming
all offering."
But Carrie, apparently unapprecia
tive of the great lot III store for her
cried more piteously than ever.
clears will not move me-" sai(
Mrs. Grimford, returning to her but
tertlies. 81 can only regret that [ ar
the parent of SO degenerate a child ,
"Mamma," ventured poor littl,
Carrie, after few moments of silen
grieving, "I promised Sydney to rid
with him this afternoon"
"You must give him up. On sucl
a subject | can accept no compro
mise"
"But, mamma, promised"
. Mrs. Grimford gravely rubbed tn,
end of her nose. ga promise is
promise, Caroline, nor shall l requir
YOU to break this" Carrie visibl
brightened) "but 1 shall accompan
you" (The pretty face cloude'
again.)
"Where are yon going?"
"To the woods beyond the glen
Sydney is going to get me some wood
sorrel for my herbarium."
"Nor will the expedition be un
profitable to me- said Mrs. Grim
ford, grsvely. "There are man
choice varieties of adiantum and as
plenium to be found in those woods
; aud my collection Of native ferns ii
as yet, Incomplete.
Carrie retired in great consterns
ton, not to read reports or stud
, paleontology, but to slip out to tn
garden where Sydney Wilmer wa
sitting by a great rose tree that Cal
peted the velvet grass with shower
Of soft pink petals at every passin
j, breeze.
"Oh, sydney, Sydney l am s
> miserable"
"Carrie, what is the matter?" /
cried, hastily going toward her /; al
Carrie told him, to the best of hi
:, ability, what the matter was.
sis that all?" he asked, when I'll
recital was finished.
"Isn't that enough?" she replie
piteously. "When we were going
have such nice ride, and"
"Never mind, petite. 1t will be q
: right! So she won't consent to o,
marriage. eh? What shall we do, Ca
rie elope quietly 2"
ooh, Sydney, you know | wou
e 1 never marry without her consent"
"And are two lives to be made mi
1erable because she thinks matrimol
Il mistake?" he asked, gravely.
81 suppose sO," and Carries pref
head dropped like rose in the raj
ISydney watched her quivering Ii
and tear-sIained eyelids, and Said !
more.
Iu The afternoon, when Mr.. Wilm
,e drove up in his little light phnton,
found Mrs. Grimford ready, aud wi
an immense green umbrella to ke'
OIL the sun, and a tin case to put fer
i'll. Mrs. Grimiord quickly stepp,
in, and Carrie meekly following, W
nearly overwhelmed by her mother
lvoluminous draperies.
:, 81 had better sit in the middle,
will better preserve the cquilibriu
of the vehicle" said Mrs. G.,wedgil
) herself between Sydney and Carr
y with IL smile of great comp!acenc
n She immediately began discoursi
/. on the habits and properties of fer
c with unpausing volubillty. Sudde
Is ly she checked herself as her e
> caught cluster of green, wavi
vegetation on the crest-like point
- a rock overhanging the road.
"Sydney, Sydney!' she cried est
minute. Can't you reach that
'r plcnium ebenum?"
+ ''ls it this, ma'am," said Mr.. "