The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-12-18
ALTHEA'S MISSION.

suppose that every human being has q
mission OF one kind or another.
Althea Earl believed that hers was to re-
form the world and half think that she
was right in her belief. Her theories were
grand, and If she could have succeeded in
making other people think Just as she did
have not the slightest doubt that all the mis-
cry that has been entsiled upon woman
from generation to generation since the days
of Mother Eve-who had such q fondness
for apples as to cause all the rest of her sex
to banker after something better than
that which they already have-might have
been obviated.
Aithea Earl had a rich father, to begin
with, and an elegant home, and carriage to
ride about in where and when she chose;
and last, but not least q lover, who believed
the sun rose and set in the light OF her eyes.
Perhaps this was because. being in love,
he was blind, as that mischief Toying elf is
said by Shakespeare to be.
/ don't pretend to know anything aboutit.
/ only know that when, for the twentieth
time he asked Althea Earl to marry him,
she replied in words something like these:
Marry marry, indeed. with my mission
only Just begun, and settle down in this
world with a trio of babies to care for, and
my husbands old stockings by the basketful
to darn. No, sir; there are more glorious
fields than these for me to labor in. The
wrongs of women cry aloud for redress.
Wives that are tyranuized over by husbands
need some strong nature like mine to
show them The way out of this Gbominable
slavery.
poor weaLlings, with no minds of their
own, need TO be brought up to plane from
which they shall be able TO see that they at
least stand upon an equal footing with man.
They want 10 be taught that they are making
fools of themselves by giving up to man in the
slightest degree. That, If he has his club TO
which he must go three times a
week, she must have hers to which
she must go the remaining three.
That. If there must be babies to keep her
awake half the night, he must be kept awake
the other half. When no servants can be
had, let the dishes be piled in one huge heap
until he comes home at night, and then
both join in q general washup
"But he has been busy all day, did you
say?. Gracious NE! and hasn't she? That's
where the gross injustice comes in. A man
may work from seven until SIX and then bis
excellency may rest from bis labor aud revel
in ease. Can a woman do this? Ne! Nine
O'Clock comes, 10, and even IL, and most
women have TO go 10 bed at that hour, with
work enough LETT undone to keep them busy
hall through the night which II does; for il
the hands do find rest for time the mind
does net, but is filled with horrid dreams of
what the morrow has in store for them" p
'But, A!thsa, you will never succeed in
making people believe these things, or &C
knowledge it If they do. There may be a
Jew strong minded ones like you, who will
go heart and hand with you in your attempt
at reform but believe me, that the majority
will say: What can she know about these
things with her servant to command, and
her elegUnt home and you will fail in con
vincing these. ,"
"But shall not faIli" and here she sang a
little rondO of some Italian sir;. then when
she had fnished she struck an attitude, aud
in a stage voice, said: DO not you fail %
attend to my lecture on Wednesday night y
and then she dashed out OF thu room, as She
had often done in one OF those moods be
fore sl@ 80 - 80 -
John MaIthers had discussed this subjee
so often with his affianced bride as to fully
understand her SO the sbrupt, manner in
which she left him gave him no uneasy feel
ing. . 1',.} q I. -. 10. vs. ~
For the last month or two che had beer
busy in preparing q lecture which she was tC
deliver IA a week from the time on which
the above conversation was held.
She was truly gifted woman, this Althes
Earl, and her position IN society would, fol
a certainty, insure her success. She knew
this, and felt desire to conquer all the OBJ
stacles that had been placed in her way by
her friends
Old Mr. Earl was not at all pleased with
the step which his daughter was about to take
But as she had always been his idol, he tool
no active means to prevent her.
The night OF the lecture came, and
throng OF toe best society in the town wa
present. The speaker was enthusiastically
received, and if one could judge from th'
applause that was bestowed upon her, he
theories and arguments were fully Endorsed
The papers next day bestowed an unusua
amount OF praise upon her effort, and pro
noupced il the most successful OF the year
During the year that followed Althea Ear
spoke in many of the principal towns, ant
in each was as successful as in the first
During this year / had occasion to go q
Ireland, and, save for an occasional item II
some chance paper lost all knowledge o
Althea Earl and her career.
/ often wondered how II Jared with In,
friend. John Malthers-whether be was stIl
as thoroughly the bond slave of the womaI
he so devotedly loved, patiently waiting IN
til she had fulfill d her mission for her q
become his wife; or whether, in wea
moment, she, in listening 10 his entreatie'
had yielded, and was now living quiet an
domestic life.
! came back from Ireland late the mex
summer, and the week that l arrived HON
wss the one in which my friends decide
to 20 to Hastings. or course, when urge
to accompany them 1 could not refuse, an
80 went.
On the second day after my arrival We
sitting under the lortlco OF the hotel Q
which was staying, looking out upon tn
vast expanse of water, upon the bosom {
which had so lately spent many hour
when a sharp slap on my shoulder cause
me TO start from my chair and utter an e,
clamation which might not look well
print. There, at my side. stood John Ma
theirs, and looking as happy as May -da
queen.
"Why. john" said, "how well you lool
and how glad am to. zee you. Now te
me, for | am dying 10 know, how go'