Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-08-22

!" 1t is only one of Maria's political
maneuvres," she said, as she seated
herself in her phaeton. Some OF
these woman's rights people have in
tluence which she needs to gain Ma
jor Epps his appointment. The house
! will be overrun with radicals until
she has secured her point, and then
Oh, we all know Maria 70
| Mrs. Epps meanwhile went darling
about, re-erranging the flowers, while
Doctor Sarah, in her aggressive pur-
pie gown, sat bolt-upright, watching
her with 4 quizzical smile. Maria re.
minded her of dragon.fy, with its
little tiutter and shine and buzz, with
its poisoned sting underneath, too.
| She was too hard on Maria, being,
like most radicals, intolerant. The
| little woman inside of her finesse had
a hot heart and hot temper she
was just now vehemently minded 10
side with Doctor Sarah, because the
other women had snubbed her.
81 am glad they are all gone be-
fore the business meeting com.
menced," she said. You asked all
the leaders of the cause to be here
this afternoon
Yes"
| " And you 60 down to Washington
tonight to plead the cause before a
Congressional committee ? Alone !"
| "Yes."
!" Wouldn't it be better to have a
deputation--for effect, now 2"
No." she said, sharply. 81 am
in earnest in this matter. Who else
is? I've given up my profession for
it. There's not another woman in
the field who gives more than half
her time and energy to the cause"
She talked on as if to herself, her
black brows contracted, her notsrils
drawn in, her eyes fixed in fierce alb
straction. there's always an obsta.
Gle. This one must make her living
by writing slipshod novels or lectur-
ing, that one has a baby, another a
dead lover to NOPE over. Some oil
our leaders have taken up the cause
to gain notoriety, end some for even
meaner purposes" glazing suspicious.
| ly at Maria.
/ Oh dear, yes, ! suppose So" said
that arch little hypocrite And you
are going to meet the committee to-
morrow 2" her head on one side,
scanning Doctor Sarah critically.
Might L hint?-your mind is so en-
crossed with high matters--but you
must pay some attention to your cos
tune. know the chairman, Colonel
Hoyt, very well. A pretty woman,
well dressed, can do as she pleases
with him. All men are influenced by
dress when women are in question.
You're not offended PITS only poor
little me. But | would suggest now
black velvet with a hint of scarlet.
So much depends on it! 1 would not
spare the scarlet, either"
a" Yes. did not know how much
depended on it," said Doctor Sarah,
smiling. 1t was a bitter smile. She
had not taken mp the cause to make
money or notoriety out of it. Many
OF her colleagues laughed aud fought
for it as for a jolly. She never laugh
ed. She was in as desperate earnest
as ever was Luther or Patrick Henry.
The newspapers all over the country
leered at her; her own sex held her
OFT at arms length being a woman.
lsh woman, every jeer and snub had
cut deep. But her sex, she had
thought, were in as perilous strait
as was ever church or slave. She
would give everything for them. And
now that her cause was coming to a
final issue, the verdict depended on a
gown and its trimmings!
Two or three of the defenders OF
the cause had arrived by this time,
and were talking apart with Maria
} they held DR.. Sarah in certain rev.
erent awe. She never fraternized
with the rest of her party, never &C
cepted invitations to women's clubs,
or posed at their public dinners.
She is more like a wonderful ma.
chine than human being" whisper.
ed one of her colleagues :" She
makes no friends, leans on nobody,
cares for nothing but the cause. Eh
Where is she going how?" For Doc.
tor Sarah had suddenly crossed the
room, and was STOPPING over table.
Mrs. Eprs joined her, curiously. The
| Doctors long nervous fingers were
fidgeting over dish of mignonette
and sweet-peas.
"My old.fasbioncd 'bow-pot, said
Maria, smiling.
eyes; the perfume brought me
over to it. Ihave not seen the flow
ers together for many years. used
to know man who always kept a pot
Of them in his ROOM"
" 1t was a man that arranged these
the Reverend Matthew Niles. A
poor clergyman whom we knew in
Maryland. l have him up for a
weeks vacation, and to fit him out
with some new clothes. A good
creature! /"
A half,quizical, half.sad smile
| fiickered over DR.. Sarah's sharp face.
:" Matthew was arranging dishes OF
peas and mignonette still, oh ? A
beggar for Major Epps' old clothes
Sentimental, effeminate, homeless crea.
ture And / used to tremble and
turn cold when the pretty fellow
spoke to me. suppose that was the
disease of love. Well, had it pretty
thoroughly then,' she thought. She
pulled out a pea and held it to her
nose. Her blood ran cold now, and
her fingers shook. She could have
struck them, with rage of contempt.
Why, it was twenty years agol She
had cast the man off as her inferior
when she was girl, and she had
been growing ever since. What sub.
tie physical power had this limping
J creature still upon her which shook
her in this way? 1T is my youth
my youth, which takes hold of me in
him." thought the, doctor, stifening
herself in her purple silk and march.
ing over to the table, she called fol
the report of the meeting in Boston.
Surely she had tested this follv nj