Litchfield enquirer., 1878-10-10


 "Yes"
 '"Wouldn't it be better to have deputation flor effect, nowp
 ''No," she said, sharply. q am in earnest in this matter. Who else is? I've given up my profession for it There's not aRother w0A man in the field who gives more than half her time and energy to the cause" Sine talked on as if to herself, her black brows contracted, her nostrils drawn in, her eyes fixed in fierce abstraction. ''There's always an obstacle. This one must make her living by writing slipshod novels or featuring, that one has a baby, another a dead lover to nope over. Some of our leaders have taken up the cause to gain nOtoriety, and some for even meaner purposes glaring suspiciously at Maria.
 ''Oh dear, yes suppose so," said that arch little hypocrite. "And you are going to meet the committee tomorrow ?" her head on one side, scanning Doctor Sarah critically. Might I hint-your mind is so engrossed with high matters-but you must pay some attention to your costume. know the chairman, Colonel Hoyt, very well. A pretty woman, well dres- sed, can do as she pleases with him. All men are influenced by dress when women.are in question. You're no offended?- = it's enly poor little me- But I would suggest now black velvet with hint of scarlet. So much depends on it.! would not spare the scarlet either"
 ,- 'sYes. I did not know how much depend ed on it," said Doctor Sarah, smiling. It was a bitter smile. She had not taken up the cause to make money or notoriety out of it. Many of her colleagues laughed and fought for It as for jolly. She never laughed. She was in as desperate earnest as ever was Luther OF Patrick Henry. The newspapers all over the country jeered at her; her own sex held off at arms-length being 8 womanish woman, every jeer and snub had cut deep. But her sex, she had thought, were in as perilous a strait as was ever church or slave. She would give up anything for them. And now that her cause was coming to final issue, the yer dict depended on gown and it's trimmings
 Two or three of the defenders of the cause had arrived by this time, and were talking apart with Maria; they held Doctor Sarah in a certain reverent awe. She never fraternized with the rest of the party, never accepted in- vitations to women's clubs, or posed at their public dinners.
 ''She is more like wonderful machine than human being" whispered one of her col leagues. ''She makes ne friends, leans on no- body, cares for nothing but the cause. Eh ? Where is she going nowp" For Doctor Sa- rah had suddenly crossed the room, and was stopping over table. Mrs. Epps joined her, curiously. The doctors long, nervous fingers were fidgeting over dish of mignonette and sweet-peas.
 My old-fashioned 'bow-pot,' ," sad Maria, smiling.
 "Yes; the perfume brought me over to it. I have not seen the flowers together for many years. 1 used to know man who always kept pot of them in his room."
 ''It was a man that arranged these-the Reverend Matthew Niles: A poor clergy
 
 him up for weeks vacation, and to fit him out with some new clothes. A good crea- ture!"
 A half-quizzlcal, half sad smile flickered over Doctor Sarah's sharp face. Matthew was arranging dishes of peas and mignonette still, eh2 A beggar for Major 'Epp's old clothes? Sentimental, effeminate, boneless creature ! And 1 used to tremble and turn cold when the pretty fellow spoke to me. suppose that was the disease of love. We'll, 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 a rage of contempt Why, it was twenty year: ago! She had cast the man off as her inferior when she was girl, and she had been grow ing ever since. What subtle physical power had this limping creature still upon her which
  youth, which takes hold of me in him, "thought the doctor, stiffening herself in her purple silk; and marching over to the table, she cal led for the report of the meeting in Boston.
 Surely she had tested this folly of marriage, and she knew what it was worth! For the doctor, as the female pioneer of the cause in the West, had married Simon Govt, the male pioneer, and it had not been a successful part nership. Mental qualities had balanced ex- actly yet now that Simon was dead, his wid- ow had not the slightest wish to meet him again anywhere on the other side of the grave. Friend Eli Sowerby was on his feet. He was a practical, jealous little man. "We have made a wise choice in selecting Sarah Govt to lay this matter before the committee. Yet it would be proper, in my judgment, if she would state briefly the arguments by which she will support it, that we may know precise ly how she will represent us."
 ''I shall be guided by the suggestions of the moment in the bulk of my remarks" said the doctors ''but I can give you the principal points which mean to make It is only fair you should know to what bind you"
 She stood up, her hands resting on the back of chair. She always spoke with fluency and decision, and she knew her arguments now by heart Her thin body after while began to glow with fiery exaltation. She rose on tiptoe, fourished her lean arms At last the battle was at hand. She was going out, like David, in the face of the conflicting hosts, her nation looking on. (Only David took his sling in the name of the Lord, and she un- slung hers in the name of Sarah Coyt).
 ''The American is just reasonable in the hearing of every cause but this," she shouted, shrilly, wondering to herself at the same time what humping noise that was in the hall and why Mrs Epps did not quiet it. "A woman, '' more vehemently, ''is, first of all, citizen. She loves, marries, by accident, but she is a citizen by inalienable right. It is her high est"
 The humping was evidently made by a crutch. The doctor had the physicians in- stinct. Still gesticulating, her eye wandered to the door to see the cripple who should en- ter.
 ''She holds legal place in the social body as wife-a mother. But as citizen"
 It was a child-a half-starved, shabbily dressed girl who came lmping in. You render her-a nullity. Will nobody give that child chair?'
 The child tripped and fell headlong.
 ''All right" said Eli, picking her up. ''Go on, doctor"
 But the doctor already had the child in her lap, and was lingering her leg. '1 was about to say that the duties of a woman to the state far outweighed those which she wed as wife and mother, the latter being comparatively selfish, partial, and trivial. This child has had an attack of paraplegia, and it has never been attended to-"
 'sWhat has paraplegia to do with Woman Suffrage ?" said Eli
 ''Whose child is she? There has been the grossest neglect" continued Doctor Sarah sharply. She rose and walked out of the room in her usual decisive fashion, the little girl in her arms. She never had entire control of herself when she had child in her arms. When she was in the dining room she sat down uncovered the withered limb, and patted the thin watchful face on her breast.
 ssWhat is your name, my dear?"
 seWinny Niles"
 Matthews daughter? She might have been my child" thought Doctor Sarah. It was not her old fancy for the silly young cler- gyman which brought that change slowly in the expression of her sharp features as she sat holding the girl. It was the remembrance of the dead born baby which had never lain there. The breast had been full of milk then, but the dead little lips had never touched it, and the breast had shrivelled slowly and grown hard. As Sarah held the child closer to It