Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-13
MRS. zEPHER WINSOME.
IDanbury News. ]

$50 ALT. winsome has married little Zepher
Jones. wonder how he expects to make $40
week support them? ! have heard him say that
he had saved nothing until last year. OF course,
his wife will expect at least 500 a year for
clothing, besides her living. AS it Will cost $40
q week for a room and board in any decent
boarding house. my opinion is that the tailors.
dry goods men and dressmakers will have to
suffer-" so said brother workingman next
day after the wedding.
AS Miss Zepher was known to be always richly
and fashfoDably dressed, people that did not
know how she obtained her money wondered as
much as Alfred Winsome's shopmateS how he
could get along without running into debt as
long as he could get trusted.
AS Alfred was better dressed and altogether
before and as :. Lady Zepher' outshone ner
maiden days, and as all the dry goods men,
tailors and milliners were eager TO sell tnem mem
whatever they desired to buy because tney
always paid cash. tnquisitive people became
curious to know how such q respectable appear
ance was maintained on $40 week. some
said Alfred had drawn prize In lotCery.
81 me said he was an extra expert gambler,
though nobody ever knew OF his buying
lottery ticket or playing game OF any a ,n1i
ard TO verify their sayings they inquired
OF every Kind OF merchant how much
oweu ne ene tnown u IN "n as soG sC
they would not believe it. One day a shop
mate, who wanted to get married, but dared
ash ed Alfred 10 tell him how he managed
He laughingly replied, MY lady is woman'S
rights woman The shopmate stopped
showing his plane. astonished and gasped out
How can woman that contendS for her rights
make 1t easier for her husband to support herr"
" SUPP ort her" exclaimed Alfred; ..wny, a true
woman's rights woman won't let her husband
support her. She not only Insists upon
the right to support herself. but does it
AZ least that's what my lady love does"
"Well, | would not have wife. II l
could not support her." his shopmate cried out
yehemently. just as you Ike replied Win
some. ION the contrary, am deeper in love
with my woman'S rights woman than was be-
fore marriage. In our billing and cooling days
heard my z. pher argue for wOmans rights. l
asked her to enumerate the rights. YanEee-like
she asked me to enuDerate mans rights first.
an absolute right of sovereignty over himself
and TO lie, lbe ty and property, and he is not to
be hindered.in the pursuit OF happiness. HAS
not woman the same rtghtS?' she asked. /
confess / heSftated minute or more before |
answered, Yes How does a man sustain such
rights?' why. by voting for men to make and
administer such laws as he thinks will secure
him in the enjoyment Of life, liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness Why should not women
have the right to do the same?' l could think
OF only one answer. and that was that women
as mass had never desired to exercise the
right TO choose representatives to make laws or
governors to administer them If women were
invited by the men to become copartnerS in
government. would men be injured in any way?'
Men would not be In any manner injured. but
women would If they took part in elections.
Somehow said 1t does not seem right for a
woman to mix In political strife why should
there be any strife la voting for Just laws and
upright governors, judges, city mayors and
could only answer that on election days there
was so much drunkenness bitterness of speech
and strife, that the Lord forbid that women
should ever be contaminated by mixing In the
uncivil1zed uproar Has not man right to
support himself in every proper manner be he
single or marl1ed?' oh, yes Has not a wo-
do so the same as MANI why can't she?'
Why, because she is woman, and Is noe f1tCed
TO perform the rough work or the world Is
she not fitted TO perform the fi&e1. irOrR of the
world such as being governors, judges. Sena-
tors, representatives, merchants, artists book
keepers, teachers and general writerS?' Good
Lord gasped out, Who woald in that case
shouldn't the men, when their wives were the
pest ntted by natural intelligence and thorough
training for the tirst-class undertakings and
submit to her government Then it
Is because the men will rebel
against superior natural endowments and
training, aid hot because tt would be wrong in
and OF Itself? Now Just look here, Miss Jones'
] said you fairly frighten me- Who would
think such a little head as yours could ask such
hard questlonS? She put on The grayeSt kind
OF look and said, 4 am going to ask you harder
questions You have asked me to marry YOU
DO you know how many dollars 1t takes in
year to keep Inc in dresses hats. gloves, jewelry,
&c?' That question COMPOUNDED lie more than
the others. 50 family replied that was sure
! never had Thought Of taking an inventory of
port you as you live now?' [ blushed as much
as man can as l answered No. How am
to get my dinner, dresses, &C., after we have
marlfs d.? That question SO nonplussed me that
l took up my hat and said l would tell her
next Sunday evening, and went home thor
oughIy demoralized. Now was so inuddlel by
head clear enough TO fgure up my weekly ex-
penses. When l called again was quite de-
Spondent, for had not been able to make $40
week do more than keep u.s. whether We boarded
had confessed my inability TO satisfactorily
answer her question, she asked me If l would
want to marry her If she frequented liquor sa-
looms, drank whisky and lager, chewei tobacco
and smoked cigars? opened my eyes wide and
answered, Certainly not Then why should l
marry you? You do these things was quite
indignant that mans right to drink, smoke and
carouSe should be so plainly questioned. and
holly replied that II she was 50 particular of
course We could never agree and took my hat TO
go. thinking that like most young women she
would apologize for her plain and as most men
would call it, Insulting speech. But went out
the door. and she took up the Danbury .NetcS and
began reading about the Nelson street man, and
paid no further attention to Inc. Now, here's
CO. nIuttered, as l stumbled along the side
walk. You had better look out where you CO.
angrily shouted a man whom ran hard against
Has little Zepher been blowing you up? You
stagger along as though you were drunk Take
boys Thank youS replied there's something
the matter With me that only good sleep will
cure After / had recovered my reasoning
powers the question, how man can properly
support wife AID himself on $40 a week, and
why should woman consent to marry man
who prefers salOon company whisky and TO-
bacco TO wife's society, kept pressing for So
luton. After living month without cigars
and treating my cronies TO liquor, found had
near $50, besides my general neath was vastly
better. But still could not begin to make ont
enough 10 support a wife In the style | know
Zepher was accustomed to. I called Oh her one
evening and said was ready to admit that
woman ought to demand the same purity OF
character and uneXcepu0nabe social habits in
husband that he expected in a wife, but how
to live in proper style on $40 week was beyond
my comprehension. She gave me book to
read which she said would solve the mystery,
and told me to keep clear OF liquors and tobacco
for year and study hard on the problem of
married life economies. l understood that |
was on trial. During the year we were often
together al her home walking and riding, bat
said nothing about mans or woman'S rights.
The book contained scientific solution OF the
problem OF correct living. 1t convinced
me that / could support a wife Ia re-
spectacle manner on SO a week. When the
year was up asked her again TO be my wife.
she asked he what my income and expenses
had been The past year. / answered $500 and
$500. Well. said she, Il earned In the same time
by making gentlemens vests $500 and spent
$3.50. VIII you De content TO have me continue
TO support myself In the same manner? Take
particular Notice, don't say support you. My
woman's rights education won't let me make