Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-05-22
$50 Communicated. ..-RsSs%3
A STU DENTS TROUBLES.
BY HIMSELF.


lot Of good husband have taken
a brisk walk to invigorate The
body, and, returning, have mount
ed to my room in the third story,
fully resolved TO do FIVE hours o
good work. Will mortal man be-
lieve me? two hours have passed
away, and here / sit at the escri-
toire, like lazy dullard, not line
written, not sentence framed
There is that interesting thesis,
"The probable effect of woman's
participation in political. scientific
and theological pursuits upon the
numerical and statistical reports
of the next census" or a theme
conceived more than month ago,
and 1t Is yet untouched.
Fifty times Lave dipped into
the ink, / know not why, for
nothing has come of it. l have
pulled my beard once minute,
chewed the pen-handle, scratched
my head, and done a hundred
other equally foolish things. What
/ would do | do not. ITO will Is
present with me; but how to per-
FORM" there's the rub.
I'll walk the floor awhile. How
ideas lag this morning! Back
and forth, with steady pace, back
and forth. All, l have got it now,
and to the desk l fly, seize: the
pen and begin "Woman's proper
sphere, rs designated by Provi-
dence, and evidenced in her nat
ural inclinations, where these have
been unperverted or vitisted by
false teachings, isis
"Oh, tut, tut /! what's the matter!
1t must be those corn mullins and
that hot coffee l had for break fast.
wish they'd have no more of
them. Before / am able TO finish
the sentence there's rap at the
door, and the servant puts her
head in to ask for fifty cents to
pay the weeks milk bill. | know
she thinks me a rude fellow from
the way / give her the money, but
who could stand an interruption
like that, after he has waited two
hours for thought and then only
got 1t half in mind.
Ten minutes after, just as l have
read over the half-written SEN
tence the tenth time, trying TO get
an appropriate conclusion for so
fine a beginning. The school-bell
rings. and my oldest boy shouts
up from the landing, "Good. by,
pa" "Good-by, sir" / roar down,
and don't you interrupt me again
or it will be bad for you, mark
that"
/ am very sorry to speak to my
child in that way, but when one
has labored and struggled for
nearly three hours with subject
of the greatest magnitude and i'm
portance, and yet done nothing,
there is some excuse for his want
of placidity.
Whew! There goes the old
town clock Eleven, as l live; all
the morning gone, and not q
whole sentence on that thesis yet
the most important that ever
engaged the mind of man. The
lawyer Is at his work, the doctor
is on his rounds, the merchant i:
busy, aud here am I-sakes alive
its enough to make saint
swear. / walk the floor and try
again to collect my thought. Then
. / light cigar, and take up the
first book at hand, hoping tC
arouse my sluggish powers by the
stimulous of little good reading
The book happened TO be one o
"George Elliot's" - suppression,
of Theophrastus Such" l turr
over the pages, and my eye catches
q heading THE very one l cOulC
wish for)-"The too Ready Writ
err" All, / think that's not me
sure" and Immediately l plunge
into the chapter, which proves &c
be full of encouragement for those
writers who, either from inclina
ton or necessity, make haste
slowly My mind grows more
patient, and, at length, there rise
upon me the dawn of new in
spirational moment. Now, tn,
glow has come, and feel prepared
to grapple with the great question
of woman's progress in theology
and science, in its bearing upoI
the statistical reports of the mex
census.
Let me see; how will this d.
for beginning: THAT womer
are rapidly enlarging the hitherto
contracted and neagre sphere O