The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-01-19
Shall Miss Frances Vote,
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF BECOMING A
GOOD CITIZEN.

GOOD CITIZEN.
From the New York Examiner and Chronicle.1
By LuCRFTn p HALE
Miss Hester and Miss Frances Willett lived
on the very edge of the suburbs. Indeed, theii
house Law across the division line As the
front door actually opened upon the road that
belonged to Swansea, Miss Hester considered
that she lived in Swansea, and did pay her
taxes there. But Miss Frances's room was in
the back wing of the house, and looked out
upon the bit of Swansea that had been annexed
to Boston, with the rest of that region. She
claimed preference to living in Boston. She
felt sense Of protection in the policeman, and
had an idea that he might keep the boys of
their cherry tree, and be firm rock in the
case Of burglars. Then she thought it would
he pleasant 10 have the nephews como to stay
with them, in order that they might so to a
Boston school, and share the advantages of a
city education in the new brick grammar
school established just over the line. There
was back door, with porch that opened up
on Boston, as fine as the front door, and Miss
Frances always used this it had a bell The
Swansea front door had an old-fashioned knock
er Miss Hester did not think so much of these
city advantages. She was not at all afraid OF
burglars, and had no idea of being indebted to
a policeman. For many years she had slept
with her front door unlocked. Once when there
had been an alarm of burglars in the neighbor-
hood, she had set all her silver OH the broad
front stair opposite the front door.
al don't want to have them hunting around
the house in the middle of the night y she ex-
planned like as not they would chloroform
Frances, or make her tell where the key was.
had rather make it easy for them" She did,
on this occasion, take up to bed with her a
little old-fashioned silver teapot, of grand
aunt's of her own name.
al don't think they'll miss it." she said,
"and there's the value of it in them new
spoons l gave Frances last Christmas, that
they are welcome to. !"
Nor did Miss Hester think much of the school
advantages. She thought they were counter
balanced by having so many schoolboys turn
ed on to the cherry tree. OF course she could
not now let the doors go unlocked, with the
city line passing through the house, but she
had strong bolts put on, and went around every
night to see the MISUNDERSTANDING herself.
Not that Miss Hester was at all strong
minded herself. She believed in supremacy
of men in certain things; she had man to
chop the wood, and boys TO take in the coal,
and was very much shocked when she heard
that the little girls in Egypt ''took in - the
coal for the Nile steamers. She put all her
business matters into the hands of her brother,
having no idea that women could be expected
TO understand about such things. Indeed, she
was thankful that there was a sex that could
pretend TO master the complicated system of
banks. Men had invented them. and if thew
were willing TO wIestle with their intricacies,
she was not one TO relieve them of.the burdens
they put upon themselves She could fill in a
check, and Miss Frances could go into town
to cash it.
Miss Hester called it "going into town. "
Miss Frances spoke of such an excursion as
going down town." If Miss Hester ever
did 80 into town, it was a matter of prayer
and fasting the day before, She rose early,
had steak for breakfast, gave Hatty her orders
the night before, and would have made her
will, If it had not already been signed and
sealed. But il was long since she had been
into town. Poor Miss Hester, she was little
blind, and very absent-minded, and the last
time, on her return, she had mounted into the
back of an express wagon, taking il for the
horse cars, and had not discovered her mis-
take till she came to hand out her ticket to
the astcnished expressman, while lie stopped to
lift off trunk from the walk at Cambridge
port. OF course it would not do for Miss Hester
10 60 into town alone again, and she never ives
willing 10 90 with guardian. She had always
been the head Of their little family. Ii was
she who had the property, for it was left her
by the grand-aunt whose name she bore, and
whose silver teapot she valued. She was will
ing 10 share this fortune with her sister, but
she would not give her the responsibility of it.
There was the trouble of paying the taxes
Frances was =" q young thing, at least ten
years younger than herself, and what could
she do with taxes and rents?
Miss Frances had been called "Fanny"
once. Indeed, the nephews and nieces called
her aunt Fanny now, for she was their favorite
aunt She always had cherry tarts for them,
and jams of all kinds, and always happened to
have just been baking bard gingerbread. Then
she could guess conundrums, and aunt Hester
hated to be bothered with them.
But the last thing that Miss Hester would
have expected of Miss Frances (she never her
self called her "Frances" or left off the Miss"
till after the servants were in bed), the last
thing that could enter her head was, that Miss
Frances should think of voting
Miss Frances tried TO explain to her that.
there was new law, by which women were
permitted TO vote for members of the school
committee. In vain she explained that she
never was nor cDuld be a Woman Suffrage
woman, but she had been in TO visit the new
school-house, and she was interested in the
school question.
1T is privilege, " pleaded Miss Frances,
that | ought not TO neglect. have heard you,
time and again, scold Herman Willett for not
voting, and on this very question, you have
told him he ought to be ashamed Of himself
that he did not 60 and vote, for decent, respect
able committee men"
Because a man, especially young man,
has nothing better to do than vote, replied
Miss Hester. at is Just what they are equal
to. You have better things to occupy your
time with. This very minute You might be
finding out whether those Norfolk strawber-
ries, that man is crying at Is cents box, are
worth preserving. If the Jam is short next
winter, l don't believe your nephew or the
next generation will thank you, even if you
have chosen Moses in the school CON-
miitee."
"Why should vote for Moses on the COM
mittee?" asked Miss Frances, laughing, ''why
not some sensible woman, you or Mrs. Sturte-
want Miss Frances ran of to the strawberry
man to avoid Miss Hester's wrath. But Miss
Hester knew 1t was hopeless to argue Frances
did always have her own way, after all, and
there were other obstacles in the path more
than Miss Hester's objections Ip-
deed. these obstacles were something Of a red
rag for Miss Hester, and reused even in her
an active interest in the question, which be-
fore bad Disguised her, shall Miss Frances
vote? Certainly, if Miss Frances wanted to
vote, and the law said she might, why should
she not. Some of the newspapers said she
must have her name egisiered directly, if she |
wanted TO vote in December. Others said she |
could not be registered till she paid her tsxes |
But she could not pay her tax till she had |
been assessed before September 18th, OF other /