River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-12-21
THE LECTURE.

A lecture, Ell SAID Deacon HOB
son, as he stood entranced before the
bulletin board of the Stub Mountain Ly.
ceum. "And upon the Rights of Won.
amp Well, I swan Mrs. Hobson,
she'll be a-waatin' to hear it, an 1
shouldn't wonder, if Jemimy Ann Sc,
up her dander, she'd go into the bar
gain. Gals is always racin' after every
new idee And p'raps it's good thing
to stir us country folks up--a rousin
good lecture once in q while. Tickets
25 cents. Wal, I'll think about it."
ga lecturer said DR.. Briggs, the
newly fiedged NJ D., who had just hung
out his glitterng blue-and-gold sign
sand respecting woman's rights? / can
not say that 1 approve OF the subject
but newcomer like myself must show
himself in public, and there are so few
opportunities in Stub Mountain. Upon
the whole, / think that / will take o
ticket"
Woman's rights? ?" said old Mrs.
Mix, who was always tormeTting the
Selectmen for the privilege of franchise
on election day, and who went out to
gather her own hay, in harvest time,
with a mans boots and rather more than
mans strength. "Tm powerful glad
on'tl The subject needs agitation in a
place like this, where there's wus than
Egyptian darkness. I'll go ii it costs
me a whole weeks butter money
And thus, in various styles from vari.
GUS motives, the Stub Mountainous
commented on and approved of the lect-
ure which was TO be delivered at ths
lyceum on that Wednesday evening.
Squire Dooley stroked his long beard
as he checked his gray pony before the
village store.
81 suppose my girls will insist or
going" said he; shut there are SO few
things going on at Stub Mountain tina
it seems pity to deny them little rec
reation."
And the landlord of the Stub Mountain
hotel chuckled.
cit was an i'll wind that blew good Il
nobody" he said, "and any popular sen
saGion was good for business.
This was on Tuesday. Upon thu
Wednesday morning stout gentleman
in a chaise drew up to the hotel ant
strutted up to the bar, with very rubi
cund face and little, fiery eyes.
"Mary Smith lectures here tonight?
said he.
"I guess you're about right there,
Squire, said the landlord, feeling in his
pocket for the bundle of tickets which
the lyceum proprietor had authorized
him to sell. "a poplar subject. too
You can read all about it on the bulletin
board out there, and"
ST foroid it |" said the stout gentle
man, growing redder and more apoplec.
tic with every moment.
Land o Goshenl" calculated the
landlord
"She is my wife," said the stranger
"My name is Smith-Zerubbabe Smith
and / won't be disgraced by any o
this blic-lecturing nonsense"
"Yes, l know" said tle landlord
"but 1 don't blieve the law win uphold
ye in it, Squire, arter the tickets are
sold and"
"Hang the law |" shouted Mr.. Zerub
babel Smith, bringing his gloved ifs
down fmong the glasses with a bang
Il don't care two straws for the law
NY wife is my wife, and won't have hel
making Merry Andrew of herself here
or anywhere alse When do you expec
her?"
"The room was engaged from L
o'clo k, falter d the landlord "but-'
every well," roared the red faced
man. I'm just go and stroll around thu
village, and you let me know when she
arrives-d'ye hear?"
Mr.. Zerubhabel Smith had bardl,
betaken himself to the shallow of thu
old elms on the village green, when al
elderly woman of a starched appear
ance came IN, with striped carpet bag
on one arm, and carrying ginghan
umbrella in the other hand.
els this the Stub Mountain Lyceum2'
said she, primly.
"No, marin /" said the landlord
"This 'ere's the tavern. The lyceun
amt open till o'clock. Want to bu,
tickets for the lecture"
Certainly not /" said the elderl.
female.
"P'raps you'd like to engage room.
said the landlord, with glance at TIL
carpet-bag.
Nothing Of the sortl" said the lady
The font of the landlords imagination
was bopslesS2 drainad dry BY this time