Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-26
ler board in a respecsable family. Sh

school with the avowed desire of adopt
ing some profession; she had been sus-
pected of only one delinquency: a lean
ing towards advanced thought. This
had been coupled, however, with a
most inconsistency lady-like and
modest demeanor. She had been thus
in a measure an enigma to the village,
tho solkng of which became hopeless
endeavor when she capped the climax
by accepting, after the briefest court
ship, Professor Richard Fairweather.
Resigning her brilliant dreams of pro-
fessional fame in the wide, wide,"
oater world, she had gone with evident
delight to reign as mistress of q one
story and a half frame cottage on a
POLITICALLY lonesome hillside overlook
ing the village.
Some one said she must have loved
him devotedly.
The Professor in question was an
amiable man of forty odd; a slow, con-
siderate man; a man of immense cul-
ture, of rare linguistic attainments, de-
cidedly a scholar. He was said to be
preparing a book of his own for publ
cation.
He was, at the same time, a man
with the "good old-fashioned notions"
of woman's sphere-namely: to marry
and prove herself a good wife and
mother. There were no children in
the case, but Fancy had been a model
wife, her advanced ideas to the con
trary Notwithstanding. She had kept
her home a CHEEKY place, herself a
dainty, young-hearted creature; she
1>-.J l-1.J-J 49,.
Fancy.
The only weak point Martha Martin
had succeeded in establishing in her
sister-in-law, after all these years, was
"Fancy's ridiculous notions about
women" For herself, Martha had no
thought that was not worldly-wise, no
delight more vivid than a brand new
dress, no hope beyond her status in
village society. She held her intellect
ual brother in affectionate contempt
for his bookwormishness; she ridiculed
her si%ster-in-law to her face.
1t was, therefore, three against one,
such times as Martha and her red-faced
Deacon-husband took tea with the Fair
weathers. Always Martha must bring
up the subject upon which she so well
knew Fanoy's ideas; always the noisy
laugh of Philbrick Martin rang through
the room at some stale smartness of
his own. Martha's shrill litter of
wifely admiration was sure to follow;
and Richard, with his ~deprecating
smile, must say:
"Now, my dear, you see they have
gotten the better of you!"
But Fancy never lost her temper.
Her cheeks might flush and her eyes
glisten, yet all her words were courte-
GUS. And it must have required great
s%elf-control not to show irritation at
Martha's manner
Mrs. Martin spent occasionally an
afternoon with her sister-in-law, chiefly
for the purpose of exulting in semi
boisterous fashion over that amiable
creature. She had always something
new to describe-it might be a bonnet,
or it might be a carpet sweeper. Her
latest acquisition was a horse and
buggy, with which she drove to the
village twice each day, taking her hus-
band down to his business in the morn
ing, and going after him at five
o'clock.
The day of which I write was one
occurring in all the mid-magniticence
of October. The atmosphere was warm
and hazy; the foliage of the hillside
woody spaces bore the hectic bloom of
death. Through the open door of
Fancy's sitting room n looked out
upon a garden of late fiowers-dahlias,
asters, mignonette, and portulaccas.
Inside there was an air of ~unspeakable
peace-a serenity of tasteful arrange
ment and harmonious influence.
But Martha Martin knew only the
pleasure of the scotfer.
"Yeu needn't laugh" Fancy had
said, looking absolutely pretty as she
spoke-if Martha had given it thought
at the moment. Martha, however, had
promptly proceeded to refute the as
sertion.
80, yes; I've got to laugh, Fancy.
You ought to've married and
settled down; you ought to've been a
female lecturer. You're chuck full OF
woman's rights ideas. And it seems
SO funny! Such a tim'rous, insignifi-
cant little thing as you! AS Phifbrick
says, If a mouse should run out
and"
what Philbrick says has nothing to
do with it," Fancy responded. "Be-
sides, if you introduce a subject, as
you did this, Martha, you must expect
me to say what l think. I shall always
maintain that woman should be
equipped from childhood up to protect
herself. 1 believe that all parents owe
to their daughters, no less than their
sons, such a fund or dowry; something
impcrishable, the cultivation of a talent
or at least the training to a trade. All
women stand a chance of being left
alone and friendless. Suppose Richard
should be taken away, what do you
think | would do? [ certainly should
not look for any assistance from his
relations"
Martha WINGED, as the other oontin-
ued:
II should go out into the world and
support myself. * II * 1 think 1 could
do it," And then Fancy came to a
sudden stop as if remembering that
swine were said to make a poor meal
Off pearls.
Richard arrived presently. His after
noon classes were OVer at three, He