Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-04-24
A STORY OF wOMEN'S

Iflenus VINO nau Deen ulnlnS WIN mc
left the house.
The evening began with argument,
which BY degrees was relieved by light
vet bitter banter. Some of The ladies
began to make use Of those most ex-
pressive words. Indeed" Really"
and II must sayr' OF IF you will al
low me TO say" etc. And am asham-
ed TO confess that myself-the host
became so animated as to desire to
prolong the discussion instead of put
ting an end to it before anything ex-
treme should be said on either side.
My guests were my nearest relations
-nephews, nieces and young cousins.
One niece was the wife Of q rising
Member of Parliament, man suppos-
ed to have prosperous future before
him. Another was one of the sweetest
girls / ever met. One cousin was
Sister of Mercy, who had no home-ties
left, and dedicated her life to Gods
poor.
And the subject over which we grew
so eager was the Rights of Women"
To my surprise. the wife of the Men,
ber of Parliament, more than ordina-
rily agreeable, clever young woman,
took the most decided line against her
sisters.
The Sister of Mercy only sat and lis
tened. and often laughed heartily.
The youngest and weakest, a pale
little creature who spent all her time
in nursing her children and arranging
her fair tangled fringe, was our bitter
est enemy, and loud were her COM
plants against the unjust subsection of
the woman; though l happen to know
that on that very morning she had
gone in tears to her husband to entreat
bis interference with n refractory nur-
serymaid.
But am old enough now never to be
surprised at anything!
was betrayed into using strong ex-
pressions myself. l remember assert
ing that Solomon's virtuous woman
contented herself with giving him a
first-rate dinner and keeping his gar
mcnts In order and the children alto
gether out of sight.
The argument grew hotter. Elector-
al disabilities had to be exhausted, then
the vexed questions of University hon.
ors, medicine and woman's degrees.
Finally l almost shouted, "In my opin-
ion woman's mission is submission!'
After that they left me.
I felt too much excited to go to bed
at once, so resorted to the calming
influence Of cigar.
My wife died twenty-five years ago.
Our married life lasted five years, and
when she died gave up--pshaw! 1t
was not that that made me give up the
militia, and Parl ament, and Quarter
Sessions, and the old schemes for pay
ing off the mortgages, and all that, to
60 abroad. The old church is not res
tored yet. However, this is nothing
to the purpose. l am meditating an
essay on women in general, not on in
dividuals, and if the world lasts
thousand years it would never produce
again woman such as she was.
The cigar is very soothing. l will
only make u few notes ON the back of
an envetope-heads of the subjects
with their consequences arranged like
. pedigree under them. gin with
Nhe creation of Eve-a most important
point. ...
Here my pencil rolled away from
me, and / think / must have fallen
asleep, and yet l should be sorry to
swear in court of justice that all
which followed was only dream.
A study had been recently added to
tho house, and the shadows iiickered
strangely over the wide white plaster
ed wall that faced my great easy chair
as sat by the fire.
1t became suddenly quite dark, then
a circle of light danced into the center
of the white wall, and grew larger and
brighter, till saw as if in broad day.
light scene which might have been
reflected from q magc-lantcrn.
Ring-a-ring-a-rng! Oh! that inde-
scribable sense of hurry; who that has
eyer experienced it does not recognize
itP 1t must be the division-bell of the
House of Commons. There 90 the
honorable memLers running fast. The
scene represents the exterior, two po-
licemen stand at one of the doors. Two
or three pigeons hop st;ffiy out of the
way OF the honorable members.
Ring-a-ring-a-ring. 1t has stopped
now. There is a pause, the pigeons
peck about and ume themselves and
the policemen pursue their endless
walk. A brongham trots up at a round |
pace; an anxious face looks out, watch
ing; finally voice calls to the foot
man:
John! Sir Joseph is there"
A tall, careworn member of the OPP
position jumps into the carriage.
around St. james Park" he calls out,
and away they go.
A lady takes her husbands hand ea-
gerly and speaks:
"Here are the notes, Jos. Now
YOU do, do not forget 65.000,
700 and &C."
''You are surcpn
"Of course, 65, 200, 700 and &c. And
t was the IinieS said so, not the DaiLy
NeaoS, remember that; and the date was
April II. You had put down the
L1th."
"And was l accurate about Peelp"
eyes. have found his very words.
They are just what you want, only 1
hink / would make the other two
points first"
Il meant them for peroration."
ayes; but don't you think this one
hat have found will do betterP See
his quotation. 1t will enable you to
ultill the ungrateful duty of annihilat-
ne one of our own side with more
race:
You urge me as q judge; but had rather
You would have biz me argue like father
nv mad IL o. en- strnn er. not my child.
his fair fault should have been
more mild.
partial SANDER sought to avoid, |,
Anq In the SO tencc my own life DESTROYED IL
aiaeI ] iot ked when some of you should {
say |,