The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-07-31
THE R. ON. SOCIETY.

"When I think of the coarseness,
selfshness3 and brutality >of, men, /
wonder how any women can stand
the best of them for a minute!'
This was what Miriam Tracy said to
her three most intimate friends as they
were talking their "irst season out. 4"
The opinion they had formed of the
male sex was very unfavorable one,
and they expressed it with the utmost
confidence in their own Judgment and
experience.
They were all pretty girls, but
Miriam had kind of beauty which
none of the others possessed. She was
tall and graceful, with soft. red-gold
hair, and large, dark gray eyes, shaded
by long black lashes, and her face
showed the force of character which
had made her natural leader among
her friends and school companions.
Their opinions were always influenced
by hers, and on the present occasion
they agreed with her fully.
Eyes, indeed!" exclaimed Hattie San
ford. "Men think they know every
thing, but they are as ignorant of a
woman's feelings as they are of every
thing else that's worth knowing"
Eyes, and they're so rudew said Belle
Middleton, lovely blonde, with . vast
capacity for being waited upon. "They
only pretend to rise when you come into
room, and if you drop anything they
make out they don't see it"
"What I mind most" said Miriam
"is the way married men treat their
wives. They make real slaves of
stand up for themselves as they ought
to do they would be treated very differ
emily"
"I1l tell you what let's do, girls!
said Nellie Lane. 'tLet's form a So
ciety for the repression of men! We
can keep them in their places if we try,
and we can get other girls to do the
same thing"
eyes, let's do that" said Miss Mid
dleton. ':But, girls, of course we're
not going to stop dancing with them"
ooh, certainly not" ''Of course
not!" cried the others.
This important matter being settled,
the society was organized on the spot,
and each member pledged herself to do
all she could to further the object OF
the association. It was then about the
middle of June, and they were all going
out of the city in few days, but they
house on the 10th of October and re-
port what each had done during their
absence.
Miriam and her mother went to q
popular seaside resort, at which the
season had not yet fully opened. When
they droveup to their hotel it's portico
was occupied only by about a dozen
men, who sat and smoked, with their
chairs tilted back and their hands in
their pockets. One of them looked at
Miriam so intently that she thought
him very impudent, and went to her
room in a state of wrath and indigna-
ton.
A few days after the arrival, Mrs.
Tracy received letter from her aunt,
Miss Griselda Chadwick, who lived in
the neighboring village of Sinnetasket.
This lady announced her intention of
coming Immediately and spending a
week at the hotel where they were stop
ping, as she might never be so near
them again." e..
GLOW ridiculous it would be to have
her herew said Miriam. "But she is a
dear old thing, and I had delightful
times in her queer old house when I
was child; so I'm going to make the
best of it."
Miss Griselda arrived at the appoint
ed time, with large collection of band
boxes, bundles, baskets, birdcages and
specially beloved Angora cat named
Macmillan, which last treasurer she
carried in her arms.
''My dear children" she said, when
all her possessions had been safely de-
posted in her room, II thought should
never get here without being robbed.
The conductor on the cars and the
stage driver here both wanted to steal
Macmillan, and if it haden't been for a
gentleman who was standing in the de-
pot they'd have done it. He took care
of my baggage, and left me at liberty
to guard oyer Macmillan. This is the
gentleman's card. I made him give it
to me.
She drew the card out of her reticule
and handed it to Miriam, who saw it
contained the name of "Frederick
Dalmayne."
A moment afterwards, Miss Griselda
happened to look out of the window,
and she Immediately exclaimed:
"Why there's the gentleman now,
down there in that little shed! Heavens
and earth what does he want with all
those children crowding around him
I thought men hated children. Just
look at them now!"
Miriam came to the window and saw,
in a small pavilion behind the hotel,
the man who had aroused her indigna-
ton by gazing at her so intently on the
day of her arrival. Four little girls
we're leaning on his shoulders and knees,
and seemed to be listening with the
deepest interest to what he was telling
them.
Goodness gracious, what a funny
mani" cried Miss Griselda. "He'd be
the very person to take charge of our
Sunday school. Do you think he'd like
to come mp to Sinnetasket and settle
Louisa ?"
I'm afraid not, answered Mrs. Tracy.
> eth ask him, anyhow" said the old
lady. "And Miriam, I'll introduce him
to you the first time we meet him."
ooh, no, auntie," said Miriam. "Per-
haps he wouldn't want to know me-"
"Nonsensev' said Miss Griselda,
laughing. "You don't really believe
that yourself"
Miriam knew it would be useless to
argue with her, but she determined
that the man should not be forced to
make her acquaintance if she could help
it.
Early the next morning she was walk
ing on the beach when she saw some
thing which moved her deeply. In
child's carriage sat little girl about 8
years old SO pale and shrunken from
disease that it made Miriam's heart ache
to look at her. She tried to speak to
the child, but the marks of suffering in
the patient baby face brought tears to
her eyes, and she could not utter
word.
"Speak to the lady, Mamie!" said the
nurse.
The little girl looked at Miriam earn