The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-18
AFTER THE ELECTION.
Causes Which Led Us to Quit
Talking About Politics.

1t ranked within me like a poisoned
arrow! Never before, during our whole
married life, had my wife alluded to the
property in that way. And Ihad merely
said that l thought politics was not the
province of women.
Jane was no longer in her first youth,
but she was yet very pleasant TO look
upon. In repose her face was of the
Madonna type, with large brown eyes
that shone with lambent light, and
hair that lay soft and smooth upon her
temples in the sweet old-fashioned way,
when bangs and crinkles were unknown.
But, my! how her whole aspect changed
that morning when | said that women
shouldn't NEEDLE in politics! Her eyes
flashed, her cheeks were afame, and
her hair crinkled up with volcanic We
1ocity.
"A woman is better calculated for a
door mat, perhaps" said Jane, that
anybody can wipe his feet upon, or a
patent diSh-waSher, butter and cheese
maker, sweeper and cleaner, and Jack
of-all-trades machine to do the work in
n farmhouse
L determined to keep cool outwardly.
though felt an unpleasant heat in my
veins which increased with every word
that she said.
your remarks, " said, calmly, ''are
rs unjust as they are unwomanly. for
have always thought enough of Your
intellect to consult it in all the trans
actions of the farm"
Every good of you, I'm sure" she re-
piled. ''Tm not, perhaps, as grateful
as l might be if-'' She hesitated, and.
yes. remember now, it was not Jane
that actually gave utterance to the
words, but she certainly suggested
them.
If YOU did not own the farm" I
said, completing her sentence, and push
ing my chair back from the table. But
YOU need not remind me of that fact;
am well aware of it already"
why, John!' she said, putting up
her hands in pleading way that had
won me over in our little matrimonial
fiffs time and again; but l walked
out the door and straight to the barn,
where | began jerking my good mare
out of the stable in q manner that made
her turn her head and look at me in in
telGgent surprise. had no kind word
for man or beast that morning, and
rode away to the nearest town without
q gesture of good-by to the little woman
who still sat at the breakfast table as
rode by, looking after me with longing
eyes.
For that hint about the farm ranked.
/ found, for the first time, that it some
times was injudicious for a man to live
upon his wife's property. Jane was
naturally illogical, and had doubtless
ignored the years of labor L had given
In supervising her farm, the improve
ments l had put upon it, the money l
had spent. had neglected my own
property, which lay in an adjoining
county, and was farming il on shares in
a very unsatisfactory way. for the sole
reason that James farm adjoined that
of her sister, and it had been pleasant
for them to be so near each other
1t had been enjoyable for me also. as
James sister had married my nearest
friend. Dick Knowles and / had been
school-mates together. and had grown
up like brothers. Dick owned some
valuable land in the southern part OF
the State, but he felt as / did, that the
two sisters ought to live near each
other, and sublet his farm so that we
could all pass our lives pleasantly to
gether. Our proclivities, tastes, senti-
ments, and opinions had all run in the
same channel, so that heretofore it had
been difficult to get up an argument
between Us.