Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-17
STORY OF WOMEN'S
RIGHTS.

1t was half past II before the dozen
friends who had been dining with me
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 Il must say!' or 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-
IRENE 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, a man suppos-
cd TO have r prosperous future before
him. Another was one of the sweetest
girls ! ever met. One cousin was a
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 Mem
Der of Parliament, n more than ordina-
rilv 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, Il pale
little creature who spent all hen 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 | happen TO know
that on that very morning she had
gone n tears to her hts band TO entreat
his interference with refractory nur-
serymaid.
But | am Old enough now never to be
suru.ie a at ANYTHING!
/ was BETRAYED INTO using strong ex-
press ous ny self. | remember assert
ing that SoIomons vrtuous woman
contenied herself with giving him y
fir~t-ratc dinner and keeping his gar
mentS in order and the children alto
gether out OF SIGHT.
he argument grew hotter ElectOr-
al disabilities had to be Exhausted, then
tine veXed questions OF University hon
ors, medicine and woman's degrees.
Finally | almost shouted, "In my opin-
ion woman's mission is submission"
Amer that they left me.
| felt too much excited TO go to bed
ut once, so | resorted to the calming
influence of n cigar.
My wife died twenty-five years ago.
Our married life lasted five years, and
when she died | gave up--pshawl 1t
WAS not that that made me give up tho
militia, and Parliament, and Quarter
Sessions, and the old schemes for pay
ing of the mortgages, and all that, to
90 abroad. The old church is not res
tored yet. However, this is nothing
to the purpose. | am meditating an
essay on women in general, not on in
dividuals, and if the world lasts 4
thousand years it would never produce
again a woman such as she was.
The cigar is very soothing. ! will
only make few notes on the back of
an enyelope-heads of the subjects
with their consequences arranged like
pedigree under them | begin with
the creation of Eve-a most important
point
Here my pencil rolled away from
me, and | think | must have fallen
asleep. and yet | should be sorry to
swear in court of justice that all
which followed was only a dream.
A study had been recently added to
the house, and the shadows hickered
strangely over the wide white plaster
ed wall that faced my great easy chair
rs J sat by the fire.
L became suddenly quite dark, then
a circle of light danced into the center
OF the white wall, and grew larger and
brighter, till saw rs if in broad day
light n scene which might have been
reflected from a magic-lantern.
Ring-a-ring-a-ring! Oh! that indie
scribable sense Of hurry; who that has
ever experienced it does not recognize
ii? II must be the diyision-bell OF the
House of Commons. There 90 the
honorable members running fast Tho
scene represents the exterior, two POI
licomen stand at one of the doors. Two
or three pigeons hop stifily out OF the
way Of the honorable members.
Rinc-a-ring-a-ring. 1t has stopped
now. There is pause, the pigeons
peck about and plume themselves ana
the policemen pursue their endless
walk. A brougham trots up alta round
pace; an anxious face looks out, watch-
ing; finally a voice calls to the foot
man;
John! Sir Joseph is there
A tall, careworn member of tho OPP
position jumps into the carriage.
Ground ST. james Park, he calls out
and away they 60.
a lady takes her husband 5 hand ea-
gcrly and speaks
Here are the notes, Jos. Now
whatever you DO, DO not forget 65,oOV'
200 and Go
You are sure2'
"Of course. $4,000, zoo and &C. And
it was Che Times said SO. not the Da'lJ
Ncu2, remember That; and the date was
April IL. You had put down the
11th. -
"And was I accurate about Peels
Yes. ! have found his cry words,
They are Just what YOU want only
think / would make the other TWO