The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-02-28
STORY OF WOMEN'S
RIGHTS.

lGll Inc mouse.
The evening began with argument,
which By degrees was relieved by ligfs
vet bitter banter. Some Of the ladies
began to make use of those most ex-
pressiYe 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-
treme should be said on either side.
My guests were my nearest relations
-nephews, nieees and young cousins.
One niece was the wife of rising
Member of Parliament, a man suppos-
ed to have prosperous future before
him. Another WIS one of the sweetest
girls / ever me- 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 Men,
Der 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 / happen to know
that on that very morning she had
gone in tears to her husband to entreat
his interference with 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
meDts 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 / almost shouted, I'm my opin-
After that they left me.
felt too much excited to 90 to bed
at once, so resorted to the calming
influence of a cigar.
My wife died twenty-five years ago.
Our married life lasted FIVE years, and
when she died l gave up-pshaw! 1t
was not that that made me give up the
militia, and Parliament, and Quarter
Sessions, and the old schemes for pay
ing of the mortgages, and all that, to
go 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 a
thousand years it would never produce
again woman such as she was.
The cigar IS very soothing. / will
only make few notes on the back of
an envelope-heads of the subjects
with their consequences arranged like
a pedigree under them. / begin with
the creation of Eve-a most important
point
Here my pencil rolled away from
me, and / think L 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
the house, and the shadows hickered
strangely over the wide white plaster
ed wall that faced my great easy chair
IS 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 I saw as if in broad day
light scene which might have been
reflected from magic-lantern.
Ring-a-ring- airing! Oh! that inde-
scribable sense of hurry; who that has
ever experienced it does not recognize
itp 1t must be the division-bell of the
House of Commons. There 60 the
honorable members running fast. The
scene represents the exterior, two po-
icemen stand at one of the doors. Two
or three pigeons hop stiff1y out of the
wav of the honorable members.
Ring 1t has stopped
now. There is pause, the pigeons
peck about and plume themselves and
the policemen pursue their endless
walk. A brougham trots up at 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.
"Round 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
whatever you do, do not forget $1,000,
700 and g."
you are stre?"
''Of course. IS, 900, 700 and &c. And
it was the Times said so, not the Daily
Ne,cs, remember that; and the date was
April u. You had put down the
11th."
land was accurate about Peelp"
''Yes. have found his very words.
They are just what you want, only I
think 1 would make the other two
points first"
II meant them for peroration."
"Yes; but don't you think this one
that l have found will do better? See
this quotation. 1t will enable you to
fulfill the ungrateful duty of annihilat-
ing one of our own side with more
grace:
you urge me as a Judge; but had rather
You would have bid me argue like father.
Ohi had IT been a stranger. not my child,
To smooth his fair fault should have been
more mild.
A partial SANDER sought to avoid,
And in the sentence my own life destroyed.
Alas! I looked when some of you should
say
was too strict to make mine own away,
But you grant leave to my unwilling tongue
Against my win TO do myself this wrong"
ut will do"
did you notice an inaccuracy in B. s
speech last nightP He said that Lord
Palmerston was distinctly of his opin-
ion. Here is Palmerston's speech on
the same subject. Read it, dear"
bravo, Jeanie! you have surpassed
yourself to-day. Now we must turn"
ALREADY! Oh. Jos. I wish l could
go to the galleryr'
You could not stay late enough to
hear me-"
Then, in an eager whisper, she said,
ss the brougham pulled up, ''Good-by,
God speed youfh