The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-18

! TO ignore the highest principles in pol
litics, and had begua to champion Gel
tain party feeling that was very repue
nant to me. Howl in the world man wit
his probity of character and rectitud
of feeling could deliberately put asid
the very elements of honest success.
could not conceive. Why, his own wifi
disagreed with him, and deplored wit
me the path he had chosen in the Presi
dental canvass. Not that 1 PARTICULAR
cared to argue the matter with Maria
She was the wife of my friend, AM
however erroneous Dicks opinion
might be, it was best for his wife not t.
question their sagacity.
Besides, she was my wife's sister, anC
by some miserable misconception of tn
elements of right and wrong, my wifi,
had actually taken part with Dick il
his alienation from party principle.
think at first she was only, trying in he
womanly way to help Dick out. Jan,
had the tenderest heart in the world
and always flew to the succor of thoS,
in distress; but when she found thai
Dick was swimming with the tide O
popular opinion about him, and wa:
perfectly able to defend himself, why
did Jane still cling to her Objectionable
ideas of right and wrong? Why dc
she allow herself to adopt a style OF
language that was so distasteful to ne:
A door mat, indeed! A machine fol-
keeping the farmhouse in order! MOI
so grateful as she might me if the farm
didn't happen to belong to her! Was it.
| indeed, come to this?
| lay the lash upon the launches Of
my mare, which almost sprang out OF
her harness, poor beast! and went fly
| ing down the road in a tempest OF
| alarm. | was in a reckless and almost
| desperate mood, and in no humor to
meet with patience the ignorant, coarse,
and repelling class of politicians that
hang about country town. would,
in fact, have gone out of my way to
avoid them, if Dick Knowles had not
been, perhaps. the most aggressive of
them all. One word led on to another,
clustering boasts were followed by
STAINLESS assertions, until, stung to fury,
| cried out, who among you will back
up his opinion with hard cash? | will
bet my farm against any mans farm of
equal value in this crowd that my choice
will be the choice of the people!''
Done said Dick Knowles. .Is my
property worth as much as yours?"
"A trifle more, | think" replied.
Then let that trifie be thrown in the
weight of & good cause" said Dick.
Come, boys, lets adjourn to the law
yer's office across the way, and have the
separate deeds put up for stakes in such
way that we can't back out"
The rabble shouted and applauded,
and with the good-natured profanity
that characteTizes a mob of that kind,
ratified the stupid and reckless deed by
drinking at the public bar at our ex-
penSe.
Then we rode home, my brother-in-
law and I, in somewhat wiser and
sadder mood. The reins lay loosely
upon the back of my poor spent mare,
and Dick held those of his own spirited
bays firmly in check. John" he called
to me across the road, IF | said any
thing out of the way down there, I'm
sorry for it. The fact is. was mad as
a hornet when | left home. Maria is
one of the most perfect women God
ever made, but she's got some peculiar
views lately
Il have no fault to find with Maria's
views" | said.
''Well. no matter. anyhow" said
Dick. raising his voice and pounding
his fist upon the dashboard of his buggy;
"a woman has no right to NEEDLE in
these things"
There l agree with You, Dick" |
said. women don t understand these
matters. Jane is one woman among
ten thousand. but she made some re-
marks this morning"
Jane knows what she is talking
about" shouted Dick.
1t was all | could do to keep from
springing out of my wagon and having
it out with my brother-in-law there and
then. but l whipped up my unfortunate
mare. and called out to Dick that we
had left our differences in the hands of
the law; and from that time till the
election was over Dick and | merely ex-
changed a gruf word of recognition
when we met.
Some time after, | was surprised at
Maria were no longer on speaking terms
with each other As their Sunday silks
rustled together they seemed to partake
of the combative clash of contention.
The whole thing began to strike me as
being ridiculous. until Dick Knowles
suddenly grasped my wife's hand with
the old heartinesS. | Immediately
stretched my hand over to Maria with a
ike fervOr, and we all went our ways,
the bone of discord still between us.
On the homeward way / tried to rea-
son with Jane upon her differences with
her sister, but she would give heed to
nothing that could say.
''It's too late now" she said; ''we've
only Just got to wait and see how +he
election goes. Dear me-" she added,
with a sudden stamp Or her little foot.
cit seems to me sometimes that | could
just fiyr'
81 used to think. said" that YOU only
wanted wings to make you an angel, but
lately I've somewhat changed my opin-
ion." Ismiled down upon her gravely,
she looked so fair and sweet in her close
bonnet with the lavender ribbons, and
the bunch of marigolds at her breast;
the smile she gave me in return was so
pitiful and pleading, my heart melted
within me. We were on the road from
the mill. with the hedges of young will
lows on either side; the top of the bug
gy was up, the back flat of the curtain
was down; forgot for a moment the
iniquity of her political opinions, and,
STOPPING, I kissed her trembling lips.
To my surprise and CONSERVATION she
burst into tears. Then saw to the full
how fatal was the proclivity to politics
in woman.
after this campaign. Jane" I said.