The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-06-25
Woman's Rights.
BY SALLY ANN JONES.

BY SALLY ANN JONES.
When the night of the lecture came,
Jeremiah and went to Jonesville in the
express, and were among the first to seat
ourselves in the town hall. Miss An
thony arrived according to the announce
ment, and made what I call good
speech. Railways had thought that wo-
men were imposed upon, but l saw the
case in clearer light that night than I
had ever seen it before I also came to
the conclusion that Ihad been neglect
ing my duty in not trying to do some
thing more for the cause than I had
done: True, I had taught Jeremiah
his duty, as far as anyone could have
taught him. and I had argued the
case with all my acquaintance, but
that lecture aroused me to a
pitch of enthusiasm to which l had
never attained before, and I resolved
then and there that would go to work
the very next morning to organize 9
Woman's Rights club in our neighbour
hood.
The next morning dawned clear,
balmy, mild and delightful. The birds
we're singing songs of gladness in the
tree-tops. The flowers were sending
out their fragrance on the morning
breeze, inviting the humble bees and
humming- birds to a feast of sweet
ness. The frogs were singing melodi-
ously in pond by the road side. Two
COWS were lowing to their calves in the
pasture, and the calves returned an
answering moo"
I did not tarry to admire these pleas
ant surroundings, but fastened away in
what L then thought to be the path of
duty. I had started out TO try to organ
ize Womans Rights club.
I made my way to Stubbs's the first
place, for I naturally thought, after
what Mrs. Stubbs had told me, that she
would be pillar in the club. But, alas
I was doomed to disappointment I
knocked at the door, and Mrs. Stubs
opened it.
"Good morning, Mrs. Stubbs," said
"Good' morning, Mrs. JONES'" says
she. "Come in"
"Well," says I. "Ill come in few
minutes, though I'm in a hurry and
can't stay long"
"Why, what's your hurry?" says
she.
"Well," says T. Give started out this
morning to try to organize d Woman's
Rights club, and ] have come to you
first because 1 felt certain you would
Join it, and I'd have one name before I
went anywhere else."
"a Woman's Rights club" says she.
"What's that?"
I felt provoked at her ignorance, but
I went to work and explained it to her
as we'll as could, and says l, II sup
pose now that you understand what I
mean, you will be willing to help me
all that you CAM"
But imagine how I felt when she told
me that she had enough to do to attend
to her Homework and take care of the
children, without spending any of her
time on such foolery!
I tell you that made me mad, and says
I, "Well, I think if I had such hus-
band as you have, I should be trying to
do something to better my condition.
"What do you mean by such talk as
that? ?" says she. "What's the reason
my husband isn't as good as anybody 3
husband?"
II don't know anything about it, "
says I. "onlv what you told me your
self that morning he swore at you, be-
cause you wanted him to buy you sew
ing machine"
"WeH," says she, "if folks would stay
at home, and attend their own business,
and not go gadding around and prying
into their neighbors' affairs, they
wouldn't find out quite SO many things
that don't concern them. And if Stubs
does get mad and scold around once in
awhile, he works and tries to make a
living for his family, without me hav:
ing to drive him around, and he's not
laughed about, and called :henpecked:
by all the men in the neighborhood."
I tell you that aroused my temper,
for knew that she was limiting at me
and Jeremiah. But didn't want to
say anything rough or unladylike, so,
says I, "Well, I never want you to
come to me with any more OF your COM
plants, and don't care if Stubb swears
at you every day of your life I don't
doubt your deserving everything he
says to you"
She commenced to cry like she al:
ways does when she gets mad about
anything, and left, and went from
there to Browns. Brown is wealthy
farmer and a local preacher, and his
wife is leading member of society.
Mrs. Brown said that woman should
work in her proper sphere, and moi
NEEDLE with the sphere of man, and
then she quoted Scripture to me, to try
to convince me that I was doing wrong.
The Smiths made fun Of me to my
face, few spoke encouragingly, but
40 one cared enough for the cause to
risk anything for its premotiQa. Some
"would like to help, but hadn't time; :
some "would like to see the cause pros
per, but thought there was n8 hope 81
success, so there was aa use to try, and
others were afraid of being laughed at.
I returned home tired, disheartened
and Disguised.
Since then it is but little that I have
done for the cause publicly. I have al
ways managed so as to get my rights
at home, and I live in hope that I
shall yet have my rights in the ma
tian. But until women IN general
become sufficiently enlightened ID
want their rights, and rise up as
one man and demand them, they
will not get them. and 7 + don't n. intend
to worry myself to death trying to get
tSe@ xo4d IL ths$ tie iss; i sho sS 81
fortunate enough to succeed in getting it..
A few days after my unfortunate visit to
Stubbs, Stubs saw Jeremiah and told
him that he wished when I mad anything
10 Say against him, I would say it to him,
and not to his wife, 4soR his part be
knew that it was the nature Of women TO
get mad and say all sorts Of stuff. u But
bis wife WAS . very nervous woman, and
Loved him SO we'll that she couldn't bear
TO hear 4 weird said against him, and
that had hurt her feelings 40 bad by
talking about him as I had done that
she had cried herself into a nervous