The Osceola times., 1888-11-24
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
THE LAST WORD.
A Domestic War of Words and wit In
which the Woman Holds Her own.

Peter ElderDefry, last evening"
was by your sister, but can't say that
i agree with 1t.
..Oh. WE'LL" returned Bib, at is not
necessary that you should say so. Bel
doesn't care what any mere man may say
on the subject. It's the women she's
after
"Of course" explained, "a mans
opinion on this subject can not be of so
much i'm mrortance as a womans opinion.
! don't see that men need to give them
selves any anxiety about it.
"You don't" exclaimed Uncle Peter,
berinning to get interested. suppose
my wife should take a notion to go sky
larking of to the polls, what should
do?n
81 know said Bub. YOU'D go to
work right away to stir up pancake bat
ter. That is what the husbands OF
public spirited women in the funny
paragraphs always do. Then one OF
your grown-up children would be made
a child again just for tonight, so that
he might mingle his walls with the
buckwheat batter, and help TO make 1t
pleasant for you"
Don't be nonsensical, Bub. What
I want to ask Uncle Peter is this; When
women 90 TO church, or market, or rail-
way station, who takes care of homes
and babies then? And what becomes
of these care. takers when women go to
votepn
.They expire instantly" said Bub,
"every mothers child of them"
..What mean" said Mr.. Elderberry,
ais that these things don't take women's
minds away from their homes so much
as voting would"
1--WE seen a mission meeting take a
woman's mind so far from home that 1t
never came back again; and after she
followed her mind to a heather land.
every one said what a noble deed it
was. Every woman who earns her
own living-and there are good many
Of them in these days-must necessa-
rily have her mind taken away from
home
"Well, now, the hand that rocks the
cradle"
Ought to find better employment.
Il is a mistake to rock cradle, par
ticularly when a baby is in it. 1t
makes the poor child dazed and dizzy
and half drunk. 1t is most IRA
tional way Of putting human being TO
sleep
Isabel" said Bub, gravely, "it is rude
to interrupt.
Il beg your pardon, Uncle Peter.
You were about TO say that the hand
that rocks the cradle
"Wields the ruler" said the youngest
boy.
"Bub. who is interrupting now? Do
you wish me TO WELD the ruler in your
direction?' A playful attempt TO carry
out this threat ended in my wrists being
imprisoned by a pair OF strong young
hands.
"The great objection TO woman's vot-
ing Is that she can't fight" observed
Bub, apropos Of the situation. "When
you have the physical strength TO en-
force laws, you may be permitted to
take hand in making them"
"Ohl then voting is a matter Of mere
muscle, not OF intelligence and con-
science. But great many male voters
have not the physical strength to en-
force the laws that they help to make.
Let 20 Of my wrists, please, Bub; you
hurt them
81 don't see" said Mr. Elderberry,
'why you shouldn't be content with the
influence you have over your brother,
without wishing to vote Also
81 have no more influence over my
brother than he has over me. Why
| shouldn't he be content with his in
fucncc instead OF wishing to vote alsop ?
A good influence is not ncutralized by n
good vote. When / have an opinion TO
express in print, don't influence Bub
TO express it for me. Why should | do
so when have an opinion to express at
the pols?"
well, because it doesn't seem q
woman's place exactly. 1t seems TO me
the women have enough TO attend 10 n,
home, or if they haven't, they ought to
have"
"Yes, they have good deal to occu-
py their thoughts and time, but
not more than men. Don't you think
it would be reasonable TO deprive mer.
chants of their vote because they ris,
carly and lie down late, and their days
nre filled with cares and duties?m
mo; men like to do the rough out.
side work OF the world, and save tn,
women. II is the nature OF good mer
to like TO protect and defend women; ant
I'll tell you what it is, Miss Bel, just a.
quick as you bring your sex down tc
the level of ours, you'll crush out al
these -thcse''--
"Chiyalrous instincts suggested
Bub.
"lf you are going into crushing tn,
business, Isabel, | would like 10 recon
mend somelomons TO your notice. The,
are on the diniug-room table, with sugal
and water adjacent"
mo, Bub; If your chivalrous instinct
have not suggested the propriety o
your making lemonade for us, / shal
have to bring my influence to bear oi
you. a sisters influence, you know, 4
a wonderful thing"