Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-12-12
The Avenger Of Her Sex,

1t was day of perspiration. Heat and
humidity had joined forces early in the
morning, and before noon humanity was
routed, and waved the wilted handker-
chief of capitulation.
A young man entered a downtown
elevated station as though he owned it.
No one who watched him would have
been surprised had he displayed a night
key to the ticket peddler's booth; but he
did not. He haughtily cast down the
half-dime Of passage and Joined the limp
and draggled wayfarers without.
Had he not been so aggressive in his
bearing, he would have been insignif-
cant. He was very slight; he was short
ne was narrow -chested. His shoulders
were dropping combinations Of his arms
Sparse light hair tanned his upper lip,
which was brscketed By a supercilious
smile. Through gold-rimmed glasses
his little eyes squinted inquisitiyely. His
light summer coat foated unbuttoued in
the breeze, as if charging his p.e'ence
His waist was girded by a broad, black
sash.
Arthur Chumppey was his name-Mr
Chumpney, of New York City, as he
often proudly proclaimed it. Time had
been, and not four years since, when
Artie Chumpney, Deacon Chumpney's
lad, at Chumpney's Four Corners, Della
ware County, had sufficiently individual
ized him.
But maternal uncle had wrought a
wondrous change. He had transpanted
this rural squash, and behold citypickle
had come forth. A real estate agents
clerk has to be spry; and ere the warts
had faded from his hands Arthur thought
that he '1knew it all" No one could
"do" him; he was playing ball every
time!
Yet at the "Corners" he had been
deemed "a pore sperited cOot that never
could do nuthin' az never would" "He's
afeard of his own shadder; an if you
speak up peart or student to him, he
bushes awful, he's 50 ashamed of his
self"
Strange, that environment should SO
affect ones nature. And yet, in the
menagerie trade, a leopard is a leopard
the world over, and must be sold for
spot cash.
Arthur entered a car and took the only
unoccupied seat. 1t was beside a wO-
man who was nearer to caps than tC
frizzes. and who knew it. There was no
artificial girlishness about her. She was
gaunt and dark and sharp featured. Hel
nose was long and piercing, like double
barreled probe; her eyes asked a ques
ton, and then answered it definitely hel
arms were anthropoid in length and ar
ticulation; her hands, which mitteni
caressed, made one crawl to look at
them. In one of them she bore a reti-
eule. Her brow was bound by green
veil. She alone seemed unconscious o.
the weather. Heat and humidity, when
they had encountered her, had shrugged
their shoulders obviously, and had passed
by on the other side.
She gave Arthur one penetrating
Glance, which her nose seemed to say was
quite sufficient. ''Humph!' she ejacu-
lated, and it wrinkled contemptuously
So, too, he had looked but once to be
satisfied. ga curious old jay" he NUT
tered to himself, as he twiIled the sparse
hairs into skeleton shape. He lOlled Is
comfortably and as indolently as the
sticky seat would permit, his back hal
turned against her, his legs outstretcheC
in the aisle, his open coat tapping upon
either side. He adjusted his glasses, ,anC
taking newspaper from his pocket
began to assimilate the gossip of the day.
The train rolled, it ratified, it squesked
# stopped. There was an influx oi
femininity; heated, wearied, glowing
fenininity, clad in the calico Of labor anc
bearing the basket of economy. They
swaved and jolted through the aisle
tbev hung on the straps, as the squeaking
ceased nnd.the rolling and fattling re-
commenced. Here and there men, keer
and alert in expression, yet whose eyes
said that business and kindliness were no
sntaconistic, spraug to their feet will
natural chivalfy. Bat Arthur did no
move. One glance he cast, to see II h
might detect the bonnet Of luxury. ON
Glance suficed. He stretched himsel
vet more arrogantly and continued hi
educational process.
tssIind your eyes~ he angrily squeale'
At wan woman, with shawl aud bab,