Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-04

Do you know I never in nv life read anything
that-that infuristed me 90 much2
He-lndeed (Af'er pause Did you
ah-happen TO notice who wrote it2
| She-oh yes. know the suthor, Mr. Meri-
He-whstl Do you?
She-1 don't mean personally. never met
him, though understand he lives here and I
know a number Of people who are his friends.
Did you ever meet him.
He-N-no. never did; but like yoursels
am well acquainted with some Of his most inti-
mate friends.
She (coldly)-Perhsps you feel very kindly
disposed toward him. then?
He-I don't know why should. Merivether
has several times done things that caused me
| TO regard him IN the light OF a personal enemy.
She-Oh, is IL 50? Then we ought 20 be gooS
friends with sudden vehemence). hate that
maa
He-Really; you surprise me.
Shelf Is in shocking bad taste. IL IL not. for
woman to hate anybody-and still worse for
her TO acknowledge itl
He-lf you keep on saving things that make
me out TO be prig. we shall certainly quarrel
at the very start Come; will tell you that
admire most Of all the women who have minds
OF their own and who speak the m freely.
she-But You exhibited such sstonishment
He-That Won should confess 10 hating mas
you have never met
Shells it necessary actually 10 see q man
and to go through the clumsy fornlality OF an
introduction to know him? I know enough
him.
He-EIacty. 1 suppose you refer 10 what
his friends have told You
she-That-and what have seen OF mis-
writing.
He-Now, don't you know, 1 am just little
curious to know what sort OF q man Won take
TINS Meriwother to be-that is would like 20
see how your impression of him compares with
mine.
she-wen. think he Is selfish. hard hearted
and lnconsiderate Of the feelings OF others Ia
not that your idea of him?
/ He-l hardly know never thought much
about his moral characteristics
she-Neither does he; he Is too self-satis-
fed.
He-Really; do you mean to accuse him Of
vanity?
she-Hardly that think he cherishes .
good opinion of his own abilities, but perhaps
not better than they deserve.
| He-Iou regard him then As
! Sheer exceptional capacity as q thinker
and writer. Yes, and that is one OF the reasons
why feel such Rnimosity toward him. Mhata
shame it is that a man should be allowed such
powers when he makes them merely the slaves
of his bigotryl
He-Oh, yes, indeed
She-For some reason-I can scarcely
imagine why-he has fondness for writing
about women. ought. perhaps. TO explain
| that IL is his articles this subject that have
especially reused my wrath against him.
| He-Ihen it is with his views rather than
| himself that you would quarrel
/ She-How am / 70 disassociate him from
what he says? Is he a parrot? To such men
rs Mr. Meriwether women are dolls TO be,
treated with mock Difference IN their homes,
and. when forced ~ necessity 10 go forth and
earn a living, to be looked upon with scorn and
distrust
He-Honestly, do not think you are treat
| ing him quite fairly. As l have read his
articles, they seem TO maintain that woman's
proper sphere is the home, in her duties
| wife and mother -
She-Yes: and don't you think those ideas
| come with ino effect from a man who is said 10
be altogether too selfish to marry?
He aside Cad! what Knockout
She-He has the honor to belong to the very
| class OF men who have helped TO bring about
| this state Of things which he fit to deplore
| he (after long pause, during which he has
been tugging at his beard, while he stares at
| her face, turned half away from him We'll II
| ever meet Mr.. Meriwether shall feel inclined
to tell him what you say Of him.
she-But pray don't mention my name to
| him.
He-oh, certainly not. aside: For good
She-You might suggest TO him that before
| he ventures again TO write about women who
| 60 into professional public lie. he had bet
| ter put himself TO the trouble of forming an
| acquaintance with some of them. In this last
| article, for example, he offers a description Of
| the average woman Observation-Disclosures" be
| has the bad taste TO call her-in order to show
the evil effects Of her professional study on her
character as woman. The picture is utterly
He-Pardon me. cannot agree with YOU
| there. think you really unjust 10 Meri-
wether. Now, happen TO know, as a matter
| OF fact, that that particular description
| drawn from real lite-,,
she-well, suspected it Of being an attempt
at that But, pray, who is the subject OF the
| csricature?
He-I don't like to say. Perhaps she may be
| q friend of yours.
She (carelessly)-That is hardly possible.
But if she were, will promise you that will
never tell
He-The lady is Miss Crittenden, MD.
She-What! The wret- Imean-yes OF
course, see. And does the description strike
you as Just?
Hell never met the lady and do not know
her. Do you?
She-oh, yes. have been-well. you may
say acquainted with her for some time.
He-I can see, from the way you speak Of her,
| that you regard her in much the same way that
| / do-that is, as Mr.. Weriwether does. Come,
confess; you might like her as an abstraction
as an independent woman Drawing public life;
but, as a reality, you do not admire hers not
that the casei
she-Ye-es, possibly.
He-And she has not even the excuse which
many women have-that Of necessity.
She-No. / understand that it was nothing
but deliberate fondness for scientific study
and a malignant determination 10 have some
thing TO do in the world that led her into il.
He-You are satirical, perhaps. But think.
| il Miss Crittenden is as bright and as good
looking as they say she is, what acharming wo-
man she might have made!
She-Might, indeed!
He-Now, don't you think, for example,
that she would gladly give mp all she has won
of fame and success to change places with
your
She-With mel And why with me?
He with awkward earnestnoss) - Because
you have the qualities which make you envied
| Of women and adored by men.
(She laughs nervously and is about to
answer, when Mrs. Nictor-Godwin appears in
the door. He rises.)
Mrs Victor Godwin-Aren't you coming 10
hear the music? Maestro will sing Good Fri
days Spell" from ''Parsifal"
Sheen, like that much.
He (eagerly)-Do you? 1t is 9 favorite Of
mine.
Mra Victor-Godwin Cooking significantly
from one to the other-I think that II you two
were better acquainted, Mr.. Meriwether would
ind that he had many tastes in common with
Miss Crittenden-
1 Both-Whst!