The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-02-07
AN AVENGER.
Her Punishment for Young Men
for Rudeness to Women.

for Rudeness to Women.
1t was a day of perspiration. Heat
and humidity had joined forces early in
the morning, and before noon humanity
was routed, and waved the wilted
handkerchief 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 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;
he was narrow-chested. His shoulders
were dropping combinations of his
arms. Sparse light hair tanned his
upper lip, which was bracketed by a
supercilious smile. Through gold
trimmed glasses his little eyes squinted
inquisitively. His light summer coat
foated unbuttoned in the breeze, as if
enlarging his presence. His waist was
girded by broad, black sash.
Arthur Chumpney 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 individu-
allied him.
But maternal uncle had wrought
wondrous change. He had transplanted
this rural squash, and behold! a city
pickle 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 "inew 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' an never would" :"
"He's afeard of his own shadder; an if
you speak up peart or suddent to him,
he bushes awful, he's so ashamed of
hisself."
Strange, that environment should so
affect ones nature. And yet, in the
menagerie trade, leopard is leopard
the world over, and must be sold for
spot cash.
Arthur entered car and took the
only unoccupied seat. 1t was beside a
woman who was nearer to caps than to
frizzes, and who knew it. There was
no artificial girlishness about her. She
was gaunt and dark and sharp-featured
Her nose was long and piercing, like q
double barreled probe; Her eyes asked
question, and then answered it def
nitely; her arms We're anthropoid in
length and articulation: her hands,
which mittens caressed, made one crawl
to look at them. In one of them she
bore reticule. Her brow was bound
by green vail. She alone seemed un-
conscious of the weather. Heat and hui
midity 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
calculated, and it wrinl1led contemptu.
ously.
So, too, he had looked but once to be
satisfied, "A curious old jay" he nut.
tered to himself, as he twirled the sparse
hairs into skeleton shape. He lolled as
comfortably and as indolently as the
sticky seat would permit, his back hall
turned against hers, his legs outstretched
into the aisle, his open coat Tapping
upon either side. He adjust, I'd his
glasses, and, taking newspaper from
his pocket, began to assimilate the gos.
sip of the day.
The train rolled, it ratified, Il
squeaked, it stopped. There was an in.
fiux of femininity, heated, wearied
glowing femininity, clad in the calico
of labor and bearing the basket of econ
omy. They swayed and jolted through
the aisle; they hung on the straps, like
so many Mrs. Surratts, as the squeak
ing ceased and the rolling and rattlinl
recommended. Here and there men
keen and alert in expression, yet whose
eyes said that business and kindlinesi
were not antagonistic, sprang to then
feet with natural chivalry. But Arthur
did not move. One glance he cast, tC
see if he might detect the bonnet ot
luxury One glance sufficed. He
stretched himself the more arrogantly
and continued his educational process.
mind your eyesl" he angrily squealeC
at a wan woman, with a shawl and Q
baby mutually involved, who hac
stumbled over his feet. "Do you think
that patent-leathers grow on trees?"
The wan woman clung more closely
TO the indeterminate bundle, but an
swered not word. She was used to
unlfind speech; it reminded her of home
and husband.
But she Of the gaunt elbow upon his