Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-03-28
CHAPTER TX. CONTINUES.

smoke cheerlly 10 me now anu tLoh, oul
we we're met by light contrary winds
that necessitated his giving NEST OF his
attention to the management OF his YES
sci. so that he corld not permi. himself
to yield TO the love Of gossip that was
inherent I'm him. The weather
was perfect, and Notwithstanding
our constant shifting and tack
ing about 70 catch the erratic
breeze, the gay little brig made merry
and rapid way over the SPARKLING Medi'
terranean, at rate that promised our
arrival at Palermo by the sunse. OF the
following day. As the evening came on
the wind freshened, and by the time the
moon scared like large bright bird into
the sky, we were scuddlng along SIDE
WAYS. the edge OF Cur vessel leaning over
to kiss the waves that cleaned like sill
YER and gold, flecRed here and there
with phosphorescent fame we SKINNED
almost under the bow OF a magnificent
yacht,-the English flag floated from her
mast,-her sails glittered purely white
in the moonbeams, and she sprang over
tho waters like a sea-gull. A man. whose
tall athletic figure was shown of 10 ID.
vantage by the yachting costume he
wore. stood on deck, his arm thrown
around the waist OF o girl beside him.
We were but o minute or two passing
the stately vessel, yet ! saw plainly this
loving group OF two, and pitied
the man! Why? He was English un-
doubtedly,-the son of q country where
the very soil is supposed to be
odorous OF virtue,-therefore the
woman beside him must be a
perfect pearl Of purity; an English
man never makes o mistake in these
things! Never? Are you sure? All, be-
lieve me, there is not much difference
nowadays between women OF opposite
nations. Once there was,-I am willing
TO admit that possibility. Once, from all
accounts received, the English rose was
the fitting emblem OF the English woman
but now, since the world has grown so
wise and made such progress in the art
Of running rapidly down hill, is even the
aristocratic British peer quite easy in
his mind regarding his fair peeress?
Can he leave her TO her own devices
with safety? Are there not men, boast
fnl too OF their "blue blood" who are
perhaps ready TO stoop to the thiefs
trick OF entering his house during his
absence by means Of private keys, and
stealing away his wife's affections?-and
Is not she. though q mother OF three or
four children, ready to receive with
favor the mean robber OF her hus-
bands rights and honor? Read
the London newspapers any day and you
will find that once moral" England Is
running q neck and neck race with other
less hypocritical nations in pursuit OF
social vice. The barriers that once ex-
listed are broken down; professional
beauties" are received in circles where
their presence formerly would have been
the signal for all respectable
women instantly to retire; ladies
Of title are satisfied to caper
On the boards Of the theatrical stage, In
costumes that display their shape as I'M
hisguieedly as possible to Ssse eyes OF the
grinning public, or they sing In concert
halls for the pleasure Of showing them
selves of, and actually accept the vulgar
applause of unwashed crowds with Q
smile and o bow Of gratitude! Ye godsl
what has become Of the suberb pride Of
the old Fegime,-the pride which dis
haiiled ell ostentation and chung to honor
more closely than life! What striking
sign Of the times, too, is this:-let q
woman faint her virtue before marri-
age, she is never forgiven,-her sin is
never forgotten; but let her do what she
will when she has husbands name to
screen her, and society winks its eyes at
her crimes Couple this fact with the
general spirit Of mOckery that prevails
In fashionable circles, -mockerY OF re-
ligion, mockery OF sentiment, mockery
Of all that is best and noblest In the hui
man heart,-add to 1t the general spread
Of "free thought" and therefore OF con-
flicting and unstable opinions,-let all
these things together go on for few
years longer and England will stare at
her sister nations like told woman in a
domino,-her features partly concealed
from q pretense at shame, but her eyes
glittering coldlY through the mask, be-
traylng to all who look at her how she
secretly revels In her new code Of law
lessness coupled with greed. For she
will always be avaricious, and the worst
Of It IL, that her nature being prosaic,
there will be no redeeming grace to cast
Q glamor about her. France is unvirtu-
GUS enough, God knows, yet there is q
Dunshinny smile on her lips that cheers
the heart Italy is also unyirtuous, yet
her voice is full OF bird-like melody, and
her face IL dream OF perfect poetryi
But England unvirtuous will be like .
cautiously calculating, somewhat shrew-
lsh matron, possessed Of unnatural and
nnbocoming friskIness, without either
laugh, or song, or smile, her one god,
Gold. and her one commandment, the
suggested eleventh, Thou shalt not be
found outi"
slept that night on deck. The
captain offered me the use Of his little
cabin, and was In bis kind-hearted man
nsr, truly distressed ct my persistent re-