Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-12-21

4
es,rs,err. ss.. 81 Xurross ALLIANCE. AL s,esrs
'Oh, yes, you will come. will call
in if / may and chat it over with you
when you come home. We have not
breakfasted yet. Goodbye There was
whir of wheels, and the yellow cloud
rolled away down the road again. By
some legerdemain the admiral found that
he was clutching in his right hand one
of the obnoxious bills. He crumpled it
up and threw it into the roadway.
"Tn be hanged if l go, Walker" said
he as he resumed his walk. 1--we never
been hustled into doing a thing yet,
whether by woman or man"
'Tm not betting man, answered the
doctor, "but rather think that the odds
are in favor of your going"
The admiral had hardly got home and
had Just seated himself in his dining
room when the attack upon him was re-
newed. He was slowly and lovingly un-
folding The Times preparatory to the
long read which led up to luncheon, and
had even got so far as to fasten his gold
en- pince-nez on to his thin, high bridged
nose, when he heard scrunching of
gravel, and looking over the top of his
paper saw Mrs. Westmacott coming up
the garden walk. She was still dressed
in the singular costume which offended
the sailors old fashioned notions of pro-
priety, but he could not deny as he
looked at her that she was very fine
woman. In many climes he had looked
upon women of all shades and ages,
but never upon more clear cut, hand
some face, nor a more erect, supple
and womanly figure. He ceased to
glover as he gazed upon her, and the
frown was smoothed away from his
rugged brow.
"May l come inT" said she, framing
herself in the open window, with back
ground of greensward and blue sky. 81
feel like an invader deep in an enemy's
country"
'tIt is a very welcome invasion, ma'am,"
said he, clearing his throat and pulling at
his collar. TRY this garden chair. What
is there that l can do for you? Shall l
ring and let Mrs Denver know that you
are here?"
pray do nottrouble, admiral. only
looked in with reference to our little chat
this morning. / wish that you would
give US your powerful support at our
coming meeting for the improvement of
the condition of woman"
mo, ma'am. / can't do that" He
pursed up his lips and shook his grizzled
head.
"And why notY"
Against my principles, ma'am."
"But whyT
Because woman has her duties, and
man has his. l may be old fashioned,
but that is my view. Why, what is the
world coming to? twas saying to DR..
Walker only last night that we shall
have a woman wanting to command the
Channel feet next"
'That is one Of the few professions
which cannot be improved" said Mrs
Westmacott, with her sweetest smile.
"Poor woman must still look to man for
protection.
Il don't like those new tangled ideas,
ma'am. tell you honestly that / don't
I like discipline, and think every one is
the better for it. Women have got
great deal which they had not in the
days Of our fathers They have univer-
sites all for themselves, am told, and
there are women doctors, hear. Surely
they should rest contented What more
can they want"
"You are sailor, and sailors are al
WAYS chivalrous. If you could see how
things really, are you would change your
opinion. What are the poor things to
do? There are so many Of them and so
few things to which they can turn their
hands. Governesses? But there are
hardly any situations. Music and draw:
ingg There is not one in fifty who has
any special talent in that direction. Med;
icine? It is still surrounded with diff
culties for women, and it takes many
years and a small fortune to qualify.
Nursing? It is hard work Ill paid, and
none but the strongest can stand it.
What would you have them do then.
admiral? Sit down and starve"
'Tut, tutI It Is not 30 bad as that"
'sThe pressure is terrible. Advertise
for lady companion at 10 shillings
week, which is less than a cooks wage,
and see how many answers you get.
There is no hope, no outlook, for these
struggling thousands. Life is a dull,
sordid struggle, leading down to cheer
less old age. Yet when we try to bring
some little ray Of hope, some chance,
however distant, of something better
we are told by chivalrous gentlemen tfat
it is against their principles to help"
The admiral WINGED. but shook his
head in dissent.
surgery, government offices, the civil
service, all these at least should be thrown
freely open to women if they have brains
enough so compete successfully for them.
Then If woman were unsuccessful 1t
would be her own fault, and the major
ity of the population Of this country
could no longer complain that they live
under different law from the minority,
and that they are held down in poverty
and serfdom, with every road to lnde-
pendence sealed to them"
What would you propose to do,
ma'amf"
ITO set the more obvious injustices
right, and SO to pave the way for a re-
form. Now, look at that man digging in
the field. know him. He can neither
read nor write, he is stepped in whisky,
and he has as much intelligence as the
potatoes that he is digging. Yet the man
has vote, can possibly turn the scale of
an election and may help to decide the
policy of this empire. Now, to take the
nearest example, here am l, woman
who has had some education, who has
travelled, and who has seen and studied
the institutions of many countries. 1
hold considerable property, and l pay
more in imperial taxes than that man
spends in whisky, which is saying
great deal. and yet have no more direct
influence upon the disposal of the money
which pay than that fly which creeps
along the wall Is that right9 Is it
fairf'
The admiral moved uneasily in his