Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-08-03
1T FAILED TO WORK.
Mr.. Nelthorpe's Theory About the
Treatment of Woman.

h1I. N0AOA1O1 PO AhCOly AoOuO IhC
Treatment Of Woman.
That man is only mortal and liable
to error is well-established rule, and
there are in the world a certain num-
Der of men, each of whom considers
himself the exception that we all know
is necessary to prove a rule of this
kind
Charlie Nelthorpe was one of the
number. He was prig of the first
water. He looked at all things and
discussed all things from supremely
priggish point of view, but no subject
displayed his priggishness to such ad-
vantage-or shall say disadvantage
as the subject of women. On that sub
ject he held himself an indisputable
authority. There was no reason why
he should, for he was young as yet, and
had really had no very special expert
ence of the opposite sex; but your full
blown typical prig generally rises SUI
perior to such a secondary considera-
tion as reason. Charlie rose superior
to it, and would expound his views and
theories at as great length and with as
d
long life and highly-cultured intellect
to the study of that particular hero
glyphic which is called woman.
He was great believer in what he
called systematic training" That is
to say, he considered that women
ought to be treated according to a GER
tain system that he had evolved from
his inner consciousness. The beauty
of the system in his eyes was the fact
that 1t required no notifications, but
might with safety be vigorously en-
forced in every case. 1t could not
fail.
Charlie was the lucky possessor of
an unencumbered estate with very
considerable rent roll. and he intended
to find a woman who loved him for
what he was, without a thought for
what he had, and who would have
shared mud hut or garret with him
just as gladly as she would share his
fine old place in Yorkshire. When he
had found her, he meant to train her
on his infallible system. That was
his programme, and 1t never occurred
to him to distrust his powers of carry
ing it out. His belief in himself was
absolute, and the infallibility of his
reasoning and judgment n thing that
to his mind did not admit of the
slightest shadow of doubt.
When he became engaged, his male
friends were quite excited in their
anxiety to see the woman whom he
had deigned to honor with his ap-
proval, and when they had seen her
there was but one opinion among the
lot of them.
IAN uncommon nice girl, and any
amount too good for that prig Mel
thorpe. Well, well, fools for luckp'
That was the unanimous verdict.
Lord Dolly Dashwood, one of
Charles closest friends-by that
mean one of a certain select circle who
frequently borrowed fivers of him,
which they forgot to repay-waxed
eloquent upon the subject.
Sensible little girl, don't you know.
Knows how to talk to a fellow, don't
you know. Knows how to listen to
fellow, too. Thrown away on a chap
like Nelthorpe. Beastly conceited cad,
without two ideas. Any sort of wom-
an good enough for him, don't you
know"
The favored few who were privi-
legged to listen to this fight Of elo-
quence received It with the reverence
that it deserved. No one spoke. No
one could speak. Astonishment held
them all silent. His lordship was not,
as rule, brilliant orator, and the
fact that he was capable of such sus-
tained and remarkable effort as the
one recorded above came upon bis audi
ence with quite shock. 1t was moth
ing short of revelation.
Eva Darlington, the bride-elect, was
beauty.
softly-tinted skin, ,sa tin smooth and
veined like the petal of rose; fair,
fluffy hair that shone golden bright in
the sunlight; clear, smiling eyes of
heavens own blue, and innocent, rosy
lips that looked just made for the first
kiss of love, were all blended together
In dainty and most fascinating whole.
Her manner was childishly fresh and
simple, and men found her altogether
delightful Women had their doubts
of her-doubts that were principally
due to the childlike manner aforesaid,
and to a certain pretty trick of look
ing up quickly and then down with
those great innocent eyes of hers-but
women, of course, are invariably spite
full and unfair towards their own sex.
Men, as we all know, have the monopo-
ly of just and generous judgment.
"Well, Eva's soft blue eyes ind
bright little ways wrought dire de-
struction in the ranks of the stronger
sex, but she appeared quite uncon-
scious of her power, or indifferent to
IL. To all intents and purposes, she
was completely wrapped up In the man
she had promised to marry. His will
was her law, and to please him the
chief object of her life. In short, his
Her total submission delighted him,
and he took every advantage of it. 1t
was not in him to show generosity to
a woman, or, indeed, to anything that
he thought weaker than himself. He
was the sort of man who Is brutal to
his dogs and horses, and overbearing to
his servants, who, in short, tyrannizes
whenever he can do SO without fear of
TeJdlldUlOn. his ndluIc dSScEb bcu lboCik
In his dealings with the woman he
loved, and he took the lseenest possible
pleasure in trading on her forbearance,
taxing her endurance to the utmost and
showing off her plant will and ODE
dent temper to the world at large. 1t
was all part of the system that could
| not fail.
Ninety-nine women out of hundred
would have torn the system to shreds
and scattered it to the four winds OF
heaven. Eva Darlington was the hun
dredth woman. She submitted to
| everything with the most remarkable
patience, and no word or complaint or
reproach ever passed her lips
But after time she grew quieter,
and her bright spirits seemed to flag.
Her merry, girlish laughter was not
nearly SO ready as it had been six
months egQl aaa the corners Of her