The Washington times., 1894-07-01
BECKY SHARP's GOSSIP;
CHARITY AND DOC DAYS.


Far be it from me to detract from the value
OF woman's reputation reckoned at space
rates, but not all the inside knowledge pos
sess OF what constitutes legitimate Journal
ism quite reconciles me to the recent ten-col-
umn sho. at the remains Of Madeline Pollard.
Whether this expose by girl spy, who was
hired by Col. Breckinridge's attorneys to
watch Miss Pollard's every movement, was
published In the interests OF free press or Of
Col. Breckinridge's campaign am not bold
enough to say. But will say, no matter II
In saying I seem that abomination on
the face of the earth, a woman who
has opinions in not weather-will say
that though she be neither beauti-
full nor dead. Madeline Pollard should
be let rest. When she came out victorious
from her bad-smelling breach Of premise
suit-stepped of the witness stand and out
the courtroom into her proper place In our
most proper society, from woman whose
news value had been anything from q page to
an extra edition, she became simply among
ten thousand, "a woman OF no importance"
Nor In any instance has she herself disturbed
this fate or the community; SO that, with the
living pictures fresh in our memory, not to
uthliOu uaNiuS any vi NomcA hNdli-
able with just enough Of their regulations left
to make delicious reading for a Sunday
paper, what does a sober. sensible public
want of further talk about Madeline Pollard?
or course, II she has reformed 1t would be a
pretty spectacle to see her "with the angels
stand, a crown upon her forehead, harp
within her hand" But il you DON'T l do
know enough OF the world to know that Just
as sure as the curtain was raised revealing
Miss Pollard in this heavenly get-up. thenext
question would be, "Who do you suppose paid
for that crown? Where on earth could she
have got such an expensive harp?" And then.
recoilectng that some OF the angels are some
body's brothers and husbands, lis it quite
safe for Miss Pollard to be among them?'
-
You see am familiar with the operations
of charity-I am, indeed, belonged to a
charity organization here in Washington
once myself-a society for the redemption of
merry Magdalens. and l tell you candidly,
there's nothing like it for enabling one-half
the world to learn how the other half lives.
With every find that was made the society
went into executive session. We Just gath
cred the lost lamb right into our arms, and
soemniy assured her that repentance wouldn't
go for anything in saving her soul unless she
confessed unless she opened up her heart to
us and told US everything she knew about
every man in town.
II certain mon never understood before.
they do now, why l invariably turn up the
whites OF my eyes at them when l pass them
on the street. How many more there are
should pass in this manner and don't it re-
mains for the good work OF some other
social party organization to determine. The
one belonged 10 struck a snag and went to
pieces only few weeks back. We were
holding our usual post-mortem examination
over reclaimed and very pretty sinner, and
well, Zola might. but wouldn't print all we
learned about cur own madam chairmans
own husband.
Nor would | say word about how our sinner
and our saint gave each other the lie nor
breathe syllable OF Just which was carried
out bruised and bleeding mass. You can read
yourself what certain high and unknown au-
thorities have written about charity cutting
like two-edged sword. All hare to add is
the path of the repentant sinner is not any
harder than 1t is full of surprises for those
who seek to walk over it.
-.
When l escaped alive from this experience,
| made up my mind never TO join another
charity organization unless | went to work on
Town Topics or set 10 writing a realistic novel
Of life in Washington But now / am more
than half-inclined to organize 4 new charity
a society for the relief of the Summer husband.
Oh. yes; exactly as the children are Obliged to
be toddied to the circus TO see the animals
the baby must be taken into the country for
the Summer. Some women / know are so
In earnest about this thing that they begin clip
ping from the obituary column rs early as
March. and by the middle of June they have
an accumulation of death notices OF infants
which no good man can more than glance at
without instantly starting the family off for
some place that doesn't have record of
deaths worth mentioning, though it nearly |
breaks his wife's heart TO leave him.
II can't make up my mind whether TO go !
for the Summer where my husband can come |
down over Sunday or not" said Mrs Allister |
lIcWard 30 me only yesterday. If he comes |
down every week, it keeps him so awfully |
sure of me. don't you know"
Yes. my dear" l assented. ''but think how |
lwfully uncertain it keeps the other man"
BY the light OF this logic Mrs McWard is |
at Atlantic City and the Senator |
has himself paired SO as 10 run over every |
The Senator is good man. Now that the |
winter OF my sex's discomfort is made g,ori- i
)us summer in the equal right TO wear mems |
'hirts. hunt collar button down my back,
md break my finger nails getting my stiff |
tarched. hard-boied. front-buttoned shirt |
IN. think there are a greet many more long
patient. good men on earth than /
ire usually suspected of being alive. 1t is
Mostly these. too. who stay at home summers,
md make me feel like crying and ordering
handigaT for the crowd.
l don't know of anything better calculated
o raise the heart bowed down when the mer-
'ury won't come down than shandigaff. To
1t wondering why the spirit of mortal should |
q proud before thermometer that registers
02 by the light OF the moon and then TO hear
he regeneratinS promise of the elfnk, clank,
dunk OF pitcherful OF ice. then successive
hots telling that help is at hand as a bottle
" blss ale and one of ginger ale are un-
.orked then the song that's sung by the
,entle streams from both bottles that join in
utcy. joyous gurgles in among the ice and
hen-tt en-. oh. simInering soul of the sum
ncr husband, drink and don't care if YOUR
vile is away from you. and instead Of pining.
row plump and pretty every day; forget that
our health and happiness hang on the fltful
ayor OF Il eolored cook, whose friends fill |
our house until. fuss and fumigate as you
V!l!. the odor OF Africa hangs over you still.
indeed, shandigaif will almost make you for
.et the children.
Listen TO this wall OF Summer husband
ent me TO-DAY.
L found one of Buds old dresses after he
eft, and l keep that hung up at night in the
oom for company The house is strangely
mpty and quiet. If 1 could only hear Bud
owing Tor Il monkey wrench, or a hammer
r '.screw driver" I'd give them all to him
nd let him hack me to pieces for ever con-
cnting to his going off,"
-.
Now that men marry much later than their
athe.s did they make safer husbands. They
ave the world and themselves so used up by
ne time they get around to domestic happi-
ess that when this is interrupted they are
raciically without resources. l know, then,
nat the Summer husband is still an object of
harity when the absence of his family drives
i'm astray. Rioting really bores him fright
ally.
The repose of the grave and domesricity are
ssential to Senator MeWard, not more be-
ause he has indigestion and rheumatism to
inder n lively gait than because he never did
Ike the taste of whisky. and he came so near
breaci-oi-promise suit once that he has been
little shy of women ever since. You can
lney, then, how sorry l was one night last
-eek 20 look out of my window which is lust