The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-06-21

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companion, not q pretty little fellow
whom she could caress and indulge and
dress prettily and boast OF when at her
club with other women. 1t seemed TO
her that 1t ought not to be unreasonable
to expect man to be ~ intelligent a.
herself.
Her friends were alarmed when they
heard her make ouch statements. They
said that IL her ideas obtained society
would be overturned and the home life
destroyed; that men would become un-
sexed; that women weuld be crowded
out Of the labor market and could no
longer support themselves and their
families; that, in fact, they could not
take time to have families, for wages
would be so low that they would be
obliged to work throughout the year.
Some of the objectors went 30 far as to
teach that IL men were allowed equal
suffrage there would be revival Of the
whisky trade which hourished In the
nineteenth century, and that families
rould no longer be regulated a. to num-
Der by woman's ability to provide for
her children. The we'll read offered ~
proof Of their arguments the historical
fact that many charitable institutions
had been organized during the days Of
mans supremacy TO care for the chill
dren who came into the world when
there were no means for their support,
and that every county had q place Of
detention called a Jail, where they were
cared for who should never have been
born, but who had grown to manhood
as best they could in world where they
were worse than parasites. There were
few intelligent women in the twentieth
century who could be made to believe
that men were capable Of exercising the
moral self control suggested by Malthus
~ a needful check to meet the growing
danger Of overpopulntion, and for that
reason more than fer any other the doc
trine of mans suffrage made little head
way. II might have died had IL not
been for Miss Lstty's curious desire to
find husband who should also be .
companion, and for her belief, formed
from much thought on the subject, that
only in perfect equality could be found
the relation which the Omnipotent
meant should exist between the sexes.
''Such talk is wild, said her friends.
'',rhege can be no such thing as perfect
equality between the sexes. The world
Is used to the existing order Of things;
we are comfortable; men are happy or
ought to be. for we do everything to
make them so-let well enough alone. I"
But still Lefty cling 10 her ideals,
and every year the number Of men made
dissatisfied by her glowing representa-
tions OF future in which they should
stand side by side with women was
slowly but steadily increasing.
1t was not difficult for Harold to find
the honse where Lefty lived. How often
he had been there in the good old days
when Letty's grandmother was to him
the most attractive girl in the worldl
The house was small compared with
the more modern structures which tow
cred beside it; yet it, like the Winthrop
residence, had been considered fine in
his day. Now they were looked upon al
unsightly nuisances which should have
been torn down long ago and would
have been had IL not been tor an untir.
ing sleeper and . sentimental young
woman.
When Harold paused at the gate, he
saw a woman sitting on the porch In
the very place where his old love had SC
often waited for him. She glanced up,
and their eyes met. They were Lefty
Mays eyes--deep blue. steadfast, ten
der, beautiful. The month and chin
were Letty's, too; but Lefty had been
small and sylphlike. while this lady
was tall and magnificently proportioned,
like most of the women he had seen
since awakening. Lefty s face had been
as dimpled and full Of wonder as ba.
by's: it had indicated a spirit Of loving
dependence which Harold had thought
charming. This woman's face was
strong and resolute. She looked like one
accustomed to being obeyed, not because
she was q woman, but because her com
mands were reasonable. Harold had
never liked such women. A feeling ol
antagonism arose in his heart, which
would have driven him past her dool
had she been any one else, but she wal
the granddaughter of his old love, and
sentiment and Loneliness urged him tt
make her acquaintance. As he opened
the gate Miss Everett came forward L
meet him.
Pardon me, sshe said, with smile
"but am not speaking to Harold Win
thropi"
THAT is my naine," replied Harold
"and you are Miss Everett, l think"
II am Miss Everett, at your service
We know each other, 30 why should WI
not dispense with ceremony and consid
or ourselves old acquaiutapcesr"
In her heart Miss Lefty was thinking
that this young man had in reality YER.
little regard for ceremony to seek he
~1-&svSesn