Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-01-31
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| A Woman With a Mission. |
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woman" had disposition and appearances
not been against her. She was determined
and strong-minded. and she could make
good speech. but the audience was gener-
ally taken Up by the dimple in her chin
and forgot to listen to the sloquenoe she
was pouring forth. She had a broad, in
telleetual brow. but ones attention was
distracted from It to the dark, delleateIy-
penciled eyebrows. She wore divided skirts
sometimes. and then one wondered why
all women didn't do so. She had helped
10 down the Tiger and she used to de-
| nounce him until her eyes flashed like
sphntered sapphires and her ehseks shone
IKE tne tint OF wild roses and then, instead
VI appiauding her, her audience would put
lis arm around the feminine politicians
waist, and by that superior strength which
even she admitted made man superior to
woman would kiss her. She didn't ap-
prove OF 1t, but she had given him the right
to 1t on that unfortunate day, when. as she
| otten said, she had Handicapped her career
by marrying him.
| Whatever-whatever did I do It for?"
sne would say when a messenger would
come through the rain and ask her to go to
feliand Hall, and he would forbid her to
endanger her life by going.
| But he knew her, and Just smiled.
one night he came home to dinner late
The table was set with the usual dainty
emma, but there was no sign of dinner.
Ihe maid told him that Madame could not
wait, she had TO deliver her speech, she
would request him to call for her at TO-
Ihe strong-minded woman's husband sat
down. "And your mistress had no din
ner?" he asked.
| None. She had not time"
He seated himself with his newspaper
and pipe in one corner of the little IL
orary, and compared himself-with grim
smile-ts a motherless lamb step-chlld
an advanced man who stayed at home
while his wife did the work. Then he
| went to bed.
She arrived at II. She had waited nearly
an hour for him and finally trudged home
in the teeth of the wind alone. She woke
him to scold him between reproaches
and sobs. and he only rolled over and
snored. And then she stamped her foot
and said she hated him. "You treat me as
if-you-did, was the sleepy rejoinder.
The next day she had bad cold and
stayed in bed, and he was very nice and
attentive, but he didn't come home to din
ner, seeming to entirely forget that it was
the night they usually went to the theater
She dined alone, and between soliloquizes
addressed the coffee pot.
HE is horrible! All husbands are hor-
rible! Men are animals!" The coffee pot s
contents bubbled an amiable assent.
"And / wish l were dead!" continued the
lady, who was eating lettuce salad and
tomatoes at seventy-five cents head.
1--WE have been married year and-and
he used to be so mpathetic-was-is-
sympathetic. And now, when l am bend
ing all my energies to making this pure
city and free country for him to live in
to keep his wife ir-he abuses me! They
say women ought to stay at home! Stay at
home with brute like that! Stay at home
with creature who abuses you instead OF
trying to purify and reform politics, which
these men who are our husbands have de-
graded? A pretty role indeed for a woman
of mind and characteri' and the golden
head was tossed defantly.
The silver coffee pot caught the reflection
and attracted her attention.
II would like to know" she continued
solemnly, as she looked down at her re-
fection, elf I am not a more prepossessing
looking person to hold office than-than any
politician who has red face and beard
and chews tobacco-ugh" And she fin.
ished her dinner in silence.
She recollected as she rose from the table
that the last time Fred had brought home
theater tickets she had gone to a woman's
club instead.
Fred did not come home at all that night
and a frantic woman with sapphire eyes ant
tremulous lips sent kilograms In every di
rection, dispatched messengers to the police
station, and caused her cook severe attach
Of nervous prostraton by insisting on hel
accompanying her to the morgue.
1t was a great club day, Sorosis met; 8
federation Of women's societies was being
formed; the Study Association gave a tes
and political lecture class completely col
lapsed because she, its tutor did not arrive
For once. ever since she was girl, tht
organizations missed her. confusion reignet
supreme in her household, and by nigh
she was mental and physical wreck.
II will never do anything to displeas
him again." she sobbed, as her maid pulled
off her shoes. "If he is only sent back Il
Nine. I won't bother with c-clubs o.
lectures or papers-just live for him-if h.
w--would only c-come black"
At s o'clock she received a letter. l
read:
Dear Little Wife: am here at Daffodildel
where told you was going to buy a HON
for us. If you can come on and see 1t to
! morrow. wish you would. 1t will be sue
a nice quiet home for us. Your
FREDERICK.
P. s-sogers telegraphed me last night t
come on at once as he had two other pros
| pectiye purchasers; that's why did not hay
| time to let you know Answer.
AS soon as she was sure of his safety
| the tenderness and terror left her eyes, he
tremulous mouth grew firm she sat dow
and penned this wlfely missive:
| don't want a country home, so will lie
| van do the choosing. Buy 1t or not lust 4
YOU please. Do you think for moment thu
, | will live seventy miles from the city, in
small village. with no hope of ever doin
any good in the world? OF course shall M
go.
That will teach him lesson! What sci
hsb things these men are! Never to TAX
me to the theater. but to go and buy
country house simply because he likes tn
country! Well, don't!"
Probably 1t was six weeks after th
country house had been put in order.
sunday-a frosty Sunday. The rosy -cheeke
maid swept the dinner dishes off the table
brushed up the hearth and disappeared.
The master of the mansion stood by til
window smoking. The naked boughs Of tn
trees beat against each other in the stron
wind, the neat garden showed signs Q
care, though winter had robbed 1t Of flow
ers and green. Up the road toiled a dar
figure the figure of woman, which mad
thought great deal about the woman q
whom this woman's figure reminded him
3 | he had even written her letters--but ha
never sent them. He turned away from th
cold outlook and stood there thinkinf
;, Suddenly there was ring at the bell. H
stepped into the hail. breath OF cold al
; swept in. there was faint feminine or,
and his wife was in his arms sohbing in
manner quite unworthy of strong -minde
> woman.
"You see, DEAR" she was saying a ha
hour later, ''it was different when wa
alone. had no one to rehearse my lec
lures to. I had to go to and come HON
from meeting alone. When the wome
ouarreled I had no one to tell 1t to. Firs
thought of suing you for divorce--desel
. tion. you know. But then was afraid yo