The advocate., 1895-06-26


COOPER
It has been said so often as to have become trite,
that women do not reason-hey conclude; that their
mental processes are emotional; that the feminine
mind reaches at single bound, by intuition, concu-
sons to which the masculine reason painfully climbs
by aborious induction or tardy demonstration; that,
in short, women think with their hearts, All OF
which is the same as saying that one OF the prime
characteristics of rare genius is a common property
of the fair.
''All thought begins in feeling" and he is the
great thinker whose vigorous brain is warmed to &C.
tiyity by the furnace fire Of generous heart.
The premises being granted, what situation could
more tend to quicken young Woman's faculties
than that in which Gertrude found herselfP The
man she loved with all the intensity of youth
full passion, was in prison and in imminent danger
of death in one of the horrible modes which Chris
tian governments inct upon those whom Christ said
should be forgiven; while preparations were in rapid
progress which were intended, on the morrow OF her
lovers probable day Of doom, to cOnsgn her for Life
to the arms of one she hated intensely as she loved
the imperilled object Of her alteration. What COM
binstion of motives to quicken to preternatural
activity young womsn's Witsl
Thus, impelled by love for Sydney and hatred of
Dobbins, Gertrude no sooner received from her
Uncle Reuben full account of the inquest than she
became immoVably convinced that she knew the
murderer. She could not tell why, nor had she any
proof to support her conclusion; but she could not
have been more positive if she had been an eye wit
ness of the deed She limited her suppostion to Reu
ben but it was so far from his thoughts that ne did
not even apprehend the hnt so she resolved to keep
her own counsel for awhile and watch for some con-
rmation of her conviction One day, soon after the
inquest, she called on Job Cottle, and said:
"Mr Cottle, Uncle Reuben says you found a
pocket-book near the place where Mr. HotchkisS was
killed. May see itP'
"Of course, Miss Stilwel, you can see it; but you
must keep awful still about it, for Sydney's fate
might depend on that piece of leather"
"Hsve not motive to keep StillP"
"Thst's So I'll go and get it,"
Returning with the treasured pocketbook, he
handed it to her.
'Msy not someone have lost it there the day Of the
inquest, Mr.. CottleP'
"That's what it is to have q Woman's horse-sense
Well, I'll be hanged if had ever thought of that"
"Was there nothing by which you could tell
whether it had lain there over nightP No dew nor
frost"
''Here we are again. Oh, throw me over the fence
Yes-What fool not to think of that. Why,
might have clean forgot it, and 6ndin the pocket
book would have amounted to nothln'. The district
attorney would just have said, SomebOdy'd lost it
at the inquest and the whole thing would have
been blowed away. Why, yes; Of course. 1t had
frosted the night BEFORE and the pockebook was so
wet with it had to dry it out" and he took it and
brushed it as if still drying it.
''Then it had been there during the night. Now,
Mr.. Cottle, will you trust meP Let me have this
pocket.book awhile"
{, "What fort Somebody might see it."
''You must trust me. won't tell what wish to
do, but may do something important If you let me
take this pocket-bOOk. Remember, am as much
interested as you"
"That's so. You can have it, of course But do
be careful"
"I shall be marvel of prudence. And may