Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-10-10

He hesitated and then abruptly left
me, to return in the space of two or
three minutes with thick rug Of
Sheepskin. He insisted so earnestly
on my accepting this covering as q
protection from the night air. that, to
please him. yielded to his entreaties
and lay down, wrapped in it's warm
folds. The good-natured fellow then
wished ME "Buon riooso, slgnorv'
and descended to his own resting
place. humming a gay tune as he
went. From my recumbent posture on
the deck l stared upward at the myr-
lad of stars that twinkled softly in
the warm violet skies-stared long and
iiNedly till it seemed to me that our
ship had also become a star. and was
sailing through space with it's glitter
ing companions. What inhabitants
peopled these fair planets? l wonder
ed. Mere men and women, who lived
and loved and lied to one another as
bravely as we do? or superior beings
to whom the least falsehood is I'M
known? Was there one world among
them where no women were born?
Vague fancies-odd theories,-fitted
through my brain. l lived over again
the agony of my Imprisonment in the
vault: again forced myself to con-
template the scene had witnessed
between my wife and my lover-agajn
medttated on every small detail re-
quisite to the fulfillment of the terri
BILE vengeance had designed have
often wondered how, in countries
where divorce was allowed, a wrong.
ad .huoh0 nd frEr Ut
so meager compensation for his in
juries as the mere getting rid of the
woman who has deceived him. 1t is
no punishment to her-it is what she
wishes. There is not even any special
disgrace in it according to the present
standard of social observances. Were
public whipping the recognized penal
ty for the crime of a married woman's
infidelity, there would be fewer of the
like scandals-the divorce might fol-
low the scourging. A daintily brought
up feminine creature would think
twice, nay, fifty times, before she
would run the risk of allowing her
delicate body to be dashed with whips
welded by the merciless hands of a
couple of her own sex-such pros
pect OF degradation. pain, shame and
outraged vanity would be more effect
ual to Kill the brute in her than all
the impossible ceremoniais of courts
OF law and special juries. Think of it!
kings, lords and commons! Whipping
at the carts tail was once a legal pun
lshment-if you would stop the grow
Ing immortality and reckless vice of
women you had best revive it again
only apply it to the rich as well as
to the poor, for it is most probable
that the gay duchesses and countesses
OF your lands will need it's sharp SER
vices more frequently than the work
worn wives of your laboring men.
Luxury, idleness and love of dress
are hot-beds for sin,-look for it, there
fore, not SO much in the novels of the
starving and naked as in the rose
tinted, musk-scented boudoirs of the
aristocracy-look for it. as your brave
physicians would search out the seeds
OF a pestilence that threatens to de-
populate a great city, and tram
pie it out if you car and will
II you desire to keep the name
of your countries glorious in tho
eyes of future history. Spare not the
rod because "my lady forsooth. with
her rich hair falling around ber in
Deautious DISAGREEMENT and her ewes
Dathed in tears, implores your mercy:
1or Dy every reason of her wealth and
station she deserves less pity than the
painted outcast who knows not where
to turn for bread. A high post de-
mands high duty. But l talk wildly.
whipping is done away with, for
woman at least; we give a well-bred
shudder of disgust at the Thought Of
II: When do we shudder with equal
DISGUST at our own social enormities?
Seldom or never. Meanwhile, in cases
OF lnfidelity, husbands and wives can
separate and go on their different
ways In comparative peace. Yes. some
can and some do; but 1 am not one of
these. No law in all the world can
mend the torn flag Of my honor: there
lore l. must be law to myself: a
counsel jury, a judge, all in one;
and from my decision there can be no
appeal. Then must act as execu-
toner, and what torture was ever so
perfectly unique as the one had de-
vised? So 1 unused. lying broadly
awake, with face upturned to the
heavens, watching the light of the
moon pouring itself out of the ocean
like shower Of gold, while the water
rushed gurgling softly against the
sides of the brig and broke into the
laughter Of white foam as we scudded
along.
CHAPTER x