Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-06-14

coherent -Iuther'5 Theses. Hedsy |
hated mannish woman He was not |
bachelor because he believed woman |
to be quarrelsome, as did Harris, nor
expensive, as did Adams, nor because
she was inclined to be autocratic. No,
merely because she tried to be what
she had no business to be, he joined
the Bachelors club. He once heard a
couple Of definitions OF the modern
style of woman, and he never tired of
repeating them. One was: Madam be-
come ADAM" but according to his idea
this definition gave her the credit of
having succeeded in her MAYNARD as
piration, and so he much preferred to
think of her as ''mannishpsss minus
manliness."
Bachelor as he was, Hedsy did not
hold aloof entirely from Sac compan-
ionship of those who were theoretically
his sworn enemies. Every Saturday
evening he carefully brushed his hat,
and taking his gloves walked out to
call upon Miss Rose CUTLER. 1t is un-
necessary to state that Miss CUTLER
was pretty, and to expatiate upon her
loneliness by the use of conventional
adjectives and time-worn botanical
comparisons. Suffice to say, she was
as keen mentally as she was beautiful
physically, Between her and Hedsy
Hoyt there had existed for years sort
of family friendship. She knew him
almost as well as she knew herself, for
he was always very frank with her,
and besides, she possessed most keen
ly intuitive mind which performed
frequently feats more wonderful than
solving single equation containing
two unknown quantities She was ac-
quainted with Hedsys aversion to
mannish manlessness, and joked him
upon it more than once.
Don't you really believe there is
one, even one lone woman without am
billions uponyour sex?" she would ask
with plaintive dropping of her eyes;
and I wonder that Hedsy's bachelor
principles didn't forsake him for the
time being until he had punished her
for looking so charming But he would
slowly answer: No" not even conced-
ing the customary present company
always excepted"
The discussion in the Gazette had
continued through four months. Col
CUTLER was growing happier each
week, as his subscribers grew more nu-
merous, and yet the war of words
showed but faint signs of abatement.
The secretary of the Young Ladies'
Mission band, who kept the records of
the matrimonial debate as duty equal
ly important with keeping the records
of mission work accomplished, an
nounced that all pseudonyms had been
solved, and all but Hedsy, of the Bach
elors ciNb, and all but two of the M.
M. L. had appeared in print in defense
of their avowed principles, And yet,
though Hedsy was coufessedly the most
wavering bachelor, he had thus far
shown not the least sign that he in
tended ever to capitulate or change
camps AS he explained to Miss CUTLER
one evening, there was no possibility OF
his being converted until some one in
!, the ranks of the NJ. NJ. l.. by example
or reason could overcome his one objec
ton against women; and insomuch as
no writer on either side had YET
touched upon the mannishness of the
weaker sex, either directly or indirect
ly, he was apparently safe for all time
to come.
Regarding the two married men who
had not written there was considerable
conjecture. One was a lawyer who haC
recently moved into Welham and who's,
abilities as disputant were still among
the unknown quantities; the other wa'
a young newspaper man lately married
!, to Wellesley graduate who wore
starched linen collars and four-in-hant
neckties all the year round.
While concerning these two surmis
ings had as yet reached no sole
ground, and while the Nj. M. l.. wer,
hoping and the bachelors were afraid
, that Hedsy would change sides in tn,
struggle, new nom de plume appeare,
among the defendants of matrimony
, Peter Pen" was the insignificant mann
signed to the most virile and convnc
ing article that had been printed dur
ing the whole course of the discussion
: In it every rule of logic and every can
on of taste was most exactly observed
;. argument followed upon argument
= each apparently more convincing thai
- its predecessor, and yet all articulate,
. with marvellous nicely, decked gu
A with every grace of style, brightene'
by touches of the gentlest satire o
;, richest humor. 1t was, in short,
. masterpiece, and most, strangely of all
- it's central theme, the idea from whicl
: every argument derived its creates
:. strength, was the eternal femininity O
. woman, the E,oig acei5Eche as Goeth,
. would call it,
+ If sudden death had overtaken al
!. the people of Welham that night, O.
# every heart except one, and that Pete
n PENS own heart, would probably hav
Il been written the question: "Who
a Peter Penn" Some said that the logi
!. of the article, its concise and vigorou
q treatment Of hackneyed theme
o pointed indubitabl TO lawyer as
o writer. Others looking at the grace
= full wording and fine literary worl
II manship denied that anyone but
a journalist could be capable of sue
:, composition And between these tw
!, factions, each striving to lead the othe
- untothe truth and yet each unwillin
i. to yield one jot of its own conviction.
n Welham almost forgot to think {
u Hedsy uoyt, the doubtful bachelor.
Is He received his Gazette from hi
If newsboy, went upstairs, and enterin
IS his room carefully locked the door b'
S. mind him.
s. How the article impressed hin