Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-07
NOVEMBER PHASES.
HAPPY DAY DREAMING BY THE
DRIFTwOOD FIRES.
WOMAN IN OUR POLITICS.
The Conspicuous Part Played by the
Gentle Sex fn the Recent Campaign
In New York-A Criticism of
Woman's Suffrage.
Correspondence Of the Dispatch)

is charming month. Charming in
many ways other than In the holdina
fast OF that trite old saying blessings
lengthen as they leave u.s." which. to
my mind, is very much like an over
done obituary.
The time to really enjoy the length
and breadth Of our blessings is now,
to-day, when we have them with US
this is the true wisdom, this is pure
optimism.
There is something wholesome even in
the colder weather as it insensibly
creeps along in the frosty mornings that
start ones blood into fresher glow and
quicken both mind and body 1t is the
tonic Of autumn wine with all the
spiciness Of noon sunshines thrown in.
Delightfully."- cheering is the fire on
the hearthstone these early November
days. Such memories as It awakens
within US, and "reminiscences that may be
sadly sweet as we sit and muse before
the tempered blaze. For Ii Is a little
nre-this heat that is not burning in its
| intensity, simply warming and grateful
and fitful as our fantasies.
In the country, It Is the driftwood
X.
scrap-pieces of the under woodpile that
lay needless and forgotten until these
first chill days call for continued fires.
Or 1t may be. that our fire is OF the
fallen, loose sticks Of the forest; some
giant tree that in years upon years has
ringed Its age unerringly within the
bark, and but now to die before the
ring of the woodlands axs. IL so. how
the dry twigs sparkle and snap and tell
us Of the early times when our fore
fathers were afraid of the Redmen who
hid In ambush, perhaps, beneath those
very branches.
All the fragrance the wlldness, and
the beauty of the woodland hides now in
these same boughs; almost. they seem
TO resent this use for the warmth and
comfort Of the white man.
A DRIFTWOOD FIRE.
Did you ever spend an autumn near the !
sea and make your early November fires |
OF the real driftwood? I have; when we |
would go out together on sunny evenings |
and pile UP the wood on the sandy beach, |
On, the driftwood That was the fire 10
dream by. as 1t cracked and blazed and |
sputtered forth tale OF long ago. when |
some gallant ship rode the main with a
cargo Of sugars and spices and fine silks
for beautiful women; of wondrous sights
isles away beyond the waters. And of
the other side, alas! while II tells OF
darkness and midnight and tempest, and
of the wreck upon the rocky shore. where
many brave sailor went down while
his loved ones watched and waited In
vain for the dauntless lads who never
came home.
Dreaming, are we? Dickens tells It
well. Inimitable portrayer OF the human
good Caleb, and dear sweet Dolly, with
her innocent secret, and that ugly wretch
who made his toys like hmself-to scare
the poor children? All these, and more,
In the steaming tea-kettle upon the
hearth? But these are things of the
home, where the portals of bome-life
shut one in from the world, and woman
is IN her truer sphere Of home-maker and
housekeeper.
There is another phase of November
life notice as the years roll around;
pregnant things; evil portents OF worse
hings to come.
Only few, short years ago and. II
mildly in the witches caul-
Iron. Last year II reached boiling point
)ut in Denver and elsewhere in the far
Vest: this year it boiled over Tuesday
n New York city. and-Pandora only
Jnows where 1t will be in a year to I.
ONE.
IL Is the activity OF woman I'm modern I.
oitics. For the first time, in munich
al campaign, the women In New York
rere recognized by political campaign n
Heretofore, there has been .
semblance of temperance work. or a
ind of parlor cooperation with the =,
hen for social reform, or to benefit the =
'orking girl or any of the odd planks- i
ear to a woman's heart-that an am
itious man could tack to his regular II
cket and send her forth with tea and
OF coffee to electioneer for him among "A
ne men. This time the work had been
thoroughly systematzed and mapped out d
head. These women had their own
orking headquarters fixed up with A
ags and bunting and the party candl-
ates in photo-just like the men--all II
lid for by the political committee.
Fifty district workers with a president :
Id secretary. and. so say the northern -
lpers, they went about their vote -
citing like old campaigners''-reached =
o men through the sancity OF the home =
Y the washtubs and ironing boards
ID the baby's cradles, they fought their
ny from the wife to the hus-
nd. Kissed the kids guess, and dis y
buted candy and campaign documents ~
DICE OF A WOMAN CAMPAIGNER. "a
said Miss Boswell. the leading femi- U
ne light: I'VE try to secure a
omise from each woman that she will =
g her influence TO get the vote OF her II
sband. or whatever men are In her
nily-he generally ends by coming
und TO his wife's way Of thinking"
Does any one, In the light OF such Ii
npering, call this free and en- Il
htened country? And the poor man. H
ming home. tired and hungry. know
! that his supper and his nights rest y
mbied In the balanced.
he campaign managers gave II In
tshell Said they Our women do the Is
TX more effectively and at much less
IT,"
I has been ever thus since Adam help
Eve eat that fateful apple; nor have
ny doubt that for-her risk and her sin
had far the larger bite.
ii bono? one II tempted TO ask. Why
these women-reputable women. mind
why are they thus exercised In the
itical triumph Of these men?
hey failed. ! am glad to say. but the
gina remains. scorn the imputation
I women-even women as Republican
t{cfr 0x-ur0uyd o1arftouoar - en- 49, Il