Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-12-28
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STUDYING A PROBLEM,
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Have ever told you that there is
a Mrs. PhiHstine? She is a deyotee
both OF culture" and philanthropy.
She is chairman of the philan thropic
department of the Progression Club
president of the Society for the
AmeHoration of the condition of
Cigarette Smokers, and a member of
the Aryan-Myth Hunters, the Folk
Lore Circle and the Civic Reform As
ISOLATION. Aside from this, she is
treasurer of the School Board, and
one OF committee appointed by the
city council to report upon the con-
dltlon OF the feather beds in the
county Jail, and TO design a new kind
OF box for the collection CO garbage.
She is active in the local Woman's
Suffrage Association, and looks for
ward to position as street commits
sloner. She gazes with plying dis
dam upon the votaries of rime-hon-
ored religion, and is the defender of
a popular craze concerning which
she has lectured at intervals to be-
fngs as occult as herself.
she wears a short gown on rainy
days and is, on all days, a law unto
Of late Philistia-we will call her
that-has been much engrossed in
the study of sociology. Sne has done
much running about from one prison
to another in her endeavor to add to
the knowledge of the causes which
lead to crime. She has been the ac-
tive factor in the establishment of a
home near the prison gates, where
outgoing convicts may have a period
OF refining seclusion before again
entering the world, and has been the
means of furnishing copy of Mrs.
Teddy's book on "The World Upside
Down" to the children in the State
Reform School. More recently, how
ever, her sympathies and efforts have
been enlisted in the peripatetic. being
known to us as the tramp. Her stu
dies in tramp-ology have been pro-
ductive of much experience and some
information. One gentleman of the
road carried off her best teaspoons,
another set fire to the stable, and a
third used language not intended for
polite ears, but she has persevered.
She will reform these wanderers if
she can; at any rate, she will study
them.
Last week a man raped timidly at
Philistia's kitchen door. The maid.
knowing the amiable weakness OK
her mistress, summoned her and ad-
mitted the caller. He was exceeding
~ shabby, but fairly clean.
what can l do for you, my good
man" asked Philistia.
Il am hungry, ma'am,' he said.
All, here was new type. Most
tramps said: Lady, would you be
30 kind as to give a little something
to eat?"
Philistia, thinking of her spoons,
set the maid to watch him while she
went back for her note book, reap
pearing soon.
Are you willing to work for your
breakfaSt?'
eyes, ma'am."
'fWilling to work and. says 'ma'am'
instead of lady," wrote Philistia,
hurriedly.
What can you do?"
almost anything"
"Well, we begin cleaning house to-
day. There'll be plenty to do. Therell
be three carpets to beat. Can yon
wash windows?"
81 think So"
you ought to be sure of things.
your present condition until you are.
don't suppose he cares for cream in
it. And there are some doughnuts
that are getting dry. Give him one"
Philistia, L need not say, is thrifty.
She and the note book appeared
again in an hour. The tramp had
beaten three carpets, washed the
buggy, watered the lawn, and mend
ed the back fence, so Philistia grant
ed him a cessat ton of hostilities.
Il wish to question you," she be-
gan. do you pursue this life from
choice or necessity"
Choice, ma'am."
Married or unmarried?"
Unmarried"
'sEver been in jaiI?"
mo, ma am"
foreigner or Americana"
IA native of Massachusetts,"
"Wait a minute till l write all this
down.
Rowing instinct inherited or spon-
taneous?"
'Those are large words, ma am"
''Was your father a-professional
traveller, too? That's what I mean"
"Oh, no, ma'am."
"Do you ever tire of this life?"
"Often."
"Desires to return to respectable
tty," wrote Philistia.
did you ever learn a trader"
mot exactly"
'.Don't be so indef mite. Can you
read and write?"
"After a fashion"
Temperate"
''I think SOL
Smoker"
occasionally
"What is your politics? Some poo
pie would say, What are your polk
tics but politics is singular. What
is your politics?'
81 have been called a mugwump.
"You should have a settled opinion
concerning such matters. | have
written a pamphlet on The Folly OF
Indecision,' which 1 will give you.
Ever been to school; if so, where?"
"In Boston, ma am"
"Well, that's all now. You can go
to washing windows. FL come down
this afternoon and talk with you
again." she said, as she hurried away
to a committee meeting, not forget
ting to stop and tell Jane to give him
two more of the stale doughnuts at
noon.
The tramp, who heard her, smiled
a sedate little smile, and seemed to
have profted by her example, for,
taking a blank book out of his peck
ct. he too began taking notes.