The Negro world., 1900-04-21
Mr.. JObsOn on Suffrage

Wv home from the office the other
evening he found his wife entertain
ing In the parior handsome, we'll
groomed, middle.aged wholesome
looking woman. OF blitheful presence
and amiable manners. Mrs. Jobson
introduced her visitor to Mr.. Jobson
as Mrs, Schenectady. of New York.
an old school friend, whom ! have
not seen since we were girls together;
she Is here on business In connection
with the suffrage for women
Mr. Jobson, who had put on his
Sunday smile when he entered the
parlor, stiffened when his wife men
toned the suffrage for women" and
the smile froze on his face.
Glad TO meet you, a'am." he said,
Husterely, as II he meant II to be
understood that he wasn't glad, or
nything like glad, lie excused him
seIf after two minutes of desultory
conversation, during which he sat
straight mp In his chair and looked
daggers at his wife's visitor when the
latter wasn't looking at him, and
then he clomped upstairs. lie heard
his wife and her visitor talking ami
matedly, while he sat upstairs tug
Ring at his mustache aud growing:
Suffrage, hey2" And when AT last
the handsome. wholesome. looking
woman departed-saying at the door
that she would meet Mrs. Jobson
downtown In the morning Mr. job
son descended the stairs with heavy
tread and scowl that reached from
chr 10 ear.
Madame" said he TO Mrs. Jobson,
as his wife entered the parlor after
closing the door upon her visitor. II
think we're about due to have a close,
searching, hcart.to.heart talk. and
there isn't going TO be any better
time for II than right now"
"Why what has hap" Mrs. job.
son began, looking at him In a sur
prised sort of way.
"Oh, nothing has happened pnrtlc-
ulnrly." interrupted Mr.. Jobson, pick.
ing mp book from table and look.
ing through II with a severe, judicial
mir, as IL searching for legal deflnl-
tion. Except that was not aware.
until ten minutes ago. that you had
aligned yourself with the female sut-
frage persons. Now, wunt-"
"But you arc"
FL know what am, Mrs. Jobson.
and don't need to be told by any
proselyte in the women's suffrage
business what am" broke In Mr..
Jobson, ponderously. Now, want
to tell you one or two little things for
your guidance In this matter. Mrs.
Jobson"-l want TO make you aware OF
where stand ON that question. l."
"But II you'll just wait min"
"iou will permit me to say what |
intend TO say, and then you may have
the floor according 20 the parlia-
mentary usages Of your female suf.
frage organization, as long as you
want H." cut in Mr.. Jobson. "Mrs.
Jobson, | don't care pair Of worn
out gum shoes, personally, whether
the women Of the United States, or
the women OF Zanzibar. for that mat.
ter, secure the right TO stand around
the polls an election day. distributing
pastors and folders TO Jagged hodear.
riers, or whether they stay right
where they are with regard 10 shc
franchise until the year aai5 Its all
one TO me. | don't lose any sleep over
IL. II they did get the franchise uni.
versally II wouldn't affect me or this
plant In the slightest, for I'm resi-.
dent of the District of Columbia.
where men are disfranchised. as well
as women. and expect TO 40 right ON
living here, and finally have the
daisies planted In District of colum-
bia soil over my head don't read
the proceedings OF the female suffrage
meetings. dodge the headlines
perehed over the top of that news.
paper material. There's no amount OF
coined metal that could induce me TO
attend one of the female suffrage
meetings. ! simply regard the whole
thing az matter that isn't imminent.
which doesn't affect the course Of my
existence any more than the tribes
mems wars in equatorial Africa af.
feet IL, and I've slid along through
this vale of tears for matter of al
years or so without missing u meal or
batting an eye over the question OF
female suffrage, L"
''Mr. Jobson. II you win be good
enough to ahate your how of elo-
qnence long enough to listen"
you'll just be good enough tc defer
yonr sarcastic allnsions to my DOW OF
eloquenee until I'm through. madam"
broke In Mr.. JohSon. haughtily. "I'Ve
got my own little private ideas about
the suffrage for women business. Of
course. but I'm not going around
throwing 'em 81 people who don't be-
liese the way do about II, and during
the past week I've ridden In the street
cars with several scores of the female
anffragists without rising In my seat
and telling sem just what | think OF
the proposition they are scrapping for.
Mrs. 10bnon. ] don't mind giving you.
for your own Information. q brief out