Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-18
CHAPTER XvII.-Ccontinued.)

SAS Illus oAS Sdlu DIS an OSIFlCU men
came bounding toward them with vel
vety wings outstretched, while far
away over the bushes the head of the
cock was visible as he sat brooding on
the eggs.
Lyndal folded her arms on the gate
bar, and Waldo threw his empty bag
on the wall and leaned beside her.
II like these BIRDS" she said; "they
share each others work and are COM
panions. Do you take an interest in
the position Of women, Waldo?"
NO
II thought not. No one does unless
they are in need Of subject upon
which to show their wit. And as for
you, from of old you can see nothing
that is not separated from you by
few millions Of miles and strewed over
with mystery. If women were the in
habitants Of Jupiter, of whom you had
happened to hear something, you
would pore over us and our condition
night and day, but because we are be-
fore your eyes you never look at us.
You care nothing that this is ragged
and ugly" she said, putting her little
finger on his sleeve, "but you strive
nightly to make an imaginary leaf
on an old stick beautiful. Pm sorry
you don't care for the position of wo-
men. should have liked us to be
friends, and 1t Is the only thing about
which think much or feel much, if,
indeed, have any feeling about any,
thing" she added flippantly, readjust-
ing her dainty little arms. when was
baby, I fancy my parents left me out
in the frost one night, and got nip
ped internally. 1t feels So"
II have only few old thoughts" he
said, "and think them over and
over again. always beginning where
left of. never get any further. am
weary of them"
Like an old hen that sits on its eggs
month after month and they never
come out?" she said quickly. 81 am so
pressed in upon by new things that,
lest they should trip one another up,
have to keep forcing them back. MY
head swings sometimes. But this one
thought stands, never goes-if might
but be one of those born in the future;
then perhaps to be born woman will
not be to be born branded
Waldo looked at her. 1t was hard to
say whether she We're in earnest or
hooking.
II know it Is foolish. Wisdom never
kicks at the iron walls it can't bring
down." she said. But we are cursed,
Waldo, born cursed from the time our
mothers bring us into the world till
the shrouds are put on us. Do not look
at me as though were talking non
sense. Everything has two sides-the
outside that is ridiculous, and the in
side that is solemn" 4
Il am not laughing" said the boy
sedately enough. But what curses
your"
He thought she would not reply to
him, she waited so long.
1t is not what is done to us, but
what is made of U.S." she said at last,
that wrongs us. No man can be real
" injured but by what modifies HIM
self. We all enter the world little
plastic beings, with so much natural
force perhaps, but for the rest-blank,
and the world tells us what we are to
be and shapes us by the ends it sets be-
fore us. To you it says-work, and to
us it says-seem! 10 you it says, As
you approximate to mans highest
ideal Of God, as your arm is strong and
your knowledge great, and the power
to labor Is with you, SO you shall gain
all that human heart desires. To us it
says: Strength shall not help you, nor
knowledge, nor labor. You shall gain
what men gain, but by other means.
And SO the world makes men and wo-
men.
Look at this little chin Of mine,
Waldo, with the dimple in it. 1t is but
small part Of my person, but though
had knowledge Of all things under
the sun and the wisdom to use it and
the deep, loving heart of an angel, it
would not stand me through life like
this little chin. l can win money with
1t, can win love; can win power
with it, can win fame. What would
knowledge help me? The less a wom-
an has in her head the lighter she is
for climbing. once heard an old man
say that he never saw intellect help a
woman SO much as pretty ankle, and
1t was the truth. They begin to shape
us to our cursed end,' she said, with
her lips drawn in to look as though
they smiled, "whan we are tiny things
In shoes and socks. We sit with our
little feet drawn up under us in the
window and look out at the boys in
their happy play. We want to go.
Then a loving hand is laid on US.
Little one, you cannot CO. they say,
your little face will burn and your
nice white dress be spoiled We feel
1t must be for our good, it is so loving
ly said, but we cannot understand, and
we kneel still with one little cheek
wistfully pressed against the pane.
Afterward we go and thread blue