Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-03-05

have story for the women's rights
advocates to weave into their argument
when they go to Albany this winter to
argue for those privileges which the
sex can have whenever it wants tnen'
but which it does not possess because
only few women desire them. Thls
is the best story I ever heard for
woman's rights argument, because II
shows how a woman forsook her own
affairs, invaded the mans field of prac-
tical affairs, and made him rich against
his will.
The curtain rises in Minnesota. The
scene IS view of small tract OF lana
-ha,t farm and half garden-With
modest frame dwelling in the lore
ground. The. principal characters are
o man and his wife; type ordinary,
age 30, means $500 in bank and the
cottage and grounds; aim in life, TO
work a little longer, to save nttle
harder and then to rest-to loaf along
to the cemetery.
Unkno:rn to this couple some expert
prospecfors in the pay of the men, VINO
were then about to form the great steel
combiac have been spying out the lana
in that section, which is known 10
show signs of rich deposits of iron
ore. These experts have all agreed tnat
the little piece of land owned by this
couple.-together with the land on
either side of their plot-promises
greater vielu in quantity and rlcher
Weld in quality than any other lana
in that part of the state.
Put, as have said, the married pair
are wholly ignorant of all this.
Enter the hired girl. She speaks:
Hired Girl-A letther, sir.
The Man-An!- What have we here!
The Wife-Why not read it and see:
The Man (keeping up the pretense OF
being the superior person and lordlng
it over the wife yet little longer be-
fore the exposure of his wretched con-
ceit)-Eow dull you are! How you
would botch everything in your HE
were it not for me. A letter is not
norsel to- ed to q hungry cur, to be
flown at and chol-cd down ct gulp.
A letter is in way the embodiment OF
mystery and the chrysans of fate. IL
may break to us the chilling news OF
death-it may convey the tidings OF
a marriage, birth"
She-Oh, it may be Thompson's Dill
for the fertilizer; but, for heavens
sake, read it
He Cooking at her scornfully, but
reading the envelope, takes out the let
ter and reads):
Chicago, Feb. =, 1900: Dear Sir
Some narties in this city whom l rep
resent are desirous Of meeting you 70
talk over the business outlook in your
section and desire me to invite you 10
come to Chicago for that purpose. They
hope that you will bring your wife ana
have placed at your disposal suite Oh
rooms in the Auditorium Hotel, which
will be at your disposal from Wednes-
day morning next
She-They want to buy our place anu
am to go with you so as
He (reading)-"A reply by wire Will
greatly o5lige Y6urs truly,
"T. Jenkinson, Sec'y."
She-I am to go with you in order
that may sign the deed"
He (taken off his guard, begins to
reveal his inferiority)-Wny, l believe
YOU are right. 1 never should have
thought Of it.
The curtain falls, and between the
acts the railroad transports the weoded
pair to Chicago, which, to their west
ern minds, is a genuine and magnif-
cent metropolis. Its foul river. ITS
searching winds, its easily avoidaDle
dirt and dust and the troops OF hag-
gard, dyspeptic men, rushing along the
streets and talking to themselves,
seem to them necessary to and lnsep-
arabic from a worlds capital. Even
the noise and hustle in the hotel and
the combined efforts of all within its
walls to destroy all sense of repose and
comfort are, in their eyes proofs of
the perfection of the place. Once shut.
in their splendidly appointed suite of
rooms they feel deserted and lonely,
and both are seized with an irresistible
desire to drop down the elevator shaft,
to squeeze through the crowds in the
Office and to fit themselves in the hui
man hurly burly of the street and
chase madly along the pavemcnts.
He-I suppose if we should stay here
a week we would both .nutter to our
selves like true Chicagoans, saying
over and over again, Wabash sc IA.
Consolidated condensed milk 102, Ar
gonaut preferred II 1S." Would it not
be glorious! How like being in heaven
it must be to be Chicagoan, dreaming
stock quotations, eating stock quota
tions and breathing the air OIL the ex-
change. III, -.
She-And actually seeing the cos
tunes of the ladies, which are bought
with these same quotations-instead of
merely reading about them in the pa
pers.
Again the curtain falls, and when it
rises they are still in Chicago, but now
CuSluSSlScS LII IuC lOP VI q oV-oIOly
office building, whose windows COM
mand an unbroken view of the lake
on one side and of the city on the
other-the latter resembling squat
body with numberless curving legs
reaching to the horizon from a dozen
directions. The city, or body, per-
spires steam and smoke as if it were
a creature Internal, while the speed
ing trains make the legs of the octo-
pus quiver as with life and movement.
The room in which He and She find
themselves IS furnished in the costli-
est manner. The mantelpiece is exqui-
sitely carved marble, supported upon
columns of onyx. The electroliers are
golden The furniture is carved mas
sy rosewood, upholstered with rich vel
,,o& rrt,a eD;ffoopc an aoor.,-