The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-24

der what the woman does who hasn't
opinions but must walt for some one
to make them for her and tack them
fast to the thing she calls her mind.
Dear me-, how polky life must be to
that woman.
Husband thinks thus or So Hus-
band doesn't believe In psychology, or
potatoes Husband says 1t may rain
next week."
Imagine Il! My opinions aren't al
ways very bright, neither are they par
ticularly original In character, but
they're mine. don't make the claim
that they are oracles. Oh, no, just my
own ideas, and try and see without
squint. But I'm willing to be con-
vinced, and I like to change my opin-
ions real often. It's more entertaln-
ing.
"For instance, last week." she con-
tinued, II was glad we didn't live In
the volcano belt This morning I de-
cided that a land Of strikes Is almost
as disquieting to the mind as land
Of craters. Night before last thought
the sky was very far Off and that the
rim of the moon needed rubbing up
with sapolo or something. Last night
somebody was by my side to help me
look at the moon, and there was no
dlmness in heaven or earth. ike TO
change my opinions" repeated this
CHEEKY woman, but don't believe
there's anything under the sun that
couldn't get up an opinion about at
moments notice. Yes, I know that you
will say this is disadvantage peculiar
to the feminine mind, but with me 1t
does in the place of mild variety OF
second sight. The first opinion that
pounce on is apt to be rather nearer
the real truth of the matter than those
that are coddled and combed and
curled into state of artificiality. AS
long as 1 don't argue and get red Of
face and noisy of tongue l do hope
you will not mind If I have as many
opinions as there are moments in the
day.
People act so funny about that paper
receptacle near Sanderson's drug store.
Those who are in the habit Of tearing
up letters and scattering the pieces to
the four winds, continue rather gener-
ally to do the same. It's almost hope
less talk to reform a paper scatterer.
He is like a gossip, and the litter and
mess he makes Of the streets, like the
litter and mess a gossip makes of rep
utations do not offend his tastes.
But occasionally comes along well
meaning person-Well meaning persons
are always so uncompromisingly OBJ
strusive--who has prepared quantity
of torn paper and he parades ostenta-
tiously to the receptacle and deposits
the scraps as If they were votes. Then
he looks Importantly around like a re-
plica of Jack Horner, and causes the
bystanders to yearn earnestly to kick
him. How much he resembles those
very correct people who go about
pointing proudly to themselves and
saying, Look at us. We are so very
moral. so very virtuous. Why don't
you initiate us? We don't do this and
thus!" When they are really so un-
attractive that even Temptation avoids
them.
Then comes along a school girl who
has been taught to obey those in au-
thority. She sidles shyly up to the
paper receptacle and drops therein the
infinitesimal bits of letter from her
plump hand. Then a thought strikes her
"a horrible suspicion. She suddenly re-
calls the tales of curious people who
prOwl in waste baskets, as street gam
ins prowl in cutters for cigar stumps,
to piece together torn kilograms and
letters which are none of their affairs
and she makes a desperate dive into
that paper tub in the vain effort to re-
cover her dissected contribution to the
collection. She will not be happy all
day for worrying lest one little bit has
escaped her.
Few listeners at the Stone lecture the
other night did not rouse with a start
at it's close to feel that they had fol-
lowed close behind the calm-eyed wom-
an on the platform. during her jour-
neys "over hill, over dale, through
bush through brier," during those
dreadful days of her captivity. There
are many gifts Of oratory-lips touched
with the blazing Goals from the altar,
rich magnetism of personality, rare
jewels of words, noble thoughts sub
timely expressed, but perhaps most of
all is to have tale of heroism to tell
and to tell it vividly, swiftly as this
woman in her quiet way told 1t Mon
day night, for people like to hear Of