The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-02-13
A Woman Who Dared.
By JULIAN RALPH.

have a 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 them.
but which it does not possess because
cnly a few women desire them. This
is the best story l ever heard for
, woman's rights argument, because 1t
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
half farm and half garden-wlth a
modest frame dwelling in the fore
sround. The principal characters are
man and his wife; type ordinary,
age %, means $500 in bank and the
cottage and grounds; aim IN hle, 10
work a little longer, to save httle
harder and then to rest-to loaf along
to the cemetery
Unknown to this couple some expert
prosp1ctors in the pay OF the men'Who
were then about to form the great steel
combiae have been spying out the lano
in that section, which is known 10
show sisns of rich deposits OF iron
ore. These experts have all agreed tnat
the Estle piece of land owned by this
couDie-together with the land on
either side of their plot-promlses a
greater yieiu in quantity and richer
yield in quality than any other lano
in that part CT the state.
But. 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-Ah. What have we here!
The Wife-Why not read it and see!
The Man (keeping up the pretense OF
being the superior person and iorolng
it over the wife yet little longer be-
fore the exposure CT his wretched con-
ceit)-How dull you are! How you
would botch everything in your life
were it not for me. A letter is not a
morsel tossed to a hungry cur, to De
flown at and choked down at a guip
A letter is in a way the embodiment OF
mystery and the chrysaiIs Of fate. 1t
may break to us the chilling news OF
death-it may convey the tldings OF
a marriage, a birth
She-Oh, it may be Thompson's Dill
for the fertilizer; but, for heaven S
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 parties in this city whom rep
resent are desirous of meeting you 10
talk over the business outlook in your
section and desire me to invite you TO
come to Chicago for that purpose. Iney
hone that you will bring your wife ana
have placed at your disposal a SUITE OF
rooms in the Auditorium Hotel, which
will be at your disposal from Weones-
day morning next
she-They want to buy our place ana
am to go with you so AS
He (reading)-"A reply by wire Will
greatly o5lge. Yours 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)-Mny. l believe
YOU are right. l never should have
thought Of it.
The curtain falls, and between the
acts the railroad transports the Wedoeo
pair to Chicago, which, to their west
ern minds, is genuine and magnifi-
cent metropolis. It's toul river, IT'S
searching winds, it's easily avoidabie
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 1nsep-
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 hu-
man hurry burly Of the street and
chase madly along the pavements.
He-I suppose if We should stay here
week we would both mutter to our
selves like true Chicagoans, saying
over and over again, wabash 96 IA.
Consolidated condensed milk 102, Ar
eonaut preferred II 1-S" 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 OF the ex-
change.
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
find themselves in the top of S0-story
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 culver 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
vet. The "a spittoons on the floor ap-