Middletown transcript., 1902-10-11

village ike oieP y
~ heralding an electric
storm. Men congregated
AT street corners in eager converse; oe
bated in the one bank; argued pros ana
cons inside and outside the Heterogeneous
country store, and Of course hop-noDoeu
in the many kitchen bar-rooms that mao
appeared with mushroom growth since last
election, when Prohibition lost ground
and become null and void. AS tor the
women. they rejoiced with heart, soul ana
snirit. for. at last-and this was the cal &c
Of all the exeifement-State Legislature
had passed bill giving women, as lar as
school ouestions were concerned, the right
Of acknowledgements. Cross-Corners was a
slow place, and on only two occasions since
Colonial times had its foundations been so
stirred-the days of the Civil war, ana
the blizzard of 'S8. Mrs. Mary Ellzaoetn
skene was in her element as she mounted
this new hobby. Not that hobbies were a
new thing. for since her life had begun to
broaden two years before, several hobbies
had been driven, if not to death, at least
to a silent resting-place. The Ladies.
Church Benevolent Society had been to
Mary Skene an opening wedge OF emanci-
patton from narrow seven years exis-
tence with a disagreeable husband OF
whom charitably inclined people now
smoke as having been "a little near"
Christian Science and the Women's Tenn
perance Union followed in lis wake, but
now each and all had given precedence to
politics.
SIT does beat all, said Miss Phoebe
Jones, village seamstress, dressmaker, tall
Dress and gossip, chow Mary Lizzie has
spread out since Silas Skene's death. Lor'!
the only generous thing that the old skin
flint ever did in his life was to die. The
only wonder to me is he don't turn in bis
grave when Mary Lizzie is prancing
around, here, there and everywhere, re-
forming drunkards, getting up church en-
tertainments, tending meetings, conven-
tions and what not, and spending money
like mad. But she never had chance
before, poor thingl Why, Mrs. Wickum"
"A -anew-comer in Gross. Corners for whom
Phoebe was dressmaking-"I'ye heard
Mary Lizzie declare, when Silas was living
(thoueh she was never given to complain
ing), that she was that drove she didn't
have time to tend her own folks fun
erals. You see Silas was man who be-
lieyed in earning ct both ends, and in the
middle too, and kept his wife close to the
srindstone. There was only one good
thing about it, with all his screwing and
scrimping and saving, Mary Lizzie wal
able to stand it and he war'n't, for she
was the winner with all the winnings, and
if ever anybody has enjoyed being alive
and having money for the past two years,
she has. / only hope Silas enjoys being
dead as well," and Miss Jones shut The
scissors with click, took off her thimble
and folded her work preparatory for de
parture.
81 suppose" said Mrs. Wickum, "mar
riage will be the next thing for her; she il
very pretty"
'Lawksl I shouldn't think she'd eve
dare venture again. The man would hav'
to be saint to tempt me after such bat
bargain as 81. Skene."
''Has she had no attentions paid herT
asked Mrs. Wickum.
"Well," was the deliberate reply, "whel
us "Christian Endesyors' went to New
York Convention last summer, there wa
some coupling of her name with DeaceI
Weayer's, but it didn't amount to shucks
She fought shy of him all the time
wouldn't even let him pay when she los
her return ticket from Glen Island, anC
when we went to Rockaway, Cone.
Island, Central Park, and all over, you''
most think they had never been intro
duced. Luther Weaver's real spiritua
man." she added complacently, as sh
drew her glove over angular knucklet
call spiritual, not given to outward form
or love-making, and bis words as good a
his bond"
Miss Phoebe added nothing about IL
little artifces, quirks and designs whicl
had kept Luther Weaver, through shee
politeness, close to her own side durin
their unconventional expeditions for see
ing the metropolitan elephant, and whic
made old Mrs. Potter exclaim on their re
turn: 'It's wonder to me how you folk
could see so much and tend all ther
meetingsp'
Christian Science had now lost Its CLAM
our for the fair widow; reformed drunk
ards had proven backsliders and been dis
couraging, and frequenters. of the King
Daughters Boys Rooms were mruly, ur
manageable and nerve-upsetting. But
last Mary skene, or Mary Lizzie as sh
was better known in the village, ha
found, as she believed, her niche in th
world, and had become, metaphoricaliy
practically and politically q progressiv
woman. Luther Weaver secretly intel
ested, watched her movements with in
ward amusement, but imperturbable e1
terror, worshiping the very ground sh
trod upon, yet biding his own time.
ST can control more votes than an
other person in Cross Corners" said Mn
Skene, land we will soon let them Sc
what women can doP'
"Dewp' answered old Mrs. Potter, who's
vote the widow was canvassing, that
nothin' new. For my part believe win
minis right doin's has slwers bin to de-
her dooty to hum and leave this votir
m politicks to men-folks who heyn't tn
right kind of brains to tend babies Z
keep the kitchen fire burning steady
Wimmin nowadays are like children an
don't know when they're well off,"
"But we know what are our rights"
Don't talk about wimmin's rights I
me. What is higher and mightier tha
rearing innocent babes, and teachin' Il
man part of 'sm the righteous way I
livin' and votin'? But Mary Lizzie, ! 70
got you We never known what that mean