Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-10

!
turn spoonful of medicine from bot.
tie on the table beside my bed. The
Pettengills, ME-. Sawyer. are self
reliant race, and | concluded in my
own mind that the trouble with my
eyes Was due to my illness, and that
when | recovered from that they
would get well; but they did not
was able, physically, to resume my
work, but could not see to read or
write. sent for my employer. and
told him my condition He advised
me to consult an oculist at once In
| fact, he got a carriage and took me to
one himself The oculist said that the
treatment would require at least three
months; so my employer told me
had better come home, and that when
l recovered l could have my place
back again. He is a fine, generous
hearted man and ! should be very mis-
cradle if I thought was going to lose
my place"
But what did the oculist say was
the trouble with your eyes?" Quincy
asked
He didn't tell me-" replied Alice.
He may have told my employer. He
gave me some drops to put in my
eyes three times day; and little
metal tube with cover to it like the
top OF a pepper box; on the other end
is a piece of rubber tubing, with a
glass mouthpiece attached to it,"
How do you use that?" asked Quin-
cy.
Alice continued, Il hold the pepper
box in front of my wide-opened eye;
then | put the glass mouthpiece in my
mouth and blow, for certain length
of time. don't know how long it is
1t seems as though a thousand needles
, were driven into my eyeball. The
drops make me cry; but the little tube
brings the tears in torrents"
Isn't that harsh treatment" asked
Quincy, as he looked at the beautiful
blue but sightlssso eyes that were
, turned towards him
, NO" said Alice with laugh, ''tht
pain and the tears are like an April
shower, for both soon pass away"
At this moment Uncle Ike entered
the room and Ezekiels steps were
heard descending the stairs. Uncle
, Ike said, 'We have got it started ant
'Zeke's gone down to bring up goot
stock of wood. If you have no objec
, ton, Mr.. Sawyer, will sit down here
"a few minutes. Don't let me inter
I rupt your conversation"
II hope you will take part in it.
, said Quincy "You put lot of new
, ideas into my head the first time
J, came to see YOU and perhaps you ma.
. have some more new ones for me to
: day. Miss Pettengill was just sayins
. she would feel miserable if she los
, her situation"
$ II have no doubt of it," said Uncl
Ike. "The Pettengills are not afrai,
/ to work If man is obliged to earl
! his living by the sweat of his brow,
a don't see why woman shouldn' do tn
same thing"
e But the home is woman's sphere,
e said Quincy.
: "Bosh!' cried Uncle Ike"
why, Uncle!" cried Alice.
t ooh. Mr. Sawyer understands me!
K said Uncle Ike SIN the Middle Ages
t when women occupied the highest pc
i. sition that has fallen to her lot sine
Y the days of Adam, the housework wa
j. done by menials and scullions. Ha
d the world progressed when woman i
pulled down from her high estate an
!, this life of drudgery is called he
). sphere? Beg your pardon, Mr.. Saw
d yer, but there should be no more limi
fixed to the usefulness Of woman tina
e there is to the usefulness Of man."
But" persisted Alice, 81 don't thin
+. Mr.. Sawyer means that exactly H
= means woman should stay at HON
and look after her family"
S WELL" said Uncle Ike, $50 shout
:. the man. am inclined to think if tn
father spent more time at home,
3, would be for the advantage of bot
u sons and daughters
Il But" said Quincy, do you think
/ is for the best interests of the con
r. munity that woman should force he
n way into all branches of industry an
IS compete with man for livelihood?"
e "Why not?" said Uncle Ike. "In tn
e old days when they didn't work. fo
d they didn't know how and didn't war
to, because they thought it was b.
r, meath them. if a man died his wit
l and children became dependent upo
y some brother or sister or uRcle or aur
IS and they were obliged to provide fc
IS them out of their own small income {
t. savings. In those days it was respe
z, table to be genteelly poor, and starv
A. rather than work and live on the fl
I of the land. Nothing has ever don
If so much to increase the self-respect {
.e woman. and add to her feelSSg of il
,e dependence, as the knowledge of tn
fact that she can support herself" A
le ice bowed her head and covered he
e eyes with her hand, There's nothin
'e personal in what say" said Uncl
s, Ike. 81 am only talking on genera
Il. oiplas -