The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1905-11-02
Reflections
BY RUDE ALLYN.

This is a bright and cheerful world
and with half a chance everybody
would hava a good time, but the sor-
rows of civilization are numerous, and
there is no monster so cruel as man
himself. He is always i~nventing some
hellish trap for his fellows. II to-
morrow some bright mind should in
vent something which while catering
to the vanity of the human family
would slowly murder half the race
there would be a rush to see who
would get up the first factory. If the
government would legalize the smok-
ing of opium and the different states
would license opium dens, in FIVE
years we would be a nation of opium
fends. Magnificent palaces would
arise and diamond studded pipes
would adorn their walls, and Cleopa-
ira never dreamed of such downy
couches as the victims of this drug
would repose upon, while the lip Of
scorn would be curled at the common
prude who had convictions against it.
Don't you believe this?
My dear lady or gentleman, as the
case may be, there is a cute little in-
v~ention which we inherited from some-
where which passes as an artificial
aid to feminine beauty which is de-
) stroying the best vital forces of our
nation, and there is scarce a protest.
3 ing voice.
A few days ago / saw a family in
tears on a Northern Pacific train.
had known them for years and was
grieved at their distress, which
learned was caused by the serious
t illness of the beautiful and accom-.
: plished daughter. Several doctors
had shook their heads and
: advised them to take her to a hospital
: at a distance. They went to a good
old family physician in whom they
: had absolute confidence, determined
S to follow his advice wherever it led,
: no matter what the expense.
His examination was thorough. 1t
2 was three days before he could get a
: drop of blood out of her ear big
enough for microscopic examination.
, Finally the diagnosis was complete,
: and all waited in dread to hear the
verdict.
e What is it, doctor?" asked the
Q wretched father.
"Well," said the DOCTOR. meditat-
y lively, "she has enema. That is, she
Q has scarcely any blood, and she is
e having a little run of fever"
"What do you suppose caused it,
r doctor?'
d "The aus is right here" said the
venerable doctor, picking u silk
e covered object with flexible steel bands
running through it and strings hang
ing from it, up from the bureau.
y Then, turning to the young lady, and
holding the artificial devil in his
hands, he said:
IT "Young lady, you will have to
IS decide right now whether you want
N health or corsets. You cannot have
g BOTH"
r Her father told me what the verdic,
was.
% "Well, l suppose she won't have
IL any more use for corsets,' I said.
% 'Don't you think it. She and hel
y. mother are planning right now to see
a specialist. Our good old friend,
DR.. D. has lost his good name with
~ them, and I'm figuring how much
money III have to spend buying cor
sets to squeeze my daughters body
out of shape, and hiring doctors tc
p s%traighten her out again, before I an
! able to turn the job over to some
y, Younger man who is temporarily hyp'
Noticed by her arched eyebrows anG
ruby lips.
- All over this and other states the
confederation of women's clubs met
and they resolved and said their pray
ers and gossiped and acted just as
H. silly and foolish as a lot of men would
&C on a similar occasion. We expect
something better of a lot of good
women. Nowhere did they record {
sentiment against the deadly corset
5 It's the drunkard they are after.
Z have seen these club women stand NJ
in a pair of lung jamming corsets ant
gasp out denunciation against whiske.
le when not one in q thousand of then
could give natural birth to a health!
child. Such a is q curse tt
the race. A drunkard is an ange
compared to her n n " but what's tn
use. Well go on loving them jus
the same and whispering In their ear
that they are the greatest things tina
! ever happened, and by gingoes. the.
are.-Forum.