Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-04
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
Mrs. Scarritt's Crusade-By w. F. Bryan.
Copyrighted 1908, by Associated Literary Press

, Grace Brown lived right down the road
| a piecc-thaf first feui house OH your
right us you go to the postoficc."
''She never said anything about hav-
ing been born here cried Mabel in
surprise. she did say in one OF her
letters that she knew that Cadyville
| was Il beautiful place"
Grace Brown amt Dragging about
| us, and we ain't Dragging about Grace
Brown" declared the old lady. Grace
| always was Il fraud" she went on.
She used to get me to write her com
| positions for her, and Ben Burrows
| used to do her SUNS. She never did
anything that she could coax some one
| else to do for her. | must say that
| she had nice ways about her, She
could coax even the teacher into Civ
ing her goo.l marks when she'd been
kept in after school the whole week
| she is the leader in Il great cause
said Mabel reyerently. 'She has de-
voted her gifts to Il great battle, and
she will win for us. We shall get the
vote before long. and the name of Mrs.
Brown Hazard will go down through
the ages as the woman who worked
this great revolution in favor of wO-
mans rights
Mrs. Scarrttt shifted scorHfully: then
she looked down into the deep blue
eyes glowing with the fires of enthusi-
asm Mabers checks were thin and
white. ana there was little CULVER of
the chin that bespoke nervousness
Only the eyes betrayed animation
| Mrs. Scarritt laid her hand gently upon
the girls arm.
There's just one real right that
woman has she insisted softly
That's the right to marry a good man
and have him love and protect her If
she can get that she doesn't need to vote
or do any of those fool things. She IS
l.content with her home and her babies.
It's when she doesn't get the man she
wants that she seeks the excitement of
some fool crusade like this.
i've lived fifty-three years. my dear.
l never voted, and l never wanted TO.
and l guess Silas and | are about as
happy Il pair of old folks as there are
in the state. spoke of Ben Burrows a
moment ago. Grace loved him. but she
married Hazard because his folks
died and lie came into all the money.
Grace knew that he would be easy to
handle. so she threw Ben over and
married Hazard. I'll bet she thinks of
Ben yet sometimes"
Mabel shuddered as she recalled GER
tain times at Mrs. Brown Hazard
when her husband had almost stagger-
ed into the room TO cringe under her
glance. Then there would come over
the woman's strong. rather masculine
face a curious look of regret, and Ma
bel wondered if Mrs. Scarritt had not
spoken the truth
81 tell you, dear" continued the old
lady. there is nothing TO voting Let
the men vote all they want so long as
they make good husbands. That's all
I've ever asked of Slas. don't be
lieve in throwing over good man foI
the sake of voting for the presiden,
and the town council and all that
Election day is only once year. and
you're married 3G5 days in that time
You can't he Il good wife and go CAD
ding around too. You have to take
your choice
pul Wien Sou udNe d HlSSlOu u
uplift your sex began Mabel. Mrs
,ScarTitt shifted again.
"Uplift nothing" she said irritably
You only lead 'em into mischief
Your mission is to marry and max,
some man happy and strong and ];
good citizen. That's the way to d,
your duty to your country"
| Mabel turned away without answer
She was not used to ridicule excep
from Roy, and of course he wa
r prejudiced. Here was Mrs. Scarrit
making out her leader to be a selfish
: sordid woman who. having throw
!. laway her happiness. sought forgetful