The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-04-24
THE MAN AND THE WOMAN

A story is told that once upon a
time, in the long ago, a man who had
soured upon the world, and except for
the possession of one son, was all
alone in it. He determined that this
boy should be uncontaminated by the
Vaccinations Of men or the wiles of
women and to this end kept him stu
diously aIoof from all association
with the world The child was car
ried TO something like a monastery,
and during all the days of his boy
hood had not been permitted to look
upon the face OF a boy or a girl Al
ter reaching mans estate he was
walking with his father one day when
suddenly and all Unexpectedly they
were confronted face to face with a
radiantly beautiful maiden. Instantly
the soul of the boy was set on fire
I
what it was. THAT is what is called
a goose" his father replied, and for
your souls sake you want to avoid
it," Whatever it is, father" said the
boy, Il must possess it"
There was recently a parallel to
this story enacted in our prosaic, mod
ern life, in the very capital of our re-
public.
Near Washington is a crazy or
cranky community calling itself
The Woman's Commonwealth" The
head Of the organization claimed that
she had a visitation from the AL
mighty, and was told that it was sin
full to live with man. Believing the
visitation real the woman quit her
husband, succeeded in securing a few
converts to her faith, moved to Texas,
bought a tract of land and the COM
munity prOspered financially. Two
months after organizing her com
monwealth" a little girl was born to
her.
Ten years ago the commonwealth"
sold their possessions in Texas and
bought farm of 172 acres in Mont
gomery county, Maryland, near Wash
ingtOn, and a large house in the city.
Ten children, all girls, had grown up
in the commonwealth" They were
taught to shun the very sight of man
but as they grew up stole away and
were married.
The daughter Of the founder of the
commonwealth" had now grown to
to be a woman % years old. She had
never known a man to as much as to
speak to one until the other day
when she surreptitiously broke the
rules of the commonwealth" and was
introduced to a Mr.. Pratt, a hotel
clerk, by a girl acquaintance. 1t was
love "at first sigth," and to make a
long story short she followed her low
er to Philadelphia, where they were
recently quietly married.
Il don't know how it was" she
said. "but after | was introduced to
him just wanted to see him all the
time. 1 was crazy about him, and he
was in my mind day and night, and
l did not feel happy except in his
sight. just couldn't help it. want
ed to be right with him.
"My mother is very strict" she said,
and I guess she will never forgive
me-"
So this is the story of life. 1t was
ordained this way when the first star
sang in symphony with the heavenly
spheres, and neither cranky men nor
women can change it.
God created man in his own i'm
age; in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he
them.
And the Lord caused a deep sleep
TO fall upon Adam and he slept: and
he took one of his ribs and closed up
the flesh thereof.
And the rib, which the Lord had
taken from the man, made he a wo-
man, and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said: This is now bone
of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she
shall be called woman.
Therefore shall a man leave his
father and mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife, and they shall be one
1 flesh"
This is Gods plan, and puny man
with locks and chains and monster
/ les, and "wOman's commonwealth"
cannot prevent it.