Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1909-12-10
Miss FinSer's
Disappointment

In the little country village OF Far
nam We had about thirty-fiye voters,
and singularly enough they were all
married.
At every election for years our
votes had been unanimously cast for
the same party: We were all doing
pretty well, and few OF US ever gave
a thought to making any change IN
politics. so there never was any ex-
element on voting day.
But. about a year ago, Bill Suton's
maiden aunt came to live with him,
as she put it, ITO spend the rest OF
her days with her dear nephew and
keep an eye on him."
She was supposed to have little
money. chow much Bill was anxious
to find OUT. had been through some
/ ladies' college years ago. and had lee
tured several times before different
women's clubs. her favorite subjects
being. How to Manage Husband"
How to Bring up Children" and
THE Care of a Household
II did not take her long to get ac-
! Quainted with every woman in the
village: it wouldn't take her long to
| get acquainted with every woman in
| ten villages. She was a thin, lively.
meddlesome. spectacled, but clever,
old lady who honestly thought she
imI ~oved everything she butted into.
She formed a Married Woman's I'M
provement Society, and made all our
wives members. Miss Clara Finser,
the old lady herself. being president.
secretary. lecturer and chief adviser.
At first we men looked upon The
thing as a joke. and when we met
at the village store would have quite
a laugh over it. but We were careful
in our comments as none Of us was
! anxious to get next to Miss Finser
anG her lively tongue.
But we soon began TO feel the ef-
fects of the NJ. W. Improvement So
ciet. in our homes.
John" said my wife to me one
day. don't you think we should 20
out with the team at least three after
Moons a week? We are working too
hard. and | don't feel so we'll as |
used to some weeks ago."
Whose idee is that, Miss Fin
ser's? l asked.
"Yes. and quite agree with her."
she replied.
Then we will think 1t over"
That evening some of the neighbors
met at the store; each of them aired
some grievance that was put down to
the work of the NJ W. |. Society.
Peter Barrows' wife was insisting
on visiting the nearest city two days
week and taking singing lessons;
| Miss Finser said her voice was
worth It. Another mans wife wanted
| his property arranged so that any
| check or deed he signed would be oi
no use without her signature also;
another wanted mandolin lessons; an
otaer seventy-fve-dOllar set of false
tech: the work she was doing
around the house and farm demanded
the best. she said. md so on.
We talked these things over and
decided not to notice these demanGs
n the women and at the same time
notified Bull Sutton that if this condi
ton Of things did not cease soon
there would be trouble for both HIN
and his aunt.
! Fill said he did not want to in'Hr
| fore with her. and we all knew why
re had found out that the old l2Gy
bank account was pretty good. arc
thought he was in line for it. bu
above all he was afraid of her tongue
she would sail into him on the leas
excuse until he was glad to go on
in the fields and work for rest
she would continue to talk when NJ
came back to meals, he got it foI
breakfast. dinner and upper
He was taking more hard eide
than was good for him since his aun
arrived; he said il was impairins hi
!, | tearing.
The State election was comni
= round and one question that we wer
10 vote on this year was woman SUI
frage. The Women's Society. acunl
under the advice of their energeu
president, eased Up in their small ID
= djvidual demands and began to worl
in q body for an affirmative vote.
Miss Finser was almost as good a
chasing the voters as she was a
talking: every voter in the villag
she buttonholed every voters VIII
got instructions not to let up, but re
mind their husbands every day VIVA
was expected from them, and ever
voter. believe. promised severa
tines to vote the right way. | kno'
promised TO vote correctly on tn
ouestion-correctly as ] saw it.
While the men did not arrange an
concerted action. and did not eve
talk very much among themselYe
about it. it could easily be seen, how
ever. that there was an undercurren
of feeling that boded i'll for Miss HI
} ser's pet object
In an address 10 the voters, III VI
store. the night before election. Mis-
Finser said. among other things
while it may be doubtful about ge
ting a majority throughout the stat
e for woman suffrage. We want TINS i
tie village OF Farnum to be unan
- nous for it. thereby showing the pc
nle that. though We may be one
tho smallest villages in the Stat
in progressive ideas We won't tai
second place to the largest city in
and I think from my conversation
with you men. and my opinion OF yo
u viii be unanimous"
We applauded logdly. and she wei
home satisfied.
Next day each voter dropped
2, the voting booth. which vas fitt'
ur IN the back room Of the villai
store. at such time that he cou
make II convenient registered 0
VOC. some os them with an EXPIRE
sl1e wink, and then received q
30 thsnks OF Miss Flnser. who RENAME
n at the door during the time the boo
wss opened.
D. All the men gathered together
oh n'alnr