Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-02-19
A Suffragist on Trial.

La ONAA1 oSS5 A0O VA L 4ctls
Their first meeting was at midday in
the crowded throng OF Throgmorton
street. He was proceeding, hatless, along
the pavement when she handed him
what he supposed was religious tract.
He took it absentmindedly, and, doubling
it up in his fingers, was passing on with
out a thought of the doner
Read it," she said
| He was arrested by the firm tone.
The too familiar heading Votes for
| Women! indicated the precise nature
of the document.
1t was his initial encounter with a
militant sufiragist. But there was moth
ing odd in her appearance except that
the girl might have figured amongst
| Types of English Beauty in one of the
illustrated papers.
He felt passionate resentment against
the role she was playing
you are far too good" he said, ''for
this sort of thing"
He met her next at 4 newly formed
suburban dramatic society She was
introduced to him as Ella Plympton, he
| co her as Ronald Bevan. Both were ac-
| tive members and both were chosen to
| fill roles in the soeiety's first production.
She remembered their first meeting, OF
course She had rarely been so insuIted
| in her life, but perhaps he had only
Numbered through stupidity, and it was
wise to make friends.
They did make friends.
| And then came this visit to Birming-
ham 1t was the third and last night "
/ Caste
Il mean to take Up life seriously again
| tomorrow" she said. Pm going to
Birmingham to take part in big suf
trage meeting"
You going to Birmingham?
Il am Anything peculiar about it ?"
Nothing. except that / have to 90
to Birmingham ON business either tomor-
row or Friday
How singular! If tomorrow, we
might arrange to travel together" The
new woman can suggest that sort of
thing.
| Bevan considered. The result OF the
consideration was that for variety of
reasons the morrow was decided To be
the better day. They agreed to travel
together, Joint membership of dram
attic society was a sufficient permit for
the deed
In his anxiety not to miss the train,
Bevan took taxicab to Euston He
consequently arrived twenty five minutes
before the hour of departure. He strolled
into the waiting room. and there was his
sister in law, Mrs. Peter Bevan. with her
year old baby in her arms.
Was there no possible way for getting
Celia out of the way for those eighty
miles The baby was too young to I'M
derstand but Celia.
An audaeious project leaped into his
mind.
He enlisted Celia's active cooperation.
He wanted to tame a suffragist; would
she help him? He unfolded the scheme
She thought him mad. He had only
convinced her of his sanity and good in
tentions and secured her assistance six
minutes before the train was timed to
start. He hurried alone to the booBstall.
where he and Miss Plympton had ar
ranged to meet.
Il made sure You were going to miss
the train" she said. It's just like a
man to cut a thing so fine"
This was hard on man who had been
twenty-five minutes too soon-just like
y woman,
so sorry! Come along!" he only said.
They found an empty carriage and
seated themselves. Half a minute later
a woman and a baby selected the same
carriage. The woman was Celia, but
strangely enough, not the remotest sign
of recognition passed between her and
Beyau and he seemed wholly unconscious
of her presence. BY an inpatient tap
ping of her feet, however. the sufFragist
Indicated that this invasion was distaste-
full to her and Bevan's heart reioieed
Celia was tidgety-very fdgety. Her
brother-in-law, concealing great nervous
ness under an assumption of indifference.
had to allow that she could not have
played the part better had she belonged
to their dramatic society Her ewes roved
lrestlessly mp and down the platform. At
last she rose and addressed Ella plvmp-
ton, who was sitting exactly opposite.
I'm SO anxious about the luggage.
I'm almost sure they haven't PVT ii in.
Would You mind holding baby mo-
ment whilst | go and look ?"
Miss Plympton had no opportunity of
refusing, for Celia planted the sleeping
baby on her lap and flew Not in search
OF luggage, however: TO a compartment
las the other end of the train. in which
she hastily hid herself.
Il hope I've done right" said Celia.
doubtfully, To herself. But. oh. If that
blessed dear should wake up and want
me before we get to Rugby!"
In the carriage she had left a suffra
gette sat with crimson face. What a
ridiculous position to have been nut in
land before Il man 1l,a know ..r,t A.