The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-10

Luduhb VI ulbS rlub6T, WIZ A0hoAhON
at the door during the time the booth
was opened.
All the men gathered together In
the store that evening about 8 o'clock
to hear the result, though there was
no interest taken in any contest but
that of woman suffrage.
After a short wait, the clerk Of the
polling booth, who was the storekeep-
er himself, began to read the re-
suits When he came to the question,
Shall women be allowed to voter"
every one listened intently: "Yes, 1;
no, 34."
For few moments there were as
tonishment and surprise at the one
sided vote, then grin appeared on
few of the faces present; that grin
was contagious all right; 1t spread,
and spread rapidly. winding up in
minute or two in loud roar of hearty
laughter, while the storekeeper hur-
riedly fastened the door before any
of the would-be female voters should
hear the racket.
When the Laughter had subsided
little, some one ho.lered out, Who's
the one?" At least 20 voices an.
swered 'I ann" and then there was
another roar of laughter.
None Of us seemed very anxious
to find out who the one was; If we
were positive about that we would
be positive about the "a.
While everyone was joking, smok-
ing and drinking, a sharp rap was
heard at the door; some one near un-
barred it, and. heavens above! who
should walk in, close the door and
: stand with her back to it. but Miss
Finser herself
We all shrunk as her piercing
glance seemed TO go clean through
us.
whats the result?" Her sharp
voice cleared the smoke out Of the
room. Nobody seemed anxious to
tell. She turned to the storekeeper.
What is the result?"
"One for; "a against"
Then turning to the company she
eyed us all over with supreme con-
tempt. I was wishing | was home.
She spoke; no one else could.
The poor women of this village
have my dear sympathy; only one
man in 1t. Those thirty-four are the
most contemplate and small creatures
l have ever heard tell of or met"
With a dsdanful look she went
out and Bill Sutton got up from be-
hind the margarine counter.
II wish all you fellows could come
home with me tonight and share
what l am going to get" he said,
"but never mind, I'm that one, no
BILE voter, all right"
I'VE all went home, and | guess all
acted somewhat similar to the way
I die when we got there.
Well" said my wife, did we VIM"
maria, I'm disgusted; the men in
this village are a contemplate and
small set of creatures; after all the
work that was done to win, the vote
was "a to l against :'ou."
She stared at me in great surprise.
John, were you that one?"
Gathering all the dignity and look
ing as stern as I could with the aid
of the hard cider that was in me !
looked her right in the eyes, saying:
Maria, during all the time you have
known me did you ever know me to
deceive your"
"Well, no, John"
"Then don't ask me that question
again; it hurt my feelings, and you
should know how voted"
The next evening was the M. w. l.
Society's weekly meeting night, and
I, for one, would like to have had
the privilege of being present. All
the voters were curious to know
what would happen,
We were wearing the same mys
terious smile when we met, that is
worn by third degree members o.
secret societies. My wife got ready
to go to the meeting, saying to me-
as she went out:
81 don't care much about the vot
ing part, John, but am we'll satisfied
that you did all you could
After she had gone l had another
fit of laughing like the one we hat
in the store when we first heard the
result. Before l had fairly recover
ed, Pete Barrows put his head in a.
the doorway, saying:
81 thought I'd look in as l wai
passing by and let you see the only
man in the village"
We roared. He closed the dool
and went.
In about one hour my wife re
turned and it needed only one glance
at her to see that something had hap
pened. Taking off her hat and Goa
she threw them to one side and sa
down, all flushed and excited.
81 will never have any connection
with any women's society again.
will make my society right here. a
home"
what was the matter, Maria?"
asked, really and truly interested.
What is the matter?" she repeat
ed; they are a conceited crowd, Mis-
Finser included. She is going to leaV