Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-20


was the DOCTOR clever, youngish man, pretty we'll
known in his particular line of pathology; Weber,
the actor Louis Rodgers, youngSter with Bohemian
yearnings; my chum and |, both
newspaper women: and Fletcher F.
!
Fletcher, the novelist, / mean. had III
met him by chance that day. and M#I3
when he asked to go to dinner IT,
had taken him to this little Italian II "a
table d'hote on East 15th-st. place -
as yet undiscovered by the many, but .N
famous among the favored few for its
miraculous risotto and for its coffee -
Then, too, recalled that several years 4 tM
ago, before he went to live abroad / sW
he had been very keen argument (Sf
We agreed my chum and |, that
combat between Fletcher and Dr.
EdwardeS would be decidedly worth :,
while. M.
Yet the dinner had been served and III
eaten, and nothing in the general con- nth
versation had started the argument a.
we had hoped for. STILL pokes -
fun at California claret and terms it iTzf 60
pink ink but it does manage to
make the after dinner talk in NJ
teresting So we hoped on, and, for
my part | not disappointed in
the end. \sAe--l
With the coffee Dr. Edwardes and
Rodgers deep in discussion
concerning the merits of prohibition.
1t dissolved when the pretty wife of
the proprietor appeared with cognac
From time to time Fletcher had joined in the talk;
fancied Weber and l engaged in discussion of the
merits of current play, and for time lost track
of the conversation of the Others
SUDDENLY Fletcher's voice drew my attention. He
leaning the table speaking with evident
earnestness. Il don't agree with you at ALL he said
and Dr. EdwardeS Stffened for the fray.
Il repeat, Mr.. Fletcher, that the present race-the
men we are bringing up the present generation,
are mollycoddleS all. The only man worth considering
is the man who can fight with his fists You may be
heaven born genius; but, if you can't protect your
woman, protect your property and protect yourself
with the weapons Nature gave you, you are molly
coddle." Dr. Edwardes took sip of milk and went
I'VE put our boys in the hands of women teachers we
give them feminzed literature, serlize and eliminate
and fuss, and the result is of weaklings in which
not the strongest survive but merely the less weak
babbe of protest arose. Fetchers voice finally pre-
vailng.
Fists dear sir rarely necessary in these days
of law and order occasionally to protect oneself sci.
dom to protect ones property-and would you subject
your woman to the indignty of witnessing street
brawl?" He spoke smilingly.
Indignity2 Pooh!" exclaimed the doctor. "There
isn't normal woman-I don't care how ultracultured
or ultrarefned she may be-who doesn't admire man
for his physical his brute strength and that's it
should be. Woman is more primitive than man, con-
sequently she feels the necessity for primitive methods
in the face of your law and ORDER made, by the
way for the weak and by the weak to limit the strong
And every woman seeks strong man; that is her in
stinct"
"You do not make allowance for the qualities we men
have cultivated in women gentleness mercy, and
pity, interrupted Fletcher.
BAH" said the doctor Women. in such cases, re-
vert to type, and it is typcay feminine to favor the
strong, when the instinct is brought into play.
FLETCHER leaned his elbows on the table and pulled
meditatively at his cigarette. His eyes swept the
circle of faces inquirngy and slowly felt that some
thng'wa coming. Perhaps you right, he said at
length, apparently satisfied with his audience. "You
won't bore you I'd like to tell you of incident he
hesitated. can't argue on the subject. few years
ago. might have agreed with you. Now" he laughed.
1.-THE eternal woman!'
apada IF