The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-18
BILL SKILLET GOES TO RENO
TO GET DIVORCE FROM NISH
Forced to Act When He Found Sutfragette Ban
ner Hanging on Nail in His Kitchen Where
FRYING Pan Had Hung Since 1897

BraZeniy and without regret, Colonel
William Randolph Skillit announced
yesterday that he would leave Henner-
raclSer tonight for Reno, where he
| apply for divorce from his wife,, Mrs.
| Nish Skillit.
Il have been living with that doll
baby for nigh onto twcnty- seven
years." he said to reporter who went
to the homo to WORTHY the rumor, "nnd
bad hoped to spend tho rest of my
days I'm her fastidious company; but
when 1 ordered her to quit the suffra-
gette club. and she refused, there was
nothing clse for me TO do If 1 wanted
to keep my self-respect. II there are
any pants to be worn about this tstnb-
lishmcnt. they belong to me-"
Did I ever threaten to leave you
because you would not quit the liquor
club?" asked Mrs. Nish, with some
show of bitterness.
Cut that out said Bill. I'm not
your wife, and you can't talk to me
like that"
There was no doubt about the fact
That the atmosphere was lurid around
the Skillit home. Several OF the neigh
bors had called to get In closer touch
with tho domestic scandal and their
presence excited the colonel TO great
wrath.
Omit Stand for Everything.
There arc some things 1 can stand
and nome things can't stand" he said
$50 wish you would state for me. SO
my friends will understand. that am
going away for good; that l will apply
Tor divorce Oh suffrngctte grounds
and that hope to return free. oh. no.
shall not marry again, l have lived
an upright lie. and so has Nish. for
that matter, bnt l don't want TO go
about the streets and be pointed out az
the husband of suffraHcttc. J don't
want my children to be pointed out as
sunragette offspriRs. IL there is any
voting TO DC done In my house, you can
leave 1t to me.
Mrs. Sk!llit has not been righ; In
the head since she got mixed up in this
neW-fanElcd craze. When l went in
tho Kitchen the other day l found q
Votes for Women banner hanging on
tho hook where the frying pan had
huns since 1897. In the dining-room
she had fixed up a voting precinct,
watchers. and all the female neighbors
vera coming in aud out--voiing The
Lord knows what they were voting on.
but they were voting, and even my
little children were rounded up i'm a
corner and urged TO support this can
uldate or that measure. They were
supplied with ballots. which they
-,
knowing or caring. Then when every
body had voted until the whole bunch
was dizzy they took the returns TO my.
writing table. where they were counted
and when the result was announced
Nish waved her apron over her head.
shouted once like an Apache, and Just
carried on like the jugElcr at bug
house picnic She actually made Il
speech. and when l got in all could
PICK out of the noise was her statement
that the good women had redeemed the
country, anu that hereafter no lips
would touch liquor. because there
wouldn', be no liquor to touch.
Boys Dressed MS Girls.
And there won't be any lips around
this house for you to touch after this.
| said, for l was mad clean through,
and l wanted 10 hurl the female neigh
bors clean out OF the precinct. But 20
show how bugs they had got ! went in
the parlor and found three OF my boys
dressed up as girls. Larkin. who wore
4 polonaisc back and n basque front, was
operating n little magic lantern ana
was throwing the election returns on
bed sheet. While the women pretended
TO be surprised and excited. lust as |
got inside and realized what they were
doing. Larkin flashed a sign reading:
For liquor, 0; against liquor. 2.19S.I65.'
Now. IS a sensible man. you know there
are not that many sober people in the
world.
IL stood in a dark corner. just ready
to throw n 1T, when some Old dame
screamed: Give us tho vote In Dunn
barton, and my poor boy. dressed in
that polonaisc back andN basque front,
put IN slide telling the mob in my
parlor that the women had carried the
precinct by Il majority OF 1000. There
are not 1000 cockroaches in Dunbar
ton
When ] couldn't stand It any longer
went to the front end slapped Larkin
over, kicked the magic lantern to the
floor and called for light. I voted them
cut OF my house quicker than they had
voted liquor out OF the county, and by
ii bigger and swifter majority. Take
off that Disguise called to my boys.
who were dressed as girls. And bless
my heart there was Nish wearing a
standing collar, a red nccktie and my
green vest"
Nish Passes Him Up.
While the colonel was reciting the
terrible story of the shame which had
come upon his home, Mrs Skillit sat
there quietly. with tears in her eyes.
Fear was wri; deep upon the face of
every young Skillit. And do yoli
know" said Bill, chat whes ! told
her she had to quit that club or mo She
hurled defiance at me and told mo that
the time had come for the women to
2aaNENa