The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-21
Sir Francis the Absolute
and How He Reigned

] . . = Ne :
white drake In the management OF
his duck family. story that Is almost
as clever In Its way as Rostand's
"Chanteclere."
stnteiy SIR Francis.
The author tells the story himself.
II is a part Of his experience In tho
West. when he was. spending some
weeks with u newly welded Wyoming
farmer and his bride The guest was
leisurely. unhurried and prone TO PHI
losophic observation. One of his Ia
rort6 recreatlons was the feeding os
the ducks in the pond. The drake was
named Sir Francis and was vi all
times dignined and irreproachable In
behavior. The ducks were called
Duchess and Countess. They were
very jealous the one of the other.
When they were in the pond there
was n perpetual struggle between the
two for the post of honor beside Sir
Francis. He sailed stately on. how
ever. without even casting q glance
backward. taking no notice OF any
thing so petty as their qnarrels and
QuackE. as FIRST one and then another
advanced or receded
He 1t was who decided all times and
seasons. When he considered that he
had had enough of the water ne left
Z tut pOIius anu, BOiUE 10 Nut "OOdpiie.
turned his profile in handsome relief
toward Duchess and Countess, await
Ing their return to his presence. They
never wished to leave the water ms
soon as he did. His going always as-
tated them seriously. They raised
their voices In remonstrancc and ruttied
the bosom of The pond with their an
cry movements.
silent. but Expectnnt.
And he-he might have been carven
out OF stone The sun glinted on his
snowy pluma sc. and his shapeiy yell
low legs. as he stood silent. apparently
unheeding. but really expectant When
Countess and Duchess had appealed to
him In vain. they regretfully made
ready TO follow him, and then raced
from the water to the woodpile TO see
which could approach their licge lord
first. He looked contemptuouEly at
their antics. and. once more. without
regard to p-otcstntion, turned and led
The way to the haystack
After this scene had been enacted
n number OF times under his eyes, the
rhilosophic observer asked man well
Yersed In the manners and customs OF
the feathered tribes how 1t was that
Sir Francis maintained such absolute
and invariable ascendency In his fam
iiy. how he could compel Countess and
duchess to do the very. things 10 which
they seemed most disinciined. with so
little effort OH his part, while their
devotion remained so unswerving and
SO absolutely submissive.
lie Figured Out the Matter
The farmers eyes twinklcu Per-
hapS fellow feeling with the dra re
made him wondrous wise. Anyway. he
and Sir Francis understood each others
II hgure II out this way" ne said
while the smoke from his pipe curlcd
peacefully inward. that Sir Francia
he keeps his women folk nguessin.
that's about the size or IT. They
don't know which or3'em he prcfers
and they are never sart.n as 10 what
lies -goin TO do ncXt. And SO he
commands their reSpec and eXcites
their intrus And there he Isl he said
once more, smiling softiy TO himself
Il The Feminine Touch n
Y The feminine touch in work ana
n achievement has come 10 be SO scri-
ously considered asto form the la lis
Of an editorial in Harper's Baxar, COM
menting on the success that has come
TO women because OF 1t
What Is the feminine touch?' asks
the Buzar. Is the world forever to
believe that 1t is drapcs on the man
tlepiece and fringed doilies eternaIiy
ACCOMMODATING our daily bread? is. the
work OF the twentieth century woman
never feminine except when IL is stu
rcrfuously decorative? What but the
feminine touch perfected The discny
cry OF radium? II was the feminine
touch that brought about the fame Of
George Eliot, OF George Sand II was
the feminine touch that accomplished
the success of Rosa Bonheur 1t is The
feminine touch which sustains al once
the art and the magnificent power OF
endurance OF Sarah Rernhardt
In a word everything that has hon
ora Oily IQlStlnGuiShnd In, No. i
3hertakinss through all times, is the
feminine touch. 1t is not wherein n
woman Is most like a man in what
she does that she achieves greatness;
. II Is rether In full realization of her.
4 womanly attributes that she H. glori
aed. To measure womans success BY
what 1t lacks of the feminine touch
+ Is 10 imnoverish humanity's conception
OF lie, and TO rob the woman OF any
cause of glory in her work That.
however, Is not to detract from tile
touch which no woman dreams of gio-
rifying, which the world takes as a
matter of course-stlI the feminine
touch-the mothers lips on the childs
forehead, the wife's hand in the hus-
bands palm.
"a Hidden supper.
Says Martha laudon In the lima
Woman's Home Companions:
An amusing way OF raising money IN
June is to have q hidden supper In
vite all the church people TO attend at
s o'clock on certain day. Insisting
that those who ACCEPT must send word
By postal card two or three days In
ADVANCE TO some one member of the
committee in charge.
The members OF the society are To
prepare as many picnic suppers rs
here are to be used. packing each one
IN a paper box. Some one who has a
large lawn. with plenty OF shrubbery,
mower beds and trees. will lend il for
The occasion. and It. may be made beau
toful with festoons OF Japanese Ian
terms strung from tgoe to tree. On a
porch Of the house. behind n screen.
ca and coffee maybe prepared to, be