The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-15
~ ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

"Why 1 thought you wanted to
vote!" exclaimed the cynic.
Il never said l wanted to VOTE" re-
piled Sarah
Il didn't say you did," rejoined the
cynic. II said you wanted tor
thought you wanted to-" he added has
lilly.
We'll. l knew you never had heard
me say So" triumphantly deployed Sal.
Because l never did. Personally l am
not rampant about this voting bust
ness. ! merely think I've got as much
right to vote as a man-if I want to"
"A logical and reasonable position
and one l applaud" murmured the
cynic.
These women who don't want to
vote don't have to If they don't want
to- But they have no right to try to
keep those that want to from doing
So"
"A kind Of dog in the manger policy,
SO speak," said the cynic.
"Yes-'I'm not going to and I'm not
going to let anybody else do it," said
Sal.
There's lot of chatter about
women infringing on the functions of
men II they are granted the franchise, y
is, too.
THE right to vote is a matter Of
citizenship and has nothing to do with
sex or the division of the duties of liv-
ing between the men and the women"
Hear! heart" applauded the cynic.
1.-The function Of women. in the
scheme of Nature" said the Sarah, us
to bear the children-the mans to
support the women and children-but
are they doing it,"
Certainly not" said Sal answering
herself. After the woman has brought
the children into the world, in five cas-
es out OF every six. she is supporting
em and as often as not the man, too.
IF men are so keen about perform
ing their functions why don't everyone
of EN- marry some woman and set
about it. They say there are forty
thousand unattached fair ones in Mas
sachusetts alone"
well. of course" murmured the
cynic. "if you are bound on heroic
measures l might-er-"
81 wouldn't have YOU" cried Sal
why its all ! can do to support my
self. I can't take you on"
i've known two or three FOOLS" she
continued, who thought it would be
sweet to be loved and have loaded
themselves down with masculine in
cubuses.
There was Mary Benton-used to
be principal of number six. you know.
and was an influence. She was, as the
reporters say forging to the front"
and had been offered the superinten-
dency of the school down at Kodak
ville-great thing.
when, one day. she met old Tom
Battersby she used to be sweethearts
with at school. He had returned very
much out at elbows from some remote
spot and sized up Mary as good
thing. She fell into the trap and the
year after was applying again for a
position. He spent all the money he
had on the honeymoon and she found
out. later, he had borrowed that. 1t
took her two years to pay 1t back.
shes teaching again-a primary
grade l think-and he's doing the
"Well, at least" said the cynic, "he
shows becoming appreciation of the
it's not every woman
that can have man chef"
He enjoys it," cried Sal scornfully.
He's a miserable, good for nothing
married her for nothing
more nor less than to get her to sup
port him-and carrying on a sanctified
filtration on the side with fiddle
Tompkins whose studying to go out as
a missionary"
II never saw a girl going out to be q
who was worth second
glance" said the cynic.
That's generally the reason they
60" said Sal,
fiddle isn't my style-but she's aw-
fully pretty don't believe she has
any idea of really going-she's just do
ing it to scare a proposal out of Henry
Properman. She thinks when she an
her sailing date he'll step in
and prevent it."
Lucky for the heather if he does"
grinned the cynic. II often wonder
what they think of US" he added.
We're way off the tack" said Sal,
Il started out to tell why l side-step-
ped all women's things"
"Oh yes-let's have it," said the
cynic surreptitiously looking at his
watch. Il always like to hear women
talk about each other"
"Oh, as to that, the women are no
worse than the men-although admit
men aren't as mean about lambasting
one another. Men always stick up for
each other"
I've have many admirable traits"
blandly deployed the cynic.
well. anyway" said Sal, Il always
keep out Of women's things. got |
mixed up in some Of them in my more |
salad days but this learn |
ed-keep out of them or forever be |
mixed up in wire-pullings and petty /
mbroglios, two by four envyings and
picayunish jealousies. And take it |
from me, the stupider you are the bet |
ter they like you, the bigger fuss they |
make over you and the more frequent |
" are you elected to Office 1
Lord preserve u.s." gasped the cy-
mic.