Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-10
Evening Story
THE MILITANT MAI D.
BY Ella Randall Pearce.
Copyright, 1918, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.

e CODyT1SQJ, 1910, Wy q MSSiciO ANS"S
paper Syndicate.
Mrs. Seward looked anxiously at the
door which her attractive youngest
daughter had just closed behind her,
and continued to look long after the
sounds of firm, tapping footsteps had
died away in the distance. Then her
troubled glance shifted to the paternal
head of the family, who was costly in
trenched behind his newspaper.
Father, I don't approve of this sort
of thing at all. think you've ought
to protest"
without looking up.
"That's just it--are you blind?" Mrs.
Seward spoke bit testify. Its Anna
Don't you know where she is going?'
Going for walk, she said' replied
the newspaper reader, complacently.
yes; but DO you know where and
why?"
The intensity of Mrs. Stewards tones
claimed her husbands attention at
last.
"Well, mother, what is it? What's
Anna up to that makes you SO upset?
l don't understand
"Ah, that's what l thought You
don't understand. Yet our daughter is
out now practicing for hike to the
capitol, as she calls it. She's joined
club; she's a suffragette!"
Then Mr.. Seward threw back his
head and laughed until his glasses fell
off,
Club? Suffragette? Yes, yes, I've
heard her talking about 1t lately.
Pshaw! It's nothing but notion"
Father, I'm surprised at you! Do
we want Annals name in the papers,
and Anna hiking all over the coun'
try? She says she's going with the
club tomorrow; she's been training for
the past two weeks. She walked ten
miles yesterday, and she's of again to-
day. Why, she'll make herself sick"
MIR. Seward looked thoughtful
II wouldn't worry about Annals get
ting sick in that way, or doing anything
discreditable, mother If she's taken
notion to join the female suffrage
party and hike along with them, there's
no harm to it."
ooh. but, father, that isn't all. There
is something at the bottom of all this
Annals disconnected already; that's
why she's turned to excitement of club
affairs. Our little girls unhappy; she's
not herself since Morgan Giles went
away. You know Anna was always so
gentle, 50 domestic. It isn't like her to
be militant"
We'll, If walking will help her any
let her walk" said Mr.. Seward, as he
returned to his paper; but shade OF
gravity had fallen over his genial face.
Anna, his little daughter, disconnected.
Unhappy? That was new, disagree
able thought.
Mrs. Seward resumed her needle
work with sigh. Since the day Of the
lovers quarrel, when Morgan Giles had
left the Seward home-forever, as he
had avowed- she had noticed with
much anxiety the growing unrest and
fitful moods Of the girl.
Unaware Of the disturbance in her
home. Anna Seward swung buoyantly
through the streets Of the town, and
out upon the suburban highway She
was the picture of youthful health and
bloom. Her close-fitting costume re-
vealed lines of supple grace; her dark
blue eyes were sparkling; the breeze
that tossed the white feather of her
cap backward, loosened the short, curl
ing strands Of auburn hair. No one, to
have seen Anna Seward then, would
have pronounced her disconnected or
unhappy.
Eleven miles or SO were made in
good time, and after brief rest, the
traveller started on her homeward way.
All went we'll until Anna reached the
outskirts of the town again. Just as
she was crossing the wide driveway
that encircled the park toward which
her footsteps were leading, big tour
ing car laden with a gay, reckless par
ty, bore swiftly down upon her. Anna
stopped abruptly, took a startled step
backward, placed her foot on a loose
stone, and as it rolled over, she came
tumbling to the ground.
The motor car had been brought to
q standstill. and one of the party came
back to her assistance; but Anna had
drawn herself to seat beside tn
driveway.
'Tm all right" she said, laughing
nervously; and, it was not until after
the gray car and it's occupants had
gone that the girl realized that she was
really hurt
Anna sank back on the iron seat,
conscious of increasing pain and thel
fact that the afternoon glow was shift
ing into the gray Of twilight Two orl
three times she tried to stand on the
injured foot, but she was helpless
Anna waited. It seemed, after al
while, that the big gray car was to be
the last that would pass that way be-
fore night set in. After time she grew
uneasy. The road was rather lonely att
this turn.
II guess will be out Of the march !!
tomorrow" thought Anna grimly
Another hour dragged by. Sounds Of
passing on the driveway within the
park could be heard. but no one came
along the outer road. Soon the figure
on the seat became indistinct; only the
rampant white feather pierced the
darkness. The lonely girl grew really
apprehensive Even if any one should
come now, she would be timid about
hailing a stranger in the night. The
pain in her crippled foot became in
tense, and she had to set her teeth
sometimes to hear the sharp pangs