Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-07-27
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A Man Halter
How She Was Con-
verified From Her
Antagonisrn
By ESTHER vANDEvEER

world, both men and women. Those
who have an s.bnormal development of
some kind are usually called cranks.
Miss Clara Bedford was one Of these.
There was no ism too radical for her.
One of her idiosyncrasies was antag-
onism to man. Man had kept woman
under his heel for centuries, making
her what she Is, or. rather what she
was, for, thank heaven, she Is now
every day asserting herself.
"How about children?" she was
asked. 'There must be fathers as we'll
as mothers. If women hate men, where
will the babies come imp
Miss Bedford had no reply for this.
Unreasonable persons don't seem to
need reply to questions that tumble
their theories about their heads; their
confidence in what they believe is not
whit lessened from the want Of rea-
son. They go right on just as If they
had an answer and q perfectly salts
factory one.
Nevertheless, Miss Bedford was a
very human being. Down in the bot
tom of her heart she loved an imagi-
nary man and yearned for a child.
However, acting upon her prejudices,
she arranged for her summer to get
away from men. She was wealthy and
bought tract of land In New Hamp-
shire upon which she built cottage.
There she went with servants and
few companions Of her own sex, re-
solved that If any man trespassed on
her property she would call upon the
law to eject him.
She used to get up in the morning
early and take long walks. One morn
Ing on one Of these walks she saw on
the border of her domain a tent. What
was worse than the tent was q man
walking away from it. Miss Bedford
started at once for the trespasser, but
before she reached him he had disap-
peared among the trees. Reaching the
tent, she pulled back the canvas in
front and peeped In.
What was her establishment to see
lying on bed Of boughs child-a lit
tie girl about two years old-asleep.
One chubby arm was thrown back
upon the -pillow-for there was some
bedding-the other was under the Gov
er. The fine hair was tumbled, the
cheeks were round and rosy, in the
chin was dimple. The lips were
parted and showed a few little white
teeth set in pink gums.
/ Miss Bedford went into the tent and
approached the sleeping child. The
cover at the foot Of the bed was disar-
ranged and showed Eve little toes.
Miss Bedford could not resist temp
tatton to take them in her fingers. The
child gave little kick. opened its eyes
and frowned at the trespasser. Then,
Its brow smoothing, 1t said:
Mamma"
Miss Bedford bent over the little girl,
who put out both arms to her to be
taken up. She lifted the infantile bur
den Of flesh from the rude couch, kiss
ing it as she did so, and, pulling its
clothes about 1t, took wicker chair,
the only article in the tent on which to
sit, and Rugged the baby to her breast.
"D1ndin," said the little one.
"Dfndin," repeated Miss Bedford.
"How am to get you, dear little child,
any dindin7" She looked about her
and went on, There's nothing here for
a grown person to eat, much less for a
child" There We're a cup and a saucer
and spoon, but not a morsel to eat.
"Dindin," repeated the child.
I'D like to know where that horrid
man Is who left you here to starve,",
said Miss Bedford.
81 am here" said voice, and man,
with a cup of milk in his hand, threw
back the tent flap. Miss Bedford saw
that he had gone for the baby's break
fast and forgave him.
where did you get the milk?" she
asked.
"From one Of your cows. 1 presume
you are the owner of the COW MIXED"
That's not enough. You'd better get
some more"
The man poured the milk into anoth-
or cup and without word went away.
While he was gone Miss Bedford gave
the little girl milk to drink, which, be-
ing warm from the cow, did not need
to be heated. AS she sat holding the
white milk to the vermilion lips she
was wondering how the man came to
bring baby on to her property and
feed it with milk from her cows. Had
1t not been for the innocent little baby
she might have upbraided him, though
| he Wore sad countenance. She re-
membered her principles and resolved
to give him piece of her mind as soon
as he returned.
But by this time the child had drank
the milk and was ready for more.
rs there not morsel Of bread in the
tentY asked Miss Bedford.
"Not crust" replied the man sadly.
"Go to my house and tell the cook to
give you some Of the cereal she is pre-
pairing for breakfast and such other
food as she can find that will do for a
baby's food"
"You are very kind. am surprised.
I was told that you would permit no
tresna asiny IN vour prOpor<v ca 6ld