Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-08-09
A Man Halter
How She Was Con-
verted From Her
Antagonism
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

who have an abnormal 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 inT'
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
a whit lessened from the want Of rea-
son. They go right on Just as If they
had an answer and a perfectly salts
factory one.
Nevertheless, Miss Bedford was a
very human being. Down In the bot
tom Of her heart she loved an imagi-
mary 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 q cottage.
There she went with servants and q
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,
hn 70 IN no
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 a 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
Etent she pulled back the canvas in
front and peeped in.
What WIS her establishment to see
lying on a bed Of bOughs q chi1d-a lit
tie girl about two years Old-asleeD.
One chubby arm was thrown back
upon the pfllow-for there was some
ibedding-the other was under the Gov
er. The fine hair was tumbled, the
cheeks were round and rosy, in the
chin was a dimple. The lips were
parted and showed q 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 five little toes.
Miss Bedford could not resist q temp
tati0n to take. them in her fingers. The
child gave a little kick, opened its eyes
and fr0wned at the trespasser. Then
fits brow smoothing, it said:
"1Lanma."
Miss Bedford bent over the little girl
RTho put out both arms to her to be
taken up. She lifted the infantfle bur.
den Of flesh from the rude couch, kiss
ing it as she did so, and, pulling its
clothes about it. took & wicker chair
the only article in the tent on which tc
sit, and Rugged the baby to her breast
"Dindin," said the little one.
"Dindin,' repeated Miss Bedford
l"How am to get you, dear little child
ANY dtndinT' She looked about hel
and went on, There's nothing here fol
Ia grown person to eat, much less for {
child" There were a cup and a saucer
and q spoon, but not q morsel to eat.
'"Dindin," repeated the child.
I'D like to know where that hOrriG
man is who left you here to starve,
said Miss Bedford.
ri am here said voice, and man
with a cup Of milk in his hand, threw
back the tent flap. Miss Bedford say
that he had gone for the baby's break
fast and forgave him.
where did you get the mtlk?" sh
asked.
From one Of your cows presum
you are the owner Of the COW MIXED.
That's not enough. You'd better ge
some more"
The man poured the milk into anott
yer cup and without word went away
While he was gone Miss Bedford CAV
the little girl milk to drink, which, b.
ing warm from the COW, did not nee
to be heated. AS she sat holding th
white milk to the vermilion lips sh
was wondering how the man came I
bring a baby on to her property an
feed it with milk from her COWS. Ha
it not been for the innocent little bah
she might have upbraided him, thong
he wore a sad countenance. She T
meTnbered her principles and resolve
TO give him piece Of her mind as SOC
as he returned
But by this time the child had drar
the milk and was ready for more.
is there not a Inorsel Of bread in Il
itentY' asked Miss Bedford.
mot a crust" replied the man sadl
GO to my house and tell the cook
give you some of the cereal she is pr
pairing for breakfast and such 9th
food as she can find that will do for
baby's food"
You are very kind l am surprise
was told that you would permit !
trespassing on your property, SO I
not camp on it. I am just beyond 20
border"