The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-13
LOaveS
AndLadieS
A Victory For the
Wives
By CLARISSA MACKIE

Al0nZo Dibble'S store on the main
street Of Roseville and In the same
room with the postofhce was the forum
in which the male citizens of the vii
lage got together to discuss every new
departure from the beaten track of the
worlds ongoing.
Alonzo Dibble, being pecuniarily
Interested in the sale of twenty-five
cent packages of smoking tobacco and
cigars at prices all the way up from
one cent stogies TO five cent perfectos.
took care that the meetings should not
want for topic and that the debate
should not end when it struck n rut.
While the men of Roseville had been
discussing these problemS the women
had started the suffrage society. The
men had not yet entered upon this
topic and might not have done so had
not Amos Gwynne squelched the war
in Mexico by his unpatriotic remark.
There had been no sales of stogies for
some time, and no one had called for
birch beer. The shopkeeper, fearing
that the meeting would break up with
out any more purchases, placed the
palm Of his hand on the counter and
tiourished his other arm dramatically.
Il say" he shouted, there's more
honor for woman to bake a perfect
loaf OF bread than 1t is to vote nine
times for a president of the United
Statesw
There was an instant's silence among
the men gathered around the glowing
stove; then Hen L.ariday broke the
stiffness.
There amt much honor for any
one. man, woman or child, to vote nine
times for president-not on the same
day, no. sir"
After the laughter had died away the
stOrekeeper resumed his exhortation.
Its all right to make fun of 1t, Hen
but you amt got no wife, and your
ma is one Of the God fearin', old fash
Toned kind who don't want no votes
but the vote of her family that she's
the best mother and the best cook In
/ the world. But what do mean is this
Ever since the women of Rosevill,
started this here Ladies' Suffrage SO
ciety they've stopped being such goot
housekeepers. Look at the business II
homemade baking that Mrs Dell Smitl
has built up. Why, I'll bet I've sole
more flour to Mrs. Smith than to an,
one else In town. See 'em come I'm her,
day after day and buy Mrs. Smith.
bread and take 1t home to their fam
lies. I'll bet there's more men In thi
here store this minute who said to hi
wife at supper tonight, What goo,
bread Mrs. Dell Smith makesr WheI
a man says that, well, his wife ain
got anything to be proud off,
You're right. Alonzo," agreed Jane
Gray. But what we going to d
about itr'
Alonzo was distinctly cross eyed
Now, one of his orbs was fixed o.
James Gray and the other wandere
over to the door where woman's forr
stood motionless by barrel of brooms
Yes, what we going to do about II?
hawhawed Hen Lariday.
Cant do anything" said Alonz
slowly. "But don't blame any ma
for getting tired OF woman who blat
all day about running the gov'men
when she can't even bake decent loa
of bread! Some day the women Wi
wake up and find they've got the vot
and nothing else, by goshr'
The door closed gently.
The woman by the barrel Of broom
had slipped out.
who was thatT asked Hen Lariday
Susie Plnkham."
Great heck! Do you suppose sh
heard what you said, Alonzo?"
II hope 3d." said the storekeepe
grimly.
IF she did," went on Hen imprei
sively, "the news Is running like wild
fire through the hull village. Susl
Pinkham's the worst gossip in RIOS,
Vile"
,"And the best is Hen Laridayp 1ibe
Alonzo.
James Gray walked slowly up tn
street toward home. He was turnin
In his mind all that Alonzo had sal
about bread and women, and he ha
reason to agree with the storekeepe
on more than one point of his arg
ment
Mrs. James Gray was the presideI
Of the Ladies' Suffrage society, and sh
it was who was urging the fair men
bers to affiliate themselves with tn
state organization. It was Mrs. Ora
who had suggested to Dell Smiths vii
that home baking would be profitabl
enterprise, and from that moment th
idea had taken possession of Rosevill
women.
Husbands found delicious homemad
bread on the table, but Mrs Smith ha
baked 1t; likewise crisp cookies an
loaf cake and pies. The members {
the society to woman turned the
weekly baking over to the industriou
little woman who was not even
member Of their club.
ooh, haven't got any time" Mr.
Smith had good naturally said In e.
cuse. I'm helping Dell pay OF ii
mortgage. When that's done I'll thin
about it."
Meantime she baked and baked, an
: the women Of the society met and d
bated and tried to better conditions
the village.
James Gray was thinking abo,