The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-26
A Woman S
Rights
By ETHEL HOLMES

Weatherby when she received note
from him calling the affais or. He gave
no excuse, but Elinor knew that he had
never been known to stick to one girl
for any length of time and felt sure
that she had been replaced.
Miss Bates was a native Of South
Carolina. but had spent ten Of her
twenty years in the north, where she
had imbibed the ideas of the new won
an. Her grandfather had fought a
duel. and in her family the code was
considered the only way of settling un-
pleasant affairs. These two conditions.
a belief in the right of an injured per
son to demand satisfaction from the
tnjurer and the elevation Of women to
the privileges OF men, decided her to
send a challenge to Mr. Weatherby.
Jack was dressing for dinner when
he received Elinor's note, for she had
not gone so far as to send second,
and, laying it open on the dresser. read
it, finishing making a bow of his neck
tie at the same time When he had
finished both he lighted cigarette
and, throwing himself into an easy
chair, gave himself up To thought
Now. the reason for his breaking
with Elinor was that the income TO
support her was TO come from his IA
ther, who had agreed to give him So,
600 a year. and he had at the last mo-
ment changed his mind. Jack, think
ing that an explanation of this would
only serve to irritate Elinor against his
father, chose another course.
Jack. who did not consider that truth
in a statement of woman's age, re-
piled to the challenge by saying that
he had promised his mother that he
would never fight duel. On this ac-
count he must decline to render Miss
Bates what he must confess was her
right to demand and to receive.
When Elinor received this letter she
saw at once that her effort to punish
her recreant lover had failed Had she
been a man she might have published
him as a poltroon and coward with
effect but should she do so as wO-
man she would only make herself ridic-
ulous. Nobody would blame him for
refusing to fight woman.
Women had horsewhipped men who
had Tilted them, and 1t seemed to Eli
nor that this would be the natural
consequence In her case. 1t would be
following In the course of men too.
Men who had refused to fight men had
been horsewhipped by the challenger
But Elinor hoped by threat to pro-
duce results without taking such dras,
tic measures She wrote Jack another
note stating that she proposed to horse
whip him the next time she met him
This, she thought, would bring him to
terms. There could be no greater
dread for man than to stand in the
face of gathering crowd and receive
a dressing from woman. Miss Bates
was forced to admit that this was MOI
the same relative position as between
two men, for Jack would not be priv
ileged to strike back.
Jack thought over this new phase OF
the case and made up his mind to
make no reply. lie dearly loved the
girl who was trying TO punish him foI
a crime he had not committed and
which panied him as much AS 1t pain
ed her
Elinor provided herself with whip
She endeavored to secure the tradi
uonal "cowhide" that had been used
by her ancestors on those who refused
| to fight, but she failed to do so. How
! ever, she procured a good. stout whiI
and slung ii about her waist under hel
coat. She selected it on account of thu
! color of its handle. which harmonizet
with that OF the costume she INTENDED
to wear when she did the whipping.
To be candid, Miss Bates shranl
] from publicity as much as she pre-
sumed her recreant lover would shrinl
from 1t. In this she weakened. In
stead of waiting till she met him In
crowd she went one morning to tn
Weatherby residence. which stoo'
back from the street and was partl,
hidden 10y shrubbery. Entering tn
grounds. she concealed herself behin'
foliage and waited for Jack to appear
Presently he emerged from side doc
and was making his way to the garag
when Elinor pounced upon him.
Elinor had made mistake in notify
ing him of her intention to horsewhi
him. 1t enabled him to prepare hin
self for the encounter. As soon as sh
began to rain blows upon him he dre'
from his pocket yard of satin ribbo
and returned blow for blow with 1t.
Mr.. weatherby senior was in his al
customed seat In the library readin
the morning paper when, hearing th
sound of Elinor's whip on Jacks cos
and trousers. he looked out throug
the window.
Raising the sash. he watched ii
fight for a few moments. then erie
out to be informed what 1t meant
Elinor ceased her blows and said:
"Your son has treated me abon