Life — September 24, 1896 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

228 *LIFE-: OUR FRESH AIR FUND. Previously acknowledged, $3,673 15 Proceeds of an Enter- tainment given by the A. W. C.. $0 0 Grand Beach Comed- O. Gasawasa...... Peters 6 co ians at Grand Beach, C. M. T., Colorado. 300 Me.... oy a Mr, Abraham Mills..... $00 Donation from the In Loving Memory of Young Girls of South- M.S. B.. wasneaeues ampton, 1 Mrs. Mahlon Chance... Sister Mary. Mrs. A. H, Dart. ‘ ‘For Love of John, W.B. OH. i $00 A Friend.. $3,858 52 “Did you speak to Doctor Ransom before you did to Polly 2” she asked, with a kindling eye. “Yes,” faltered I, deeply conscious that I was the object of a sudden, subtile contempt, that was essentially feminine. You deserved it all then,” she replied with conviction. “But why ?” questioned I vigorously, driven to defence. “*Wasn’t it the honorable thing to speak to him first to get his consent ?”” She measured me with the eye of disdain, and even her lips curled a bit before shaping themselves to reply. I think you are more to be pitied than blamed,” she said at last. ‘You really need some one to look after you.” I was thoroughly cowed by this time, and my insignifi- cance was impressed upon me with mortifying distinctness. She went on, ‘You have evidently no conception of the gross breach you have committed.” “No, Lhaven’t,” replied I, with a bit of returning spirit. “Oh, you men are but dull creatures at best,” and she sighed commiseratingly. ** You don’t understand the little shades and finenesses of life that mean so much tous women. Any right spirited girl would resent such an interference with her prerogatives, as you have been guilty of. I don't wonder at Polly.” She had com- pletely thrown me over by this time. “There is only once in a woman's life,” continued she, “that she tastes the sweets of absolute power; that she controls the destiny of man.” “When's that?” said I, meekly. “That's when he sues for her love. And would she not be a fool, indeed, to give up that one high privilege—the privilege of acceptance or rejection? And doesn’t she do right to insist on a recognition of this privilege by all men?” “ L suppose so,” said I, wearily, for I was getting tired. ‘* But I didn’t know you were going in for women’s rights, Fanny.” “I’m only protesting against women's wrongs,” Said she. ‘* When you went to Polly’s father first, you violated her rights, and she asserted her self respect.” “Well, I didn’t do it intentionally.” “No, as I said first, you were only very stupid. Won't you have another cup of tea?” L asserted my self respect by declining. A servant entered and handed her a card. “‘Excuse me a moment, Jack,’’ she said, rising, and left the room. I passed over to the window and looked out on the park, the whiteness of which was rising to meet the gray twilight of the late winter afternoon, A moment later I heard the door open and shut, and the rustle of skirts. “Do you think Polly would accept any sort of penance ?” I said, after awhile, without turning. ‘‘ I would be willing to go into sack cloth and ashes, literally,” I went on. “IT don’t think she would exact quite that,”’ said a voice, that wheeled me around quick as a flash. “Polly, will you forgive me if I was stupid ?”’ I asked after one intense moment. ; “On one condition, ” said she in an eager voice. “Anything,” I cried eagerly. © That it’s a short engagement,” she said. And when Fanny came in after awhile she completely repudiated all Fanny’s fine ideas about prerogatives and things, and vowed stoutly that a girl was wicked who refused the man she loved simply because her pride didn’t like the form of his proposal. Louis Evan Shipman. I | E is a clever man who knows when to be stupid. BOSTON woman who belongs to only seven clubs is pleasantly defined as ‘‘a quiet home body MAN should not avoid reading because he desires to be original, but because he may then use the thoughts of others without feeling guilty. A GROUP AT LIFE'S FARM, comicbooks.com