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Read Ebook: Josiah Allen on the Woman Question by Holley Marietta
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waitin' on him. And if she did venter any remarks to him they usually didn't fly no higher than hen's eggs or neighborhood doin's. Do you spoze that pa would stood it havin' a wife that acted as if she knew as much as he did? Not much.
"But Bill's wife wuz right up to snuff as well informed as Bill wuz, and Bill didn't seem to know enough to be jealous and mad about a wife actin' as if she wuz on a equality with him. It made me ashamed to think a male relation on my own side should act so meachin'. And in one thing she even went ahead of Bill, owin' to the money men had spent on her. She sung like a bird, and evenin's Bill would lay back in his chair before the open fireplace and listen to her singin' and playin' them old songs and look at her as if he worshipped her. He didn't seem to want to stir out of the house evenin's unless she went too, lost all his ambition to go out and have a good man time, seemed perfectly happy where he wuz. And he used to be a great case to be out nights and act like a man amongst men.
"But," sez Uncle Sime, "I believe that one of the things that galded me most amongst all the galdin' things I see and hearn there, wuz Bill's wife's independence in money matters. Economic Independence! That wuz one of her fool idees. Oh, how often I thought of you, Josiah, and wished you wuz there to put down what I see and hearn in the beautiful language you know so well how to use."
My feelin's wuz touched and I sez solemnly, "Simon, I would loved to been there, and if I couldn't help you I could have sot and sympathized with you."
Sez Simon, "Never once durin' them six weeks I wuz there did I see her ask Bill for a cent, and how well I remember," sez Simon, "when if ma wanted the money for a pair of shues, or a gingham dress for herself, how she would have to coax pa and git him extra vittles and pompey him and beg for the money in such a womanly and becomin' way. And sometimes pa wuz real short with her and would deny her. Not but what he meant to git 'em in the end, for he wuz a noble man. But he held off, wantin' her to realize he wuz the head of the fambly, and to be looked up to."
Sez Simon, "Ma would have to manage every way for days and days to git them shues and that dress and when he did git any clothes for her pa picked 'em out himself, for ma had been brought up to think his taste wuz better'n hern."
Sez I, "Probable it wuz better, probable he got things that wore like iron."
"Yes, he did," sez Simon, "he did. He never cared so much for looks as he did the solid wear of anything." And for a few minutes Uncle Sime seemed lost in a silent contemplation of his pa's oncommon good qualities, and then he resoomed agin. "The news come right whilst I wuz there, about the leven hundred saloons closed durin' the few months since wimmen voted in that state. And Bill never resented it and even jined in with the idee that it wuz owin' to wimmen's votes largely that that and the other big temperance victories of late wuz accomplished. He didn't seem to have no more self respect than a snipe. And if you'll believe it, Josiah, Bill's wife made a public speech right whilst I wuz there, sunthin' about school matters she thought wuz wrong and ort to be set right."
"Like it!" sez Uncle Sime in a indignant axent. "Why, instead of actin' ashamed and resentin' it as a man of sperit would, he went with her and made a speech too, and they carried the day and beat the side they said wuz usin' the school to make money. And I hearn 'em with my own ears comin' in at ten P.M. laughin' and jokin' together like two kids. Makin' a speech before men! Oh, what would Bill's great-grandma thought on't? She'd say she had reason for her melancholy madness, and his grandma would say she wuz glad she wuz dead."
"Most probable that is so, Simon," sez I, sympathizin' with him. "As I've intimidated to you before, Simon, time and agin, this is a turrible epock of time us male men are a passin' through, jest like a see-saw gone crazy, wimmen up and stayin' up, and men down and held down. But wait till my great work agin Female Suffrage is lanched onto the world and then see what will happen, and jest as soon as I git a little ahead with my outdoor work I'm a goin' to lanch it. Then will come the upheaval and the crash, follered by peace and happiness. Men will resoom their heaven-born station as rulers and protectors of the weaker sect, and females will sink down agin into hern, lookin' up to man as their nateral gardeens and masters."
"Ma knowed it in her day and practiced it," sez Simon. "And pa knowed it and acted his part nobly. Ma wuz so retirin' and so womanly. Why, if once in a great while she took it in her head to ask about such things as Bill's wife boldly lectured about, do you spoze she'd go before any strange man to talk out about it? No, she would always ask pa to explain it to her. And I remember well how kinder wishful and wonderin' her eyes looked and yet timid and becomin'. And pa actin' his part in life as a man of sperit should, would most always tell her to tend to her housework and let men run them things. But if he did feel good natered and explain 'em to her she took his word for law and gospel and acted meek and grateful to him.
"Yes, pa wuz to the head of his house and kep' females down where they belonged, and her actions wuz a pattern for wimmen to foller. And it wuz such a pity and a wonder that she had to die so early, only thirty years old when the Lord took her before her virtues wuz known to the world at large.
"I remember well the night she passed away," sez Simon, in a softer reminescener axent.
"She wanted her bed drawed up to the open winder. And she lay lookin' up to the full moon and stars a shinin' in the great clear sky. She looked up and up and kinder smiled and sez in a sort of a wishful, wonderin' axents:
"'Oh, how big! And how free!'
"And I always spozed she meant sunthin' about how big pa wuz, and how free to understand things she didn't, and hadn't ort to."
Sez I, "I hain't a doubt, Simon, but that wuz what she meant, not a doubt on't!"
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Marietta Holley
Illustrated, 16mo, cloth net .00.
A new volume from the pen of Miss Holley, marked by such quaint thoughtfulness and timely reflection as ran through "Samantha". All who read it will be bound to feel better, as indeed they should, for they will have done some hearty laughing, and have been "up against" some bits of striking philosophy delivered with point, vigor, and chuckling humor.
Illustrated, 16mo, cloth net .00.
"This is the book we have been waiting for. What Samantha doesn't know, isn't worth knowing--will throw a little humor on a situation which is becoming too intense. We hope it may have a wide circulation in England, for Samantha, who believes in suffrage, does not believe in dynamite, gunpowder and mobs."
FICTION
The Keeper of the Vineyard
A Tale of the Ozarks. Illustrated, .25 net.
This story of a "return to nature," like the author's "Master of the Oaks," pulsates with real life. The scene lies in the Missouri Ozarks, a melting pot wherein those who seek the solace of nature and a living from the soil fuse their lives with the natives of the Hills in the common quest for liberty and education, love and life.
The Lady Elect
A Chinese Romance. Illustrated by Chinese artists. 12mo, cloth, net .25.
Some of the best judges of a good story as well as some of the highest authorities on "Things Chinese" pronounce this story a remarkable combination of the rarest and most irresistible type of pure romance and the truest and most realistic delineation of Chinese life. The novelty of the setting and the situations will win the instant approval of the lover of good fiction.
Bradford Horton: Man
A Novel. 12mo, cloth, net .25.
Dr. Holmes made a distinct place for himself among lovers of good fiction with his earlier stories, "The Victor," and "The Maid of Honor." Competent critics pronounce this new story the author's best. The hero is a man's man who wins instant admiration. Originality of humor, reality of pathos, comedy and heart tragedy are woven into the story.
Samantha on the Woman Question
Illustrated, 12mo, cloth, net .00.
For an entire generation Marietta Holley has been entertaining lovers of good humor. "My Opinion and Betsy Bobbitts" and "Samantha at the Centennial" made her name a household word. This last volume is not only timely but with all its facetiousness, keen and telling in its advocacy of "Votes for Women" and Temperance. It equals anything the author has produced.
Doc Williams
A Tale of the Middle West. Illustrated, net .25.
FICTION, JUVENILE
A Muslim Sir Galahad
A Present Day Story of Islam In Turkey. 12mo, cloth, net .00.
A story of the Mohammedan world which holds the reader's attention unfailingly from beginning to end. The narration of Selim, the Moslem's quest for a satisfying religion has the quality of reality. Dramatic interest and thrills of adventure are here in full measure. It is a worthy addition to missionary narration and in view of recent portentious events in the near East a timely and acceptable work.
Doc Williams
A Tale of the Middle West. 12mo, cloth, net .25.
The story of a "doctor of the old school" with every element which makes a novel worth the reading, plot, character delineation, setting, style--all are here. Intensely human, natural, humorous, pathetic, joyous. The originality of the plot piques the reader's curiosity and the most jaded devourer of novels will find himself irresistibly held in delightful suspense. The sentiment and suggestion and mellow philosophy which run through the story are altogether delightful.
The Torch Bearer
A Camp Fire Girls' Story. Illustrated, net .00.
The author of "The Bishop's Shadow" and "The Scout Master of Troop 5," has scored another conspicuous success in this new story of girl life. She shows conclusively that she knows how to reach the heart of a girl as well as that of a boy. The beautiful ritual and practices of "The Camp Fire Girls" are woven into a story of surpassing interest and charm.
SOCIOLOGY AND PRACTICAL RELIGION
The Struggle for Christian Truth in Italy
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