Newspaper Page Text
For Woman’s Work.
“ HOW DOES THE DAY WEAR
ON P”
[Wordsof Mrs. Robert Burdette tourer husband,
as she lay dying.]
The day wears on to its wane, my darling,
Wears on to the shadowy wane,
And it brings Surcease to all your woes
And balm to your every pain.
Oh, the day wears swift to its close,my love,
And in only a moment more,
It will bear you out from my clasping arms
Through the mists at our open door ;
Will bear you away sweet wife
To the joys of the heavenly shore.
But lo! a day that has gone, my darling,
Through the shadowy vista gleams—
’Twas a day half sun, and a day half shade,
But a day of beautiful dreams—
The day when you came my dear, to my breast,
Like "a dove with a broken wing,
And flutter’d so gently down to your rest
In the hours of your sunny spring;
O fairest of days sweet wife,
How around us it's melodies ring!
A wan, white face ’gainst mv heart my darling,
And the daintiest, aching head,
But over the head and over the face
Was the halo of saint-ship shed;
’Twas the tiniest, frailest hand, my love —
That hand that I won of thine—
And feet that never could wander a road
To follow Life’s journey with mine;
Weak, fragile feet, sweet wife.
To keep stepping forever by mine!
But that hand was an armor, my darling,
For our daily battle of life,
And the dear little feet drew mine away
From the fields that were red with strife ;
But to-day you are slipping away, my dear;
Going out on the silver sea—
Leaving naught of yonrself.of your own fair self
But Baby, Prince Robie, to me;
Oh! naught of yourself, sweet wife,
But our little Prince Robie to me.
The day w’ears on to its close, my darling,
And over its mists and its dew,
The balm of my life is passing away
To the heavenly hills with you ;
But your soul’s sweet grace will brighten, my
love,
The gloom of the vale where I stand,
And your love fall around me like sunshine
and rain
From the home in that fair summer laud:
Your dear, holy love, sweet wife,
From the bloom of that beautiful land.
L. FIDELIA WOOLLEY GILLETTE.
THE WOMAN HATER.
[Translated from the German, for Woman’s Work
byL. E.]
Persons Represented,
M^^^Gustav— A young forrester.
Mb^etty —His wife.
{l^Jing—His friend.
SCEN’!.
IPPsIMPLY furnished room, with mid
die and side doors; a table at either
fl side, the one to the right entirely
J concealed by a large cover. Betty
is at the table to the right, arranging
it for breakfast. She is in simple neglige,
with breakfast cap, which partly conceals
her hair. Whilethus occupied, she hums
a gay little song. Gustav enters from the
left; stands observing for a moment, steals
in softly, embraces and kisses her.
Gustav.— Good morning, Betty!
Hetty.— (chastising him playfully) How
cruel to frighten me so!
Gustav.— (affectionately) Was the fright
really so unpleasant?
Betty.— Had this cup dropped from my
hand, it would surely have broken.
Gustav.— (releasing her) It would have
been a great pity for the beautiful cup, the
cherishpd remembrance of the young officer.
Betty.— (earnestly) Gustav!
Gustav. — A great pity ! The cup is so
dear to you, that you drink from it every
morning. It would have been an unpar
donable crime had I caused its destruction.
Betty.— Gustav!
Gustav. — He was a handsome man, the
lieutenant; quite military and brave in
appearance.
Betty.— (looks at him a moment) Yes,
the cup is dear to me, and the giver shall
never be forgotten. When our house was
burning, and, half suffocated by smoke, I
despairingly called for help, it was he who
rushed through the flames at the risk of his
own life and rescued me.
Gustav.— (beseechingly) Betty !
Betty.— Were it not for him, I should
have been dead long ago; consequently
could never have become your wife—should
I not treasure his memory?
Gustav.— Pardon me Betty, I am wrong.
Betty.— Should I not value the present
which reminds me of a noble man ?
Gustav.— Dear, sweet little wife!
Betty.— But you shall never again have
reason to be angry about the cup (goes to
the back of the stage and locks the cup in a
closet.)
Gustav. — (hurries after her and tries to
prevent it.) Don’t, Betty, I acknowledge
my fault; take it out again.
Betty.— What did you promise me ?
Gw.star. —That I would try to do better.
Betty.— That you would not vex me by
giving way to jealousy.
Gustav. — Yes, yes; I admit that it is silly.
Betty.— Fourteen 'days have we been
married; and as yet, not one has passed on
which you have not tormented me with
jealousy.
Gustav. — Dear little wife, were I not
jealous, I could not love you.
Betty.— Do I not love you ?
Gustav.— (embracing her) My sweet
angel!
Betty.— And am I then jealous ?
Gustav.— Yes. you—
Betty.— Yes, I?
Gustav.— You have no cause.
Betty.— (disengages herself, and looks at
him steadily) And have you cause?
Gustav.— No, no; it is very unreasonable.
I don’t feel at all well; have patience with
me.
Betty.— You must have confidence.
Gustav.— l will.
Betty.— Without trust, there is no love.
Gustav.— Yes, yes; you are right; forgive
me.
Betty.— (offers him her hand.)
Gustav. — And you will take out the cup
again ?
Betty.— No.
Gustav.— As a token of reconciliation.
Betty.— No. After you have been good
for eight days; not otherwise.
Gustav. — But, dear little wife—
Betty.— But, my dear husband, it shall
not be. I would like to have my way, too.
Now, let us have breakfast.
Gwstar.—Do you forgive me?
Betty.— Y es.
Gustav. — Entirely ?
Betty.— (affectionately) One must be in
dulgent with you weak men.
Gustav.—You are an angel! (Heconducts
her to the table and they seat themselves.)
Betty.— (pouring coffee.) Where are you
going this morning ?
Gustav.— lnto the forest. I must attend
to having trees felled.
Betty.— (handshim a cup of coffee) There.
Gustav. — Oh, no; I remember the philo
pena.
Betty.— Fie, how unaccommodating!
Gustav. — (laughing) Yes, child,this time
you shall not catch me.
Betty.— lt is evident that we are married.
Gustav. — (laughing.) For fourteen days.
Beity.— Otherwise, you would have gal
lantly lost the philopena on purpose.
Gustav.— Was I ungallant just now?
Betty.— Yes, yes, yes!
Gustav. — But you know—
Betty.— That you are a husband.
Gustav. — (laughing) Just because I
wouldn’t lose the philopena?
Betty.— N onsense!
Gustav.— Did I not bet that you couldn’t
catch me this time?
Betty.— Your cup, please—
Gustav.— That I would present you with
a new shawl should I be caught.
Betty.— l have tried for three days with
out success; now, I will give up.
Gustav. — No, don’t give up ; you have as
good a chance as I.
Betty.— (handing him his cup) There.
Gustav. — Remember the philopena.
Betty.— Never mind, I can’t win it.
Gustav.— But, Betty, why are you pout
ing? You women are generally so clever,
it cannot be very difficult for you to catch me.
Betty.— You are joking.
Gustav. — Had you not attached so much
importance to this philopena—
Betty.— Dear Gustav —
Gustav.— Well?
Betty.— Let us speak of something else—
that horrid philopena vexes me.
Gustav. —(laughing) Very well, as you i
wish. My friend returned last night, so !
we may expect him here this morning.
Betty.— The woman hater?
Gustav.— Yes.
Betty.— l am quite curious to see him.
Gnstav. — (irritably) You are.
Betty.— From your description, he must
be an interesting man.
Gustav. —Is that so?
Betty.— l am anticipating his call with
pleasure.
Gustav.— (more irritably) Certainly,such
an interesting man !
Betty.— What is the matter?
Gustav. — I must be off. You shall have
him all to yourself
Betty.— Gustav !
Gustav.— lt will be an interesting con
versation—
Betty.— My strong husband is proving
that he knows how to keep his word—
Gustav. — But—
Betty.— (imitating him) I acknowledge
my fault.
Gustav.— Dear Betty !
Betty.— l will do better—
Gustav.— (controlling himself) I do wish
to, and I will; see, it is all over now.
Betty.— (satirically) Really ?
Gustav. —I have controlled myself, my
anger is gone.
Betty.— Oh, how heroic!
Gustav. — Isn’t it. though?
Betty.— Oh, yes, you are jealous of
a man whom I have never seen.
Gustav. — (with emotion) Whom you are,
however, anxious to see.
Betty.— How long will the cup remain
safely in the closet?
Gustav. — (passes his hand over his fore
head.)
Betty.— Farewell, dear cup; I will never
see you again in this life!
Gustav.— (decidedly) In eight days.
Betty.— Not in eight years.
Gustav.— ls, during eight days, I am
jealous only once, you shall have the philo
pena.
Betty.— (joyously) Oh, I will win it; that
will not be hard to do!
Gustav.— We shall see.
Betty.— But you have never told me why
your friend hates our sex?
Gustav.— Because, two years ago, his
betrothed was faithless; and an intense
hatred of women then took possession of
him.
Betty.— Only a faithless sweetheart, is
that all ?
Gustav.— (with emotion.) Is that all. I
think that sufficient to make one insane,and
you say so lightly: “Is that all?” If you
should be faithless to me—
Betty.— Then you would have reason to
be somewhat demented, but to commence
beforehand —
Gustav.—You women have no idea how
to value the love of your husbands.
Betty.— No, we are unworthy of this in
estimable treasure.
Gustav. — (relenting) Nearly all.
Betty.— All!
Gustav.— (tenderly) With some excep
tions.
Betty.— Without exceptions.
Gustav. — You are one.
Betty.— Thank you, my fine gentleman,
I am no better than my sisters.
Gustav.—Youthink so.
Betty.— l am a woman and nothing else.
We are all goodby nature; and if we don't
remain so, it is the fault of our husbands.
Gustav. — Perhaps you are right, (looks
out of the window ) See, there comes Freil
ing.
Beity.— Then I will go.
Gustav.— But you will come back?
Betty.— Well, yes.
Gustav. — Try to talk to him.
Betty.— Yes.
Gustav.— And treat him kindly.
Betty.— l will try.
Gustav. — That is right.
Betty.— As my lord and master wishes.
Take care of yourself, and come back soon.
Gustav.— l will gallop all the way.
Betty.— Well,do be careful.
Gustav.— Don’t worry. Good-bye! In one
hour, I will be back.
Betty.— Good-bye! (exit) t
Gustav.— (looking after her ) She is so
loving, so good, so forgiving. My cursed
jealousy ! But I am still young, and wis
dom comes only with years.
Freiling.— (enters, carrying a book. His
attire is somewhat careless, and he w’ears a
full beard) Good morning, Gustav I
Gustav.— Glad to see you back, old fellow !
Freiling.— Yes, I am back.
Gustav. — Well and hearty?
Freiling.— About as well as could be ex
pected.
Gustav. — And your business?
Freiling.— ls attended to.
Gustav. — Were you successful?
Freiling.— Yes; and I was thankful when
the city was behind me, and I was re
turning to my rural solitude. How is it
with you?
Gustav.—Married for fourteen days. How
can you ask? I am the happiest being
under the sun!
Freiling.— (shaking his head.) H’m!
Gustav. — You can’t understand that, you :
woman hater!
Freiling.— Oh, yes! I also hoped for
happiness; I also had the presentiment of
bliss—still I was deceived!
Gustav.— By only one.
Freiling.— And is that not enough ?
Gustav.— You should have tried the ex- ‘
periment again.
Freiling.— Once, but never more.
Gustav.— Moreover, you were not blame
less.
Freiling. —My only fault was, that I ‘
loved her too much, the faithless one!
Gustav. — And tormented her with jeal
ousy until she broke with you.
Freiling— Without jealousy, there is no ■
love.
Gustav. — One must trust; without confi- ,
dence, there is no love.
Freiling.— Are you not jealous?
Gustav.— l? No, —yes, —that is, a little.
But not like you; you carried it too far.
Your betrothed was allowed to dance with I
no one.
Freiling.— She could dance with me.
Gustav.— Nor speak to anyone.
Freiling.— She might speak to me.
Gustav. — Nor dared to look atanother. |
Freiling.— She had me to look at.
Gustav. — Well, we cannot agree on this
point. But you will still continue visiting
me as you used to?
Freiling.— l will try. When my be
trothed broke with me; when, instead of
love, I felt the most furious hatred for the
whole sex; when I fled here, and wanted
to see nothing but the trees of the forest
and the stars of heaven—l found you, we
understood each other,and it became a great
pleasure to spend several hours with you
each day.
Gustav. — (extends his hand to Freiling.)
Freiling.— l will try to keep up the old
custom, if I can endure the sight of your
wife, (shudders) a female being.
Gustav. — My Betty is good.
Freiling.— So you think.
Gustav.— Certainly.
Freiling.— They are all treacherous ! I c
she could deceive me, she whom I loved so
passionately—
Gustav.— Don’t let us discuss it. One
must have patience with your weakness. I
must go now, but will return shortly. My
wife will entertain you in the meantime.
Freiling.— l have my Byron.
Gustav.— At twenty-five years, to have
nothing but Byron is decidedly tiresome.
Freiling.— But I still have you.
Gustav. — That is all very well; but,
without a woman’s love, life is worthless.
Freiling.— Since giving her up, I have
yet to see the woman who can attract me,
or awake a spark of tender feeling.
Gustav. — You have seen no one for two
years except your old housekeeper; and,
from a distance, some country girls, who
fled at sight of you—
Freiling.— As though they saw a wild
animal. That is exactly as I wish it.
Truly, Gustav, I will offer the greatest
sacrifice to our friendship in trying to ac
custom myself to the presence of your wife.
Gustav. — I appreciate it, but still hope—
Ireiling.— What ?
Gustav.— That you will be reasonable.
Freiling.— Am I not?
Gustav.— On all but one subject, you are
a good, practical fellow, but on that one
point—
Freiling. —Not to be shaken.
Gustav.— So far as I am concerned, it
does not matter. But my horse is waiting,
good-bye!
Freiling.— Good-bye!
Gustav.— For a little while! (exit.)
Freiling.— Oh! my poor friend, how soon
you will awake from this dream ! The old
Greek scholar was right when he thanked
the gods that he was 'a man; for women
are tares sown among the wheat by the
evil spirit. (Seats himself and reads.)
Betty.— (simply dressed, still wearing the
little cap, steps in softly, stands in the door
way observing him, and soliloquizes:) So
that is the man who has the boldness to hate
us poor women. I wonder if he could not
be converted? In that way, I might cure
my husband of his jealousy, and perhaps—
yes, I will try, and perhaps succeed if a
little cunning and coquetry have fallen to
my inheritance from mother nature, (aloud)
Good morning!
Freiling.— (rises and bows without look
ing at her) Good morning!
Betty.— (goes to him and lays her hand
on his shoulder.) You are a -woman hater?
Freiling.— (glances at her a moment,
somewhat confused.) I—have absolved
myself from your sex.
Betty.— l like that.
Freiling.— You do?
Betty.— My mother always warned me
against men who love our sex too much;
as you hate it, you will certainly not be
dangerous.
Freiling.— No.
Betty.— And my husband will have no
reason to be jealous.
Freiling.—Of me, surely not.
Betty.— (joyously) I am so glad !
Freiling.— (still not looking at her ) Is
Gustav jealous ?
Betty.— Asa Turk! For that reason, I
am so glad that you are not dangerous. I
will not need to be careful; can laugh and
sing and my husband will not be suspicious.
Freiling.— Suspicious of me? That
would be absurd! (sits with his back half
turned io her.)
Betty.— (goes to the table to the left,
seats herself and opens a toilet glass) Are
you afraid to look at me ?
Freilinq.— Why ?
Betty.— Because you turn away your face.
Freiling.— N ot that, but—(turns around.)
Betty.— My husband said I must treat
you kindly.
Freiling.— l did not intend—
Betty.— He wishes me to entertain you—
but you must look at me.
Freiling.— (glances at her, but returns to
his book at once.)
Betty.— May I arrange my hair a little?
I had not quite finished when you came,
and did not want to keep you waiting, for
it would have displeased my husband.
Freiling.— Do not be constrained; for, I
continue my visit only on one condition that
I shall neither feel constraint, nor cause it.
Betty.— Good, good! I think we will get
on well together. (Removes the little cap,
curls the hair that has escaped from under
it, and arranges it before the glass.) One
cannot carry on a conversation if one is
not-looked at; the eyes must help, and often
do a large share of the work.
Freiling.— (glances at her oftener; for a
second becomes attentive, but takes care
not to meet her glance.)-
Betty.— l have often heard of the language
of the eyes. (Pause.) Every conversation
needs two; and, if you will not answer, it
will be hard to do as. my husband wishes.
Shall I- sing something?