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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?