Part 20 (1/2)
”And to think,” said he, gripping the back of a chair and looking down at her fiercely, ”to think that a girl who can earn nine hundred dollars a year teaching school, and stay at home and do her duty by her family besides, should plan to desert her mother outright--now she's old and sick! Of course I can't stop you! You're of age, and children nowadays have no sense of natural obligation after they're grown up. You can go, of course, and disgrace the family as you propose--but you needn't expect to have me consent to it or approve of it--or of you. It's a shameful thing--and you are an unnatural daughter--that's all I've got to say!”
Mr. Bell took his hat and went out--a conclusive form of punctuation much used by men in discussions of this sort.
THE POOR RELATION
A certain man had a Poor Relation, who was only kept in the family as a Servant, who was certainly open to criticism, and who got it.
”He is so dirty!” said the Head of the Family, ”That is why we make him sleep over the stable.”
”He is careless and clumsy--he soils, breaks and loses things--that is why his furniture and clothing are so poor.”
”He is a stupid fellow--not to be trusted with any important business--that is why he does the scullery work!”
”He is a sickly wretch too--it costs us a deal of money to have him cared for in the hospital and his defects attended to.”
”Worst of all he has criminal tendencies--he is a disgrace and an expense to the Family on this account alone.”
”Why do you keep him at all?” I asked.
”We have to--he is after all a relation. Besides--someone must do the scullery work.”
”What do you pay him?” I asked.
”We don't really pay him anything; we just keep him alive--and clothed--so that he can do his work.”
”Was he born defective?” I asked.
”No--I've heard my mother say he was as good a baby as I.”
”And what relation did you say he was?”
”I rather hate to own it--but he's my brother!”
HIS CRUTCHES
Why should the Stronger s.e.x require, To hold him to his tasks, Two medicines of varied fire?
The Weaker Vessel asks.
Hobbling between the rosy cup And dry narcotic brown,-- One daily drug to stir him up And one to soothe him down.
OUR ANDROCENTRIC CULTURE; or, THE MAN-MADE WORLD
II.
THE MAN-MADE FAMILY.