t^ PS 2544 .P6 1892 Copy 1 No. I PEN-LEAVES. BY ANA PERKIN. COPYRIGHT. — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Price 15 Cents. "xj^riM 1^. C. Lezius, Eigh Hour Printer, !l3 Champlain Str 1892. No. I. PEN-LEAVES BY ANA PERKIN, COPYRIGHT. — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Price 15 Cents. ■^ C. L«ziui, £igh Hour Printer, II3 Ch»mpl«in Str»«t. 1892. PRRFAGR From girlhood's early day, I loved the poet's lay; Many and many a time, I sought the flowing rhyme. MY PLATFORM. This earth belongs to all mankind, Each a chosen home shall find ; From clime to clime, o'er ev'ry sea, It shall be a country free. Rights of one rights of all shall be. One code, be it he or she, Self is owned by self alone, No inovation to be shown. Each to say the yes or no, Each in peace his way to go. Ye people, these are my demands, On this rock fair freedom stands. AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY Talking don't amount to much Without a practical touch ; We say we see an ugly flaw, And we talk about law and law. I've a place on Greenwood street, All complete and bright and neat ; It is made with greatest care, For the busy workmen there. There no basement can be found, Saving space by under ground ; I scorn the basement pen, A place unfit for beast or men. No five stories reaching high, Saving space by near the sky ; Earth is the place to dwell, High walls of greed and evil tell. Wanted the right kind of men, No rude vampires, no sir, not them. I have fixed the hours eight per day The pay ? the same ten hour pay. Man or woman, the same per day, For equal work is equal pay. Starvation pay ? there is none, I give fair pay for work well done. When we can no more agree, The workers peaceful go from me ; There is no club or legal fight, We aim to civil do the right. 8 — WHAT THE SEAL WOULD SAY. Why is it, tell me, lady fine, That you would wear this skin of mine : I thought you had a skin your own^ Then why not let my hide alone. "Oh, it's warm," you pleading say, That is why you take it away. My skin without the wading try, '* It's cold," I think will be your cry. Lm but a seal, and yet I know. It's less for use, and more for show; Go pull the wool from of the sheep, A better warmth the wool will keep. Strange you cannot keep your grace, Without the warrior's evil chase ; For you my hide was not designed. Some better garb you well can find. — 9 THE MESSENGER OF SPRING. Gone the Winter cold and dreary, Cometh now the Spring time cheery ; We will sing you woodland lays, In the balmy Spring-time days. Warble, warble ! do you hear ? Hearken ! leafy Spring is near. Soon the sun will warmly shine, On budding tree and climbing vine ; Varied echoes plainly tell, Creatures loveth Spring-time well. Warble, warble ! do you hear? Hearken ! leafy Spring is near. High within our leafy bowers, We will sing away the hours ; Swaying here and flitting there, Gliding through the upper air. Warble, warble ! do you hear? Hearken ! leafy Spring is near. — 10 — FREEDOM'S LAND. Ho ! for the land of the free. Where peace and Hberty shall be. Where might no more shall rule the right, Where passing days shall bring delight. The land of the free, Is the land for me. It shall compass earth around, It shall know no man-made bound ; Man's opinions shall be free, Speech and press for all shall be. The land of the free, Is the land for me. With no let of creed or race. Each shall find his fitting place ; Each shall make his own clear way, With no tyrant to say him nay. The land of the free, Is the land for me. Toil shall know no want of bread, Lucious plenty be instead ; By the cooling streams that flow, Man no parching thirst shall know. The land of the free, Is the land for me. — II — WHAT BABY WOULD SAY. Oh, it's warm, it's hot to-day, Why did they fix me this way ? Have they no sense at all ? It's no wonder I tug and squal. Just do come and see How they fixed baby me. I will kick and tug and squal ; They shall have no peace at all. Let them have sense and fix me right, Then there will be no baby fight. Just do come and see How they fixed baby me. wish there was no clothes at all, Then maybe I would not squal ; Come and count, and see the pile, That they put on me for style. Just do come and see, How they fixed baby me. — 12 — Fear I'll get the air and sun, Oh, such nonsense is almost fun Lots of ribbon-bows and lace, But no freedom baby grace. Oh, just come and see, How they fixed baby me. Hear me ! some one come and take me, Garments fit for baby make me ; Tear the bands that squeeze me so, Let me kick and coo and grow. Just do come and see, How they fixed baby me. 3 — THE DOCTOR'S LECTURE. I heard of Dr. L years ago. Last night I went to hear her. I was surprised, I was even astonished. Think of an M. D. appearing before an audience in a train gown, and shoulder puffed sleeves. No wonder I weary of woman's work. Is this woman, after all her years of study and research still such a slave to fashion, or has she no better taste or ideas of dress than that ? In either case it is a sad commentary on woman's study and research of a subject so important as that of health. I am sorry to see a woman, especially an M. D., come before an audience, arranged in such an awkward, senseless style of dress. It speaks a volume for society, it speaks much for the woman herself I should be sorry that a girl-graduate of a college, in any study, should ever wear a train gown. What the doctor said about the corset was good. It was logical, as every student of the human system knows. — 14 — When she advised that the child's fine clothes be made and hung on the wall for admiration, rather than worn, I felt like applauding her. That was one thing in favor of helpless and punished child- hood. Yet I should advise that the fine clothes never be made. I am surprised that an M. D, should even own a train gown, / would not have one hang in my room. Oh, where is the depth and power of knowledge ? Oh. where is the insight and application of woman .'' Where ? Mind, knowledge, research, all bow at the shrine of senseless custom. Think of a doctor wearing black ! Think of a doc- tor wearing blocks, high or low, under her heels ! Think of a doctor wearing a train gozvn. Ha, ha ! Oh, the irony of knowledge and woman. 15 — RELIEF FOR THE STARVING. I have examined the picture, "Uncle Sam and the Starving Russians," That is a vivid picture, and will doubtless impress the multitude very favorably. Neverthe- less, it does not impress me favorably. That picture both amuses and surprises me. I read "coffee," and smiled. Next, " tea," and mentally exclaimed, " I won- der there is not sugar!" and behold, the next glance, there was sugar. I then looked for tobacco, but did not see that. Sometime ago a doctor suggested in sending relief to Russia, that corn be sent rather than wheat, as being cheaper and affording the same nutriment. I thought that doctor had some sense. I would ask, how long will a pound of tea, a pound of coffee, a pound of sugar, keep a person from starving ? Even pork, cheese and oatmeal are comparatively poor food for a starving people. Ground oats are soon unfit for food. Corn, wheat, oats, peas and beans are substantial food for a stav-r — i6 — ing people. Some people seem to have strange ideas of economy and utility. Now, if Russia is starving, I think she can get elong right well, either well or sick, without tea, coffee and sugar. If you will give Russia some grain, let her grind it as needed for use and feed on it. I assure you she will not starve. When a people are starving the luxuries and follies of life, even in the matter of food, are superfluous. i; VEGETARIAN DIET, I am much pleased with the vegetarian articles that have appeared in the Twen- tieth Century. I have been a vegetarian more than ten years, and enjoy my diet very much. There is such an abundance and variety in the vegetable world that the most capricious appetite may be satis- fied. I cannot understand why people are so set on a meat diet. It is absurd. A vegetarian diet is more wholesome and superior every way. I adopted a vegeta- rian diet after reading a few vegetarian articles in a water cure journal. I changed my diet and my dress at the same time, and at the same time made myself very unpopular. I long since learned that cus- tom, however absurd, often outweighs ideas however sensible. WAYSIDE NOTES. Give us free speech and free press. Then the best will come as surely as comes the morning sunlight. Then we shall be a free and happy people. See the silly things of fashion and cus- tom that have existed for ages ! What is more absurd and barbarous than earrings ^ The mourning badge, for man or woman, is sufficient to tell the story. So simple, yet so expressive. Why does not a man put a prefix to his name, to explain his social relations .? The best weapon of men, Is the mighty pen. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS