Women And Politics

July 24, 1896
Charles Birchwood

Indiscretions aside, it is time for my wife to rejoin me. I sent word for her father to send her out on the next train along with our children. While I doubt the intrigue of late is settled for good, I also doubt it will pose a danger again anytime soon. Whatever elements were behind the incidents have surely realized they were calling far too much attention to themselves and have therefore decided to lie low for the time being.

All is well enough for me, I have lesson plans to complete and classroom rules to set. The latter is of the greatest interest to me. Can I for example, create rules strict enough to maintain order and craftily enough as to make it simple to catch out a young women whenever I wish too and subtle enough to appear fair? Perhaps I ask too much but what is life without an impossible goal or two?

Edith has been quite attentive of late. Her visit to my home seems to have been an isolated event. I can tell that she does indeed fail to trust in Alexander Carrington though. I share her distrust of the man and am certain he has his own agenda. He may not have been directly behind what happened to Edith and Pollyanna but he knows who was. The knowledge alone of course does not make a man guilty of anything but failing to disclose what he knows does. I shall not turn my back to him again, lest I fall flat with a knife stabbed in it.

Some might think I overstate Edith’s reticence in interactions with Mr. Carrington, particularly since she has excepted his offer of joining the dormitory staff for the coming school year. I however, see beyond the face value, clearly Edith does as well. In time her motivations will be clearer to others as well. That is if she continues to be vigilant, for I do not find comfort in Steadward’s assertion that Pollyanna was the sole target. Were that true, none would have needed bother with Edith at all.

From what history I can gather, I think Edith herself was the root of the trouble. Getting involved in school politics is not something I would do casually and certainly a student who would chose to do so, would be putting themselves and their friends at risk. Edith is naïve or rather was naïve enough to think she could meddle in such affairs and remain untouched. Such is not the way of politics.

It would be interesting to see how Edith now feels in regards to her championed cause. Knowing her as I do, I suspect she is not the least bit regretful and would (rightly so I believe) lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the men who killed Pollyanna. Under no stretch of imagination should Edith’s actions have warranted a death sentence. Perhaps a sound birching in public but not death.

I can only hope these matters are now settled and there will be no further ridiculousness on either side. For my part, I will certainly take Edith in hand should her ideals runaway with her common sense. That said, if I were to ever encounter one of the bastards who saw fit to murder a defenseless woman over ideals, I would gladly see him swing.

Edith should be arriving soon. Now that I have thought on it, I think I will give her a just reminder on why women should stay out of politics. I have a new strap, lighter weight and specifically crafted for use on errant ladies, courtesy of Dean Steadward. I do think Edith will be quite pleased to be the first to feel it. Indeed, she should be honored by it.