A Jury of Her Peers.docx

A Jury of Her Peers.docx

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AJuryofHerPeers

AJuryofHerPeers

bySusanGlaspell

WhenMarthaHaleopenedthestorm-doorandgotacutofthenorthwind,sheranbackforherbigwoolenscarf.Asshehurriedlywoundthatroundherheadhereyemadeascandalizedsweepofherkitchen.Itwasnoordinarythingthatcalledheraway--itwasprobablyfurtherfromordinarythananythingthathadeverhappenedinDicksonCounty.Butwhathereyetookinwasthatherkitchenwasinnoshapeforleaving:

herbreadallreadyformixing,halfthefloursiftedandhalfunsifted.

Shehatedtoseethingshalfdone;butshehadbeenatthatwhentheteamfromtownstoppedtogetMr.Hale,andthenthesheriffcamerunningintosayhiswifewishedMrs.Halewouldcometoo--adding,withagrin,thatheguessedshewasgettingscaryandwantedanotherwomanalong.Soshehaddroppedeverythingrightwhereitwas.

"Martha!

"nowcameherhusband'simpatientvoice."Don'tkeepfolkswaitingouthereinthecold."

Sheagainopenedthestorm-door,andthistimejoinedthethreemenandtheonewomanwaitingforherinthebigtwo-seatedbuggy.

Aftershehadtherobestuckedaroundhershetookanotherlookatthewomanwhosatbesideheronthebackseat.ShehadmetMrs.Peterstheyearbeforeatthecountyfair,andthethingsherememberedaboutherwasthatshedidn'tseemlikeasheriff'swife.Shewassmallandthinanddidn'thaveastrongvoice.Mrs.Gorman,sheriff'swifebeforeGormanwentoutandPeterscamein,hadavoicethatsomehowseemedtobebackingupthelawwitheveryword.ButifMrs.Petersdidn'tlooklikeasheriff'swife,Petersmadeitupinlookinglikeasheriff.Hewastoadotthekindofmanwhocouldgethimselfelectedsheriff--aheavymanwithabigvoice,whowasparticularlygenialwiththelaw-abiding,asiftomakeitplainthatheknewthedifferencebetweencriminalsandnon-criminals.AndrightthereitcameintoMrs.Hale'smind,withastab,thatthismanwhowassopleasantandlivelywithallofthemwasgoingtotheWrights'nowasasheriff.

"Thecountry'snotverypleasantthistimeofyear,"Mrs.Petersatlastventured,asifshefelttheyoughttobetalkingaswellasthemen.

Mrs.Halescarcelyfinishedherreply,fortheyhadgoneupalittlehillandcouldseetheWrightplacenow,andseeingitdidnotmakeherfeelliketalking.ItlookedverylonesomethiscoldMarchmorning.Ithadalwaysbeenalonesome-lookingplace.Itwasdowninahollow,andthepoplartreesarounditwerelonesome-lookingtrees.Themenwerelookingatitandtalkingaboutwhathadhappened.Thecountyattorneywasbendingtoonesideofthebuggy,andkeptlookingsteadilyattheplaceastheydrewuptoit.

"I'mgladyoucamewithme,"Mrs.Peterssaidnervously,asthetwowomenwereabouttofollowthemeninthroughthekitchendoor.

Evenaftershehadherfootonthedoor-step,herhandontheknob,MarthaHalehadamomentoffeelingshecouldnotcrossthatthreshold.Andthereasonitseemedshecouldn'tcrossitnowwassimplybecauseshehadn'tcrosseditbefore.Timeandtimeagainithadbeeninhermind,"IoughttogooverandseeMinnieFoster"--shestillthoughtofherasMinnieFoster,thoughfortwentyyearsshehadbeenMrs.Wright.AndthentherewasalwayssomethingtodoandMinnieFosterwouldgofromhermind.Butnowshecouldcome.

Themenwentovertothestove.Thewomenstoodclosetogetherbythedoor.YoungHenderson,thecountyattorney,turnedaroundandsaid,"Comeuptothefire,ladies."

Mrs.Peterstookastepforward,thenstopped."I'mnot--cold,"shesaid.

Andsothetwowomenstoodbythedoor,atfirstnotevensomuchaslookingaroundthekitchen.

Thementalkedforaminuteaboutwhatagoodthingitwasthesheriffhadsenthisdeputyoutthatmorningtomakeafireforthem,andthenSheriffPeterssteppedbackfromthestove,unbuttonedhisoutercoat,andleanedhishandsonthekitchentableinawaythatseemedtomarkthebeginningofofficialbusiness."Now,Mr.Hale,"hesaidinasortofsemi-officialvoice,"beforewemovethingsabout,youtellMr.Hendersonjustwhatitwasyousawwhenyoucamehereyesterdaymorning."

Thecountyattorneywaslookingaroundthekitchen.

"Bytheway,"hesaid,"hasanythingbeenmoved?

"Heturnedtothesheriff."Arethingsjustasyouleftthemyesterday?

"

Peterslookedfromcupboardtosink;fromthattoasmallwornrockeralittletoonesideofthekitchentable.

"It'sjustthesame."

"Somebodyshouldhavebeenlefthereyesterday,"saidthecountyattorney.

"Oh--yesterday,"returnedthesheriff,withalittlegestureasofyesterdayhavingbeenmorethanhecouldbeartothinkof."WhenIhadtosendFranktoMorrisCenterforthatmanwhowentcrazy--letmetellyou.Ihadmyhandsfullyesterday.IknewyoucouldgetbackfromOmahabytoday,George,andaslongasIwentovereverythingheremyself--"

"Well,Mr.Hale,"saidthecountyattorney,inawayoflettingwhatwaspastandgonego,"telljustwhathappenedwhenyoucamehereyesterdaymorning."

Mrs.Hale,stillleaningagainstthedoor,hadthatsinkingfeelingofthemotherwhosechildisabouttospeakapiece.Lewisoftenwanderedalongandgotthingsmixedupinastory.Shehopedhewouldtellthisstraightandplain,andnotsayunnecessarythingsthatwouldjustmakethingsharderforMinnieFoster.Hedidn'tbeginatonce,andshenoticedthathelookedqueer--asifstandinginthatkitchenandhavingtotellwhathehadseenthereyesterdaymorningmadehimalmostsick.

"Yes,Mr.Hale?

"thecountyattorneyreminded.

"HarryandIhadstartedtotownwithaloadofpotatoes,"Mrs.Hale'shusbandbegan.

HarrywasMrs.Hale'soldestboy.Hewasn'twiththemnow,fortheverygoodreasonthatthosepotatoesnevergottotownyesterdayandhewastakingthemthismorning,sohehadn'tbeenhomewhenthesheriffstoppedtosayhewantedMr.HaletocomeovertotheWrightplaceandtellthecountyattorneyhisstorythere,wherehecouldpointitallout.WithallMrs.Hale'sotheremotionscamethefearnowthatmaybeHarrywasn'tdressedwarmenough--theyhadn'tanyofthemrealizedhowthatnorthwinddidbite.

"Wecomealongthisroad,"Halewasgoingon,withamotionofhishandtotheroadoverwhichtheyhadjustcome,"andaswegotinsightofthehouseIsaystoHarry,'I'mgoin'toseeifIcan'tgetJohnWrighttotakeatelephone.'Yousee,"heexplainedtoHenderson,"unlessIcangetsomebodytogoinwithmetheywon'tcomeoutthisbranchroadexceptforapriceIcan'tpay.I'dspoketoWrightaboutitoncebefore;butheputmeoff,sayingfolkstalkedtoomuchanyway,andallheaskedwaspeaceandquiet--guessyouknowabouthowmuchhetalkedhimself.ButIthoughtmaybeifIwenttothehouseandtalkedaboutitbeforehiswife,andsaidallthewomen-folkslikedthetelephones,andthatinthislonesomestretchofroaditwouldbeagoodthing--well,IsaidtoHarrythatthatwaswhatIwasgoingtosay--thoughIsaidatthesametimethatIdidn'tknowaswhathiswifewantedmademuchdifferencetoJohn--"

Nowtherehewas!

--sayingthingshedidn'tneedtosay.Mrs.Haletriedtocatchherhusband'seye,butfortunatelythecountyattorneyinterruptedwith:

"Let'stalkaboutthatalittlelater,Mr.Hale.Idowanttotalkaboutthatbut,I'manxiousnowtogetalongtojustwhathappenedwhenyougothere."

Whenhebeganthistime,itwasverydeliberatelyandcarefully:

"Ididn'tseeorhearanything.Iknockedatthedoor.Andstillitwasallquietinside.Iknewtheymustbeup--itwaspasteighto'clock.SoIknockedagain,louder,andIthoughtIheardsomebodysay,'Comein.'Iwasn'tsure--I'mnotsureyet.ButIopenedthedoor--thisdoor,"jerkingahandtowardthedoorbywhichthetwowomenstood."andthere,inthatrocker"--pointingtoit--"satMrs.Wright."

Everyoneinthekitchenlookedattherocker.ItcameintoMrs.Hale'smindthatthatrockerdidn'tlookintheleastlikeMinnieFoster--theMinnieFosteroftwentyyearsbefore.Itwasadingyred,withwoodenrungsuptheback,andthemiddlerungwasgone,andthechairsaggedtooneside.

"Howdidshe--look?

"thecountyattorneywasinquiring.

"Well,"saidHale,"shelooked--queer."

"Howdoyoumean--queer?

"

Asheaskedithetookoutanote-bookandpencil.Mrs.Haledidnotlikethesightofthatpencil.Shekepthereyefixedonherhusband,asiftokeephimfromsayingunnecessarythingsthatwouldgointothatnote-bookandmaketrouble.

Haledidspeakguardedly,asifthepencilhadaffectedhimtoo.

"Well,asifshedidn'tknowwhatshewasgoingtodonext.Andkindof--doneup."

"Howdidsheseemtofeelaboutyourcoming?

"

"Why,Idon'tthinksheminded--onewayorother.Shedidn'tpaymuchattention.Isaid,'Ho'do,Mrs.Wright?

It'scold,ain'tit?

'Andshesaid.'Isit?

'--andwentonpleatin'atherapron.

"Well,Iwassurprised.Shedidn'taskmetocomeuptothestove,ortositdown,butjustsetthere,notevenlookin'atme.AndsoIsaid:

'IwanttoseeJohn.'

"Andthenshe--laughed.Iguessyouwouldcallitalaugh.

"IthoughtofHarryandtheteamoutside,soIsaid,alittlesharp,'CanIseeJohn?

''No,'saysshe--kindofdulllike.'Ain'thehome?

'saysI.Thenshelookedatme.'Yes,'saysshe,'he'shome.''Thenwhycan'tIseehim?

'Iaskedher,outofpatiencewithhernow.'Causehe'sdead'saysshe,justasquietanddull--andfelltopleatin'herapron.'Dead?

'says,I,likeyoudowhenyoucan'ttakeinwhatyou'veheard.

"Shejustnoddedherhead,notgettingabitexcited,butrockin'backandforth.

"'Why--whereishe?

'saysI,notknowingwhattosay.

"Shejustpointedupstairs--likethis"--pointingtotheroomabove.

"Igotup