The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-07-05

I
bearing fruit with n vengeance -
Jenny and Lucy had been SO lucky
as to make a great hit in a play
where they had appeared together,
and their reputation as admirably
trained actresses was established
On her nineteenth birthday Jenny
signed two years engagement for
herself and her sister, by which she
was to receive el, ,200a year and Lucy
eS00. Eyie, who, after finishing her
studies in France and Germany,
went to Girton and graduated there,
had obtained an excellent situation
as mistress of a ladiespcollege at f250
a year, and Mr.. Harkwelrs eldest
daughter, Mary, had come home to
Wattleport with a University of Lon.
don diploma to practice as a physi.
clan.
OF course it was said that "Dr.
Mary" would never get any patients,
and the whitlings of the town had
their fling at her, but she soon got q
good many patients. In spite of all
that prejudice may say to the con-
trary, it is n well.known fact that fe-
male physicians render the greatest
services by attending on their own
sex and on children. Women of all
ranks, but particularly the ignorant
are often restrained by false delicacy
from making their complaints known
to male doctors, and this accounts for
their readiness toconsult female ply.
sicians. Mary Harkwell did not
profess 10 attend upon men; but pa.
tients of her own sex abounded in
her consulting room, and not one
ever had occasion to regret having
taken her prescriptions. Mary was
q little steadier in her attire and man
ners than an ordinary lady wouldbe,
for an Independent woman knows
that all her acts are closely and even
malevolently watched; but she gave
herself no airs nor made an honora.
BILE calling ridiculous by assuming
manliness Of tone. She resided in
her fathers house and was in all re.
spects as agreeable and engaging q
person as sany other intelligent young
lady.
Florrie Harkwell, who had worked
for seven years as her fathers clerk,
was naturally of all her sisters Tho
one who made the least stir, for she
had no prententions to set up as q
lawyer on her own account. The
mission she had to fulfill was to be
help-mate to her father and mother,
and in this double duty she succeed
ed to their loving satisfaction. She
assisted Mrs. Harkwell in teaching
her two youngest sisters, Minnie and
Grace, and by dint Of assiduous and
cheerful work in her fathers office
she became 10 him d most valuable
secretary. She had picked up such
knowledge Of law that when any
new case was brought into the Office
she could be trusted to read up the
statutes that concerned them and
made notes as clear and Apostle as
the clerk himself. Many lady eli.
ents had got to know her, and if her
father happened to be out when they
called they never scrupled to confde
their business TO her, and Florrie
would draw up short statements of
their case for her fathers opinion
with a precision which he was never
weary Of admiring. Mr.. Harkwell
used 10 say he was lucky man to
have such daughter, and the other
lawyers of the town though they
still affected to make fun of the
"learned Miss Florence" secretly en-
We'd him.
Thus Mr.. Harkwell was fortunate
in his children and prospered through
them; forat length it befcll that the
office of county coroner, tsalary e..
50O was vacant, and Mr.. Harkweli
offered himself as one Of the candi-
dates. All his enemies-for a sue.
cessful man has many-rallied round
his opponents; and once more all the
stale jokes about women's rights, cir
Gus riders and tight ropes were para.
ded for the public amusement. But
at this time Jenny and Lucy Hark-
well, who were on provincial tour,
came to Wattleport to give perform
ance in aid Of some local charities;
and hearing how electoral matters
we're going on, they organized, un-
known to their father, a little com.
edy "Women's rights" in which all
the prejudices Of their fathers oppol
nents were paradedi not spilefully
but in grave spirit of fun. This
little skit acted to perfection by the
two gifted girls, took wonderfully
well, 1t turned the tables on the