New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-05


'1 a. Madam cried Stuyvesant Amsterdam with
that red face of his in sudden blaze OF embarrass
ment and fury, do not say another word MISS
Pickerel will remain away FROM your bail-wlth my
wife and myself " ~
ooh. yesp replied Mrs. Pranceley. And have
no doubt that Mrs. Van Tassell rather congratu-
latedIhcrsef on the success OF her decate
and lad only received his wife lhe is a relation OF
hers by the way under protest. Sie douDtless
knew that the tale OF her rebuff wqd 10 c'r t.
lated and perhaps felt that It would act III the
future as a preventive. against similar atrociouS
presumption. And II did" , NJ w.
little while after the ball given by Mis. van
Tassell. was surprised tn receive from her note
requesting that would dine at her mouse ql,9e W.,
formally on near evening. III was theh th e iisS
week in Lent. accepted her INVITATION, ana lotihu
my hostess the only lady present saliea van an
Tasseil was there, with his vapory whisNer ms
watery smile, his conventional neutra nra to
canoe And besides himself and me there were Two
other gentlemen. had never met either OF the,n
before; they were Mr.. Potts and MT. Dods2o'
They were both Young. smooth-shavcn. lhconsp =.
mons and rather bashful. They had very, little TO
say during dinner, and afterward when tne oppol.
tunity came Mrs. Van TaSsell briefly explained 10
me that they were two young theological irlends OF
hers. who were studying to be elergymein, In IN
BrooKlyn Her husbands relations; the bro2AlyiiiI,
heights had taken them up" and Dir. van iass u
was to accompany them on VISIT tIit SAM n,,
evening to Bishop L E" dear BISHOP, L. my
hostess put III for the purpose OF making theh
acquainted with that famous divine. e-..:o.,
Meanwhile on my reception of this INFORMATION,
the two stndnnts had departed with Mr. Van
Tassell. l now understood why the dinner ndu
been given at the unusually early hour OF CLOCK.
Mrs Van Tassel and had lett the dlnibe-rooln'
and had seated ourselves ID middle urawngl smoi
which adoincd it. Eyerythng naa pe o sn a. as
always do want after dinner bnt there seemed memo no
possible chance for IT, Notwltbstandng tho PEREZ
ton of our repast II had been Driel' Inc nou' wac
now scarcely later than T.. ,. ,o ,,.o
"We have had real Lenten dinner have y'sa we
not ~ Mrs Van TnsSe presently s%la ot ma NTH
soft earnestness. But | fear you do not thinA
much about Lent" she added
| had somehow felt that something OF hh's spit
was in the air. 1t is possible that furtiveiy bit
Inv lip as answered:
NO, frankly. am not pious. All,
earnestly regarding me. "Your mother, Mark" she
said. always paid heed 10 Lent"
| slowly inclined my head: l could nave saia
much chose to remain silent.
Mrs Van Tassell had been drawing on her gloves
She always wore them when in her salon. she no"
buttoned the last of their many buttons, ana once
moro lifted her face to mine.
Mark" she said. very gently. Il hear bad things
Tmei her look then. and met 1t full Pray,
what do you hsarf asked. =, ,,,
She folded both her sim ladylike hands III her lap
She leaned her pink eaf agnorS ya ,ar re ettng
P" Letting myself driftr' exclaimed. well, I'm
want to sail-not drift. want to move capably-
not foat.D H.
She slightly dropped DeT neiu SHo'h u 40 SiiD
did SO. AL" she replied, to move may mean To
move either forward or backward"
@Aud do you prefer to be al" avs stationary
Her eyes which were gray and tender. ana Ia
been not the least of her youthful charms, now tD"k
light into their depths almost rs keen rs inst o.
the superb diamond cross lying brilliant among tao
laces on her bosom.
{" | prefer an anchorage" she said.
I nnw began to hay the feelings OF shy creature
that has been defty entrapped Scg 70 pSSJ y,
dinner. The whole affair had been neatly arranged
beforehand. Varck Van Iasscil was to disappear
after dinner with the two embryo c!ergvmen, ana
was to be left alone at the mercy of his wife, who
desired to preach me a sermon. Somehow, whlle
quickly reelected that all this was quito true let
no rising choler. | was determined To be bon enfHt
had no wish either to offend or become ohended.
What. after all, was Mrs. Van Tasselrs eonseIva.
tism 10 me {! / could not repose much confidence ia
ms own liberalism If j were to treat seriously any
rebuke she might administer .,,,,,
take the world as 1t is. But am not of that Kind.
/ believe that we are still, in n hundred matters.
merely upon the threshold OF progress As ior your
She had Strengthened herself in her chair. and she
now stretched forth one hand, making with II
gesture that would have been rude 20 disregard.
Don't /" she almost gasped. " I can't bear that
think that could nerve myself to hear anything
hut that! OH it is so brazen for women tn dream OF
having the same rights as men! have all inc
rights that want, l have Always had. 49,.
aAh. You folset." ] could not help SAVING at tins
preposterons point in her remarks, " that many
millions of exist on the globe whose late IS
quite different from your owo" lit. .
She lifted her head somewhat haughtily. coui-
pressing her lips. &" / see-yon wish TO argue with
me But cannot endure that on such subject
should he led into all argument" , 49,.
/ smiled as answered her. ! ieil my gooa h"'uro
You mistake said; 4" / do not at all WISH 10
argue And Won must pardon me when add that
Won are too uninfOrmed Oh this most important
question to make argument possible between u+'
JnnfOrmed. she exclaimed, with "a smile OF
SURPRISING pity "Oh Mark i Your poor mother
sortl And in what does il consist, u;h ini0rnl-
ton In knowledge OF nearly all that IS Infamous
and degrading among womanSnd! Women
Rights ?Swhit arc theyi The rights to unsex
themseves-tO tTamplo marriage under theiI leet-
to become freelovors-to dress IKE men TO
All ~ she suddenly broke oil. rising, II Is too
horrIDle There has never been serious view OF
this shameful matter taken by any guest % minc
before and cannot tolerate tHat even you' 'Ao son
ny had also risen. / was still not in the least
angry. The whole exhibition OF ignorance ana
bigOtry was too con teinpt!ble Tor that.
aPray do not for an instant imagine" said. very
calmly and firmly, that you are taxing a serious
view of the rights of women by slch wholesale
instrumentation as that which you nave Just
MISREPRESENTATION !" she repeated. odendedy
and with the air of person whom there Is peril III
aThe grossest Misrepresentation" 1 said with
much emphasis Il don't believe you are aware OF
IL bnt You have Insuled great many women who
are as pure aud honest as yourself by the reckless
language you have Just used" .,,
She turned fpae. great soTow seemed to M
her look but there anger there. She cla5ped
both hands together she now fixed her eyes
searchingy on my face. have often remembered
her as she stood thus, with her costly dinnerroDe
lowing about her fragile yet wholly elegant figure
| AS a type she had such imaginative worth: the
romance of the old grdades danes seemed clin9ng TO
her as watched her sadly confront me- there in her
| splendid drawng-room. is this America 7 l
almost asked of my own thoughts. III all history
loves to repeat itself. does not the mere indiyldua
| (who is like line in one of her mighty yolumes
undergo perpetual rednplication as well
al am 80 sorry' she said to me. 81 have
| always liked you. Mark and never wanted to be
anything except your good friend. When FIRST
heard that you had taken to reading books by that
nothing but an arch iiendD and that you were
becoming the unhappy and desperate beng called
| Free Thinker, IL longed to try and hetp you