The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-30
,bough she did not know he was with.

as though SoG o0 uOb AuSW Ae WaS SlIn. h earshot.
 sFancy," she said very clearly and dis ,;,ctly. addressing Frank, "any one srending hours over these wretched little rIants that any gardener could look after were a man 1 would hundred thou sand times sooner go about curing my S.low.creatures of their illnesses, and ch are you there Uocle Richard2" This added with a great start, as though she were just at that moment made aware of his presence.
 Now this was very aggressive on the nart of Patience. One could sympathi1e rith and forgive her her sharp speeches sn long as she stood on the defensive |; but to begin an attack in this fashion was altogether unpardonable. It was an odd fact in connection with pr. Meredith that, rasping, incisive, and cynical as his man per invariably was, oae nev seemed to feel scathed by it. Frank, all through luncheon, had been talking as though he had known him personally all his lifetime, instead of only by report from his father and mother; and here was Miss Patience, rot content with saying anything that came uppermost on every possible op portunity, but actually daring to lead of an attack.
 The doctors velvet cap wrinkled back. ward and forward at a tremendous pace
 Fellow-creatures - fellow-creatures - he cried, foolishly rising to the bait. "Will you be good enough to tell me what my fellow creatures do for me, that should put myself out of the way for them? What possible difference can it make to me whether Mrs. Smith in the village falls ill and dies, or whether she lives on to the age of Methuselah Ot the two should say, as one upon a ter nDly over-crow ded planet, it is rather to my interest than otherwise that a hundred or so of Mrs. Smiths should depart this life"
 Here he passed through the gap in thu hedge, and walked abreast with the two Patience said nothing, but turned up her eyes and looked impressed.
 Tho doctor went on speaking, excitedly and rapidly as before.
 "Of all created beings the anthropolo- gist is to me the greatest marvel. l can only conceive the study of the human race being taken up as refuge from suicide and very poor refuge, too. G ,od goodness, sir v'-this said with sudden turn upon Frank, which made him start -@what can people find to interest them in human beings2 There's no diversity among them, no individu ality, nc salient points to distinguish them one from an- other. All over the world they are doing the same things, thinking the same thoughts. Nationality makes no differ @ls else, so far as can see. There they are, like so many limpets on rock. They are born, they marry, they have children they die, and go to make the soil of the earth. Now, if you will show me a cor ner of the world where none of these things are done, shall be very mnch h obliged to you, and shall thiak the people there have some originality of organism" "
 "l'm afraid the task is beyond me, y began Frank.
 Uncle," here said Patience, I'm go- ing in-l'm cold, and can't stand science but"
 She calls this science '" said the doc tor with groan. Then he went on wi h his disquisitiop. "Now with plants is is far different. The enormous diversity and variety they present readers natural classification well nigh an impossibility, and ponderous artificial system has been introduced which flinders as much as 1t helps forward the science"
 knew we should get on to science murmured Patience.
 The doctor looked at her, then re- sumed:
 "Now the man who introduces purely soundly, scientifically natural system of botany wiu be one of the greatest bene- factors 10 the race the world has ever known. But he will need to have the brain of philosopher, the patience -"
 "Uacle Richard, can't stand iti broke in Patience. My teeth are ch lt- tering! hate and abhor science Bat before 90 in want you to tell me about that window next to mine. l never saw 1t till this afternoon"
 The doctor frowned.
 Patience, my de 1T, he said solemnly as was coming out of the house your Jack set up such a diabolical shrieking g that put one of your gloves over his head, and tied it around his neck with q wisp of string, He may be at the last gasp at the present moment"
 "Oh, how horribly, horribly cruel :! How wicked, how mean and dreadful v cried Patience, get;ie g scarlet, and setting of at a tremendous pace for the house
 Sae entered her sitting room, panting and breathless, to be met with Jack s cheery screech, and to find the bird perched, as usual, upon the top of his cage, Tapping his white wings and nod ding his lemon crest.
 She darted at him, hugged h!m, kissed him, smoothed his soft plumage; then put him into his cage, sank down into her window-seat, and burst into tears.
 "No, won't-l won't cry" she said boldly enough, with the tears running down both cheeks. "But he does worry the life out of mel School was bad enough but oh, do wish myself back there hundred thousand times over !"
 And then she clutched at her beads those amber beads still at her girdle- and set ID work tellinp them as fast as