New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-12


The round squat tower, blind as a fools
heart" recited Miss Sergeant.
a. Built of brown stone'-you see they used
brown stone without counterpart in the whole
world"
This girl sat by table holding volume of
poems in her hand She was perfectly sure of
herself. She never meant TO give up this club.
She knew they could not get along without her,
and she loved to throw light She knew that
her own ideas were clear.
Rowena rose and walked to the table, taking
up one of the copies of the poem that lay there.
By this time she was so interested that she had
forgotten her surroundings.
She resumed her seat and read the poem for
the first time. experiencing a strange bafed feel
ing, and that kind of admiration awakened by
power, even when it is obscure power. She read
the poem again, her face tightening. She looked
up with flashing eyes. She leaned forward. She
fastened her glance on Mr.. Herndon.
Z" 1t is glorious MISUNDERSTANDING to your ideal
it is keeping on with the fght-dauntless -couro-
geous-it is--oh how hard it is to find words"
A deep red covered her face She suddenly
sank back, almost against Mrs. Sears. But she
kept her fiery glance on Mr. ITerndon. Before that
gentleman could speak Miss Sergeant. in her voice
like the rattling of dry sticks, made this remark
THAT is very well. But what is the tower?
We are losing sight Of the main subject. brown
stone tower-we know that much"
Mr.. Bradford advanced from the window where
he had remained since he read from 1.-THE Ring
and the Book"
"Mss Tuttle is wight. he said
He looked over at the girl.
"Of course we are glad to know about the
brown stone," bowling to Miss Sergeant. I'VE
have Mr.. Browning's explicit word for that. l
cannot help wishing we could know If there was
bay window, or anything of that sort; but
can only judge by internal evidence. I think
from the text it was plain tower, without any
such window What is your opinion, Miss Sar-
geant?"
Miss Phillips had been standing with one
hand leaning table. She walked forward.
Her face did not often flush, but it was flushed
now.
/" How silly we all are" she exclaimed, with
that air she had OF being permitted to say any
thing. She went on rapidly, and with the manner
of one who gives an ultimate decision
I" 1t is just gloomy phantasy-the sporting of
O strong mind. We take it seriously. try to
find what is not there"
She spoke nearly ten minutes, carried on by
kind Of strenuous earnestness that often took pos
session of her when she spoke at any gathering
of people. She showed power which revealed
to Rowena why women concerned in any public
meetings usually tried to have I" that Miss Phil.
lipps" one of the speakers"
After she had ceased, Rowena cared very little
for what followed. She hardly listened to it.
She sat quietly by Mrs. Sears, and heard vaguely
all the talk.
Mr. Bradford came and stood behind the couch
where she sat. Sometimes he bent over and said
word two in an undertone to Mrs. Sears.
caid hat Roxvnno mi 0ht
He always glanced at her He found it extremely
pleasant to stand there, and he liked very much to
do things which he found to be pleasant This
girl had gratifed somewhat exacting taste the
first time he had seen her on Tremont-st., with
her portfolio under her arm. He had been rather
surprised at himself that he had remembered her
face and figure so well. Young women were usu-
ally very fiat and Improbable. They made eyes,
they put infections In the voice. they sidled,
they pranced, or they were demure, not because
they really were so, but because they chose to
appear SO. And they WERE some Of them, pain
fully intellectual they kept ones mind strained
up to the verge Of insanity; they never let one
down.
This young man, lounging behind the couch
where Rowena sat, was conscious Of delightful
feeling Of refreshment He did not speak to her,
because it was enough to be there, knowing that
Browning Gay it was appropriate that he should
think of that much-quoted line from Evelyn Hope
about spirit, fire and dew" He even went
further than that His mind suddenly seized
upon,
There's woman like dewdrop,
She's so purer than the purest.
The whole song murmured itself over and the
sense of it tingled in his veins and diffused itself
delciously through him. He had not thought
he was impressionabe; certainly he had not been
so in these later years But then, with an in
ward smile he told himself man did not often
meet woman like this one. The city life spoiled
women; so did country life spoil them, in it's way
When at last the club broke up and the mem
bers were departing, Miss Phillips detained Ro-
wena
"Will any one be frightened If you don't 90
back to that Hudson-st. place to-nightP" she
asked.
a. don't suppose they will even know whether
I'm there or not, Yves the reply.
Then, of course, you'll stay. Keats, there is
no need for you TO linger."
"You are awfuy careless about hurting fel-
lows self-esteem, Vanessa' said the man. Il
don't want to 60 yet l want to sit down by this
fire a minute Pm so weary of Miss Sergeant
and that other little weasel of girl"
He flung himself down and looked into the
fireplace where the log was now big coa!
The two girls were standing. "Sbe was just
like O. weasel" responded Rowcna, eagerly and
there's one at r. II. Black's-a saleslady only one
is member of Browning Club. and / guess the
other isn't she laughed. She was in great
spirits, better than at any time since she had
come to Boston Miss Phillips" she turned
with an impulsively fond movement toward that
lady "You said you had been wedding out your
club; why didn't you weed out Miss SARGENT"
"Yes, why didn't youP" from Bradford.
But Miss Phillips did not choose to reply. She
sat down and drew Rowena TO her side. She was
silent She looked thoughtful, slightly
troubled But she was very tender toward the
girl near her She did not notice her cousin.
Still. he was content not to be noticed by her
II intended to take Miss Tuttle down to what
YOU call that Hudson-st. place" he said after
silence. Il thought she might give me privately
some of her views of us tonight But since /
am not to be useful that way, can be simply