San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-11


you further. Let me gO-you are mad"
Ayear passed without special incident,
and yet certain things require to be told
so that the sequel may seem consistent.
Contrary to Aunt Agnes insinuation,
proved sincere in my devotion to study.
Mr.. Fleisch came regularly twice a
week, and during the summer months
when / was away from home his instruc-
ton was continued by means of cor
respondence. | found him, as Mr.. Spence
had predicted, an admirable teacher.
His work was everything to him, and he
imbued me with his ability to look at
our relations as strictly impersonal. He
might have been machine, so little was
he susceptible to any mood of mine-a
more indispensable each day to a proper
understanding between pupil and master.
As result of his teaching and my own
industry | acquired before many months
an intimate knowledge of the views
shared by those who called themselves
Moderationists, and, moreover, without
the slightest diminution of my enthusi-
asm. was able to converse intelli-
gently with the most proficient of the
school, and there was little of the sys-
tenn that failed to commend itself to me
as entitled to faith and support. | at
tended meetings and lectures in advo-
cacy of its theories, and occasionally took
part in debates on questions relating to
the management of the Society for the
Practice of Moderation, of which was
elected treasurer. Thus it happened
that my name appeared in the newspa-
pers as one Of the leading spirits of the
movement, and among my former &C
quaintances there was a general impress
sion that had become very peculiar.
My old ballroom rivals, who were for
the most part Waiting as hard as ever,
would stop me in the street and say,
Virginia, dear, is it true you are going
into a convent" or, what is this hear,
Virginia, about your being in favor of
female suffrage? Do you really think
women ought to voter" Once in a while
some friend, who was either more &C
curate by nature, or who really felt an
interest in me, would hit closer to the
mark, and perhaps with a sigh express
regret at not having the courage to be-
come literary too. But it does separate
one so from other people-that is, people
one knows; don't you think so, dear?"
1t certainly did was completely es-
tranged from my old associations, and
spent my time, when not employed in
study, largely at the rooms of our soci-
ETY., where Mrs. Marsh presided as sec
rotary. There We're countless circulars
and pamphlets to be mailed, setting forth
our purposes and needs. Mrs. Marsh,
despite an inaccurate acquaintance with
and an overweening curiosity regarding
the doings of fashionable people, was
model of executive ability. With some
one at hand to correct her grammar and
spelling, she could transact greater
amount of business than half a dozen
ordinary women. In my zeal to see
things properly done constituted my
self her assistant, and we managed to-
gether the whole work of the bureau, as
Miss Kingsley liked to call our humble
quarters.
Ny relations with Miss Kingsley were
outwardly very friendly.
She would come whisking into the
rooms where Mrs. Marsh and / were
hard at work and potter about for
few minutes, asking questions and Civ
ing US advice, and then whisk out again
with an encouraging nod. She was apt
to time her visits so as to meet Mr.
Spence. who cane regularly. some time