Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-02

why nave taken so mucn LrOuDlo 10
keep you from evil courses. Your
father has given me to understand that
you have begun to listen to the
voice of experience. 1 tried to
save syou from experience by
counsel, but you scoffed at my words
You have providentially had your eyes
opened before it was too late. You
have suffered and I do not wish to add
to your modification by reproach. Let
bygones be bygones, and / trust to hear
no more Of Mr.. Gale and his associates.
"Dale, Aunt Agnes" l said firmly.
She shrugged her shoulders impatient
ly. "What difference does 1t make
whether it is Dale or Gale? You heard
what Miss Kingsley said just now about
the unimportance of accuracy in trivial
matters. You know perfectly well
whom l meant. Let me caution you
again, Virginia, against an undue esti-
mate Of ceremony and form. 1t is the
spirit that Is OF value, not the mere let
ter. Especially should you bear this In
mind in the society of such people as
you will meet on Wednesday evening.
The world is large place, and only in
the circle in which you have been
brought up is excessive regard paid to
insignificant details. Sensible people
have other things to think about"
"Does Mr.. Spence belong to Boston,"
I asked, anxious to find out all l could
about the celebrity.
But this remark was not more happy
than the last. Aunt Agnes pursed her
lips and said:
"If you mean, was he born in Beacon
street, no, he was not. Dreadful as 1t
may seem to you, / know nothing OF
either his father or his mother. But
you will learn when you are little
wiser that genius, In order to be recog-
nized and admired. is not obliged TO
produce parents
Do you understand me, Aunt Agnes.
merely wished to know if he were a
foreigner or not"
she has lived everywhere, believe,
and is cosmopolitan, as all great men
are. He is one Of the few characters
really worth knowing in our community.
His philosophic and hygenic thoughts
surpass his poetry in worth, in the opin-
ion of the best judges"
"And Miss Klngsley-does she write
at all?'
Certainly. Did she not tell you that
she is the compiler of the weekly COL
umn of fashionable items in the Sunday
MercTyT
eyes, ;" said 1, "but that is scarcely
literature"
Aunt Agnes did not answer for mo-
ment. "You have judged hastily, and
consequently have misjudged. II you
were to ask. me whether l think Miss
Kingsley's present occupation is proper
tionate to her abilities, should answer
mo- She would herself admit that it
was ackwork-though, mind you. even
hackwork can be redeemed by an artis-
tic spirit, as she has so adequately ex-
planned to you. All young women have
not independent fortunes, and such as
are without means have to take what
ever they can find to do in the line OF
their professions. / agree with your i'm
pllcation that society items do not con-
Stitute literature, but they are stepping
stones to higher things. Which is the
more creditable, pray, to collect and
chronicle the social customs OF the age
in which you live, foolish as they may
be, or to be one of the giddy and friv-
olous creatures whose doings are thus
compiled as warning to posterity or to
excite it's jeers? The one is work, earn
est though humble; the other, sheer
dissipation of the energies OF life."
| felt that this was aimed at me, but
as made no response Aunt Agnes con-
tinued:
"Do not mistake my meaning now,
and say that 1 wish you to become a
collector of fashionable information.
On the contrary, should much regret
to see YOU anything OF the kind. BY the
very circumstance that Providence has
given you the means to pick and choose,
YOU are marked out for work OF less
superficial order. But you must not
undervalue others who are less able to
consult their own preferences. MISS
Kingsley Is young woman OF decided
capabilities for original composition.
Mr.. Spence has spoken to me OF her In
terms of the highest praise. Because
she is obliged for her support to cater
10, the popular taste for social intelli-
gence, it by no means follows that she
does not employ her spare hours to bet
ter advantage. / shall not violate any
condolences l may have received In say
ing that Miss Kingsley is capable OF
literary production of high order"
out" said l, after moments ST.
lence, "you cannot approve OF the Gus
tom of putting the private affairs OF peo-
pie into print, Aunt Agnes"
at is preferable at least to wasting
the best years of ones life In fashion
able folly she replied with some as
peritY.
AS saw it would be hopeless to pur-
sue the conversation on this head with
out danger OF further disagreement,
rose to take my leave. But when
stopped to kiss her, she took me by the
hand and said with much seriousness,
but with a purpose to be kindly:
81 have much greater hopes, Vir-
GINA, l frankly confess, regarding the
stability of your character than when
last conversed with you. You may de-
pend on whatever assistance lies in my
power, but let me impress upon you that
the cultivation which your talents oetit
YOU to attain cannot be reached with
out strenuous exertions on your own
part"
az shall do all can to make the most
of my advantages, Aunt Agnes, you
may depend upon it; and / thank you
heartily for your offer of help. hope
have done with frivolity forever"
"My niece marry a whipper-snapper
like that Mr.. Gale, indeedl tell me!
1 had not the hardihood to correct
her again, and so we parted.
CHAPTER II.
raped at Miss Kingsley's door on
"Wednesday evening with some trepida-