Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-09

Wutk.
"But who are they? Where do they
come from? tits all very we'll to say
they were born in this country. But
who and what are their parents? Spence
SPENCE never heard the name in my
life. There were some Bars who used
to live in the next street to US when
your mother and were young; but they
were all girls, and as l remember them,
ordinary"
"When men have, acquired fame it is
hardly necessary to inquire il they be-
long to the best families" l rejoined,
borrowing leaf from Aunt Agnes book.
sit is one thing to admire the works
of genius and another to have it tram
posing over your house. Your acqGaint-
ances are, l dare say, we'll enough as
poets and philosophers, but l don't see
what that has to do with you. You are
neither a poet nor philosopher, and you
will flatter them much more by buying
their books than by asking them to five
o'clock tea. Unjust say that, philosopher
or no philosopher, the young man who
was talking with me has very strange
ideas. Just think OF him advocating CO.
operative housekeeping and marriages
before a justice of the peace. fancy,
too, that he is lax in his religious opin-
ions. If he is your idea of a desirable
acquaintance to invite to your house, l
am sorry for it. You never got any such
notions from my side OF the family"
sit is useless to talk with you il you
go off at a tangent, Aunt Helen" said |,
II am proud to call both those young
men my friends, and they are vastly SUI
perior in every way TO nine-tenths of
those one meets in society. Mr.. Spence,
whose ideas you think so peculiar, is one
of the ablest scientists in the country,
and I am going to take lessons in his
philosophy from one of his assistants.
As l told you the other day, l am tired
of frittering away my time in non
sense"
"And as I told you the other day, Vir-
ginia, go on as you have begun, and we
shall hear of you presently on the stage.
That Mr.. Barr might pass in drawing
room OH account of his picturesqucness,
If he were to brush his hair; but the
other one is simply gawk, to be plain.
Science, indeed. Don't come in u few
weeks to ask mo to believe that we are
all descended from monkeys or any
other stuff, for l shan't do ii. That's
what l call nonsense; and you will dis
cover some day that most people who
have any self respect are of my way of
had never known Aunt Helen to be
so excited, but there was nothing to be
done. Society and etiquette were her
household gods; and by ceaSing to wor-
ship the same divnites l had drawn
upon myself the full energy OF her dis
pleasure. Nothing could have offended
her so much. To be odd or different
from other people was in her estimation
a cardinal sin; whereas | parted from
her with still frmer conviction that |
had chosen wisely. The calm, unseltish !
wisdom and steadfastness OF Mr.. Spence |
seemed more indisputable to me than
ever; and in the way of partnership, |
Paul Bars gallantries and sallies were |
vastly preferable to any drawing room |
Irritation.
II was only when I thought OF my |
father that felt any concern or doubt.
knew that he had set his heart upon
ny devoting myself to the study of
PRACTICAL matters. He wished me |
% become cultivated, but scarcely
n the direction had chosen.
What would he say If he
NEW of my determination; and was it
ilal and just to let him remain in ignor-
nee of it? Yet l reasoned that after
III l had made no final decision. l was
Ittracted, it is true, by what might be
allied a visionary theory, but when l
lad given the principles of moderation
urther thought, | might conclrd;H, -, 20
o devote myself to them. IL would De
ime enough later to speak OF the SUP
ect. At present l was only too poorly
,repared to present the ideas OF MIR.
spence in an intelligent manner, and
hould probably prejudice my 1atner
against the whole system.
However, could not refrain from a
lew reflections on the apparent hostility
Of practical men to pure theory, which
after all must be the basis OF all intelll-
vent action. How much nobler to help to |
establish principles ser~ceable to hu-
manity than to make later unconscious |
use of those same principles to advance
one's own selfish interests. why must |
there needs be mutual disdain and cool
ness between those who thought and
those who acted? 1t had been easy for
me to perceive at glance that there
was likely to be but little mutual SYM
pathy between my father and Mr..
Spence, and the consciousness grleVed
me.
But l did not falter in my purpose.
Mr.. Fleisch called to see me the follow
ing day and laid out an elaborate course
of study. He was to come twice a week
to examine me and give me suggestions,
but he said that my progress was mainly
dependent on my own eXertlons.
bought a number of books OF his selec-
tion. and tried to devote five hours each
dsv TO systematic work. Ny tasks were
largely of philosophical character, but
poetry and music of a restrained sort
were also included in Mr.. Fleish's In
structjon, and he said that after the
foundations were laid l should be taught
the dangers of extremes by studying ex-
amples OF the overmuch and the under
much.
At last I was successful one day in
finding Aunt Agnes at homo and alone.
II was about week after my visit from
Mr.. Spence. was disturbed at seeing
her brow contract at sight OF me, but
my worst fears were realized when she
said:
81 do not wonder that you have pre-
ferred to keep away from me-"
son the contrary, Aunt Agnes, have
called twice before this week"
when you knew l was out, dare
say"
There was no answering such logic as
this.
81 seem never to be able to satisfy
Won - said bravely. 81 had come to
tell you that am studying hard unoer