The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-08-21

OpcHeu UciOfo It WAS LOO ictl0. 1Ou udFe
suffered, and | do not wish to add to
your modification by reproach. Let by
cones be bygones. and trust to hear no
more of Mr.. Gale and his associates.
dale, Aunt Agnes said firmly
She shrugged her shoulders inpatient
iy What difference does it make
whether it is Dale or Gale2 You heard
the unimp,rtance of accuracy i'll trivial
matters Y,a knew perfectly well
whom / meant. Let ME caution yor
again, Virginia, against an undue esti-
mate Of ceremony and form It is the
spirit that is Of value, not the mere
letter Especially should you bear this
in mind in the society of such people as
you will meet on Wednesday evening
The world is Il 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,
| asked, anxious TO find out all could
about the celebrity
But this remark was not more happy
than the last Amt Agnes pursed her
lips and said:
If you mean was he born in Beacon
street, no. he was not Dreadful as it
may seem TO YOU, | know nothing OF
either his father or his mother. But
you will learn when you are Il little wiser
that genius in order to be recognized and
admired is not obliged to produce pa
rents
you misunderstood me, Aunt Agnes.
| merely wished to know if he were
foreigner or not.
He 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 philoaophic and hygienic thoughts
surpass his poetry in worth, in the opinion
of the best judges.
"And Miss Kingsley-does she write
at alp" -
Certainly Did she not tell you that
she is the compiler of the weekly column
of fashionable items in The Sunday Mer
cury?"
yes" said l. "Jut that is scarcely
literature
Aunt A gnes did not answer for mo-
ment You have Judged hastily, and
consequently have misjudged If you
were to ask me whether | think Miss
Kingsleys present occupation is proper
tomato to her abilities, should answer
no. She would herself admit that it
was hackwork-though, mind you, even
hackwork can be redeemed by an artistic
spirit, as she has so adequately explained
TO you All young women have not in
dependent fortunes, and such as are
without means,are obliged to take what
ever they cam find to do in the line of
their professions. agree with your inn
plication 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 a warning to posterity or to
excite its jeers? The one is work, earnest
though humble; the other, sheer dis
sipation 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 | 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 a less
superficial order. But you must not
undervalue others who are less able to
consult their own preferences Miss
Kingsley is a 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 to
the popular taste for social intelligence
it by no means follows that she does not
employ her spare hours to better advan-
tage. | shall not violate any condolences
may have received in saying that Miss
Kingsley is capable of literary produc-
ton of high order"
"But," said |, after moments silence
you cannot approve of the custom of
putting the private affairs of people into
print, Aunt Agnes"
ut is preferable at least to wasting the
best years of ones life in fashionable
folly" she replied with some asperity
As saw it would be hopeless to pursue
the conversation on this head without
danger of further disagreement, I 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, Virginia,
frankly confess, regarding the stability
of your character than when I last con-
versed with you. You may depend on
whatever assistance lies in my power;
but let me impress upon you that the
cultivation which your talents beft you
to attain cannot be reached without
strenuous exertions on your own part.
81 shall do al | 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 I have
done with friyolity forever"
my niece marry a whipper-snapper
Like that Mr.. Gale, indeed Tell mer
had not the hardihood to correct her
again. and so we parted