The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-20
THE VOICE OF SCIENCE.

THE VOICE OF SCIENCE.
Mrs. Esdaile, of the Lindens, Birches.
pool, was lady of quite remarkable scien-
tific attainments. AS honorary secretary
of the ladies' branch of the local Eclectic
society she shone with a never falling bril-.
lance. 1t was even whispered that on ths
occasion of the delivery of Professor Tom
inson's suggestive lecture on the "Peri-
genesis of the PlastiduIe" she was the only
woman in the room who could follow the
lecturer even as far as the end of his title.
1t would have been a strange thing had
Mrs. Esdaile not been popular among local
scientists, for her pretty house, her charm
ing grounds, and all the hospitality which
an income of $4,000 a year will admit of,
were always at their command. On her
| pleasant lawns in the summer, and around
her drawing room fire in the winter. there
was much high talk of microbes and
leucocytes and sterllZed bacteria, where
thin, ascetic materialists from the univer-
| sity upheld the Importance of this life
against round, comfortable companions OF
orthodoxy from the cathedral close. And
in the heat of thrust and parry, when sci
entific proof ran full tilt against inf1exible
faith, word from the clever widow, or an
opportune rattle over the keys by her
pretty daughter, Rose, would bring all
back to harmony once more.
Rose Esdaile had just passed her twenti.
eth year. and was looked upon as one OF
the beauties of Birchespool. Her face was,
perhaps, a triae long for perfect symmetry,
but her eyes were fine, her expression kind.
ly and her complexion beautiful 1t was
an open secret, too, that she had under heI
fathers will e50O year in her own right.
With such advantages a far palmer girl
than Rose Esdaile might create stir in
the society of a provincial town.
A scientific conversations in a private
house is an onerous thing to organize, yet
mother and daughter had not shrunk from
the task On the morning of which ]
write they sat together surveying their ac-
complshed labors, with the pleasant feel
ing that nothing remained to be done save
to receive the congratulations of theiI
friends.
With the assistance of Rupert, the son OF
the house, they had assembled from all
parts OF BirchespoOl objects of scientific
interest. which now adorned the long tables
in the drawing room Indeed, the full tide
of curiosities of every sort which had
swelled into the house had overfowed the
rooms devoted to the meeting, and had
surged down the broad stairs to invade the
dining room and the passage. The whole
villa had become museum. Specimens OF
the flora aud fauna of the Philippine is.
lands, l0-foot turtle carapace from the
Galapagos, the os fronts of the Pos months
as shot by Captain Charles Beesly in the
Thibetan Himalayas, the bacillus of Koch
cultivated on gelatine-these and a thou
sand other such trophies adorned the tables
upon which the two ladies gazed that
morning.
You've really managed it splendidly,
ma" said the young lady, craning hel
neck up to give her mother congratula
tory kiss 1T was so brave of you to un
dertake it.
81 think that will do" purred Mrs Es
dale complacently. "But do hope that
the phonograph will work without a hitch.
You know at the last meeting of the Brit
ish association got Professor StandertoD
to repeat into it his remarks on the life
history of Medusiform Gonophore"
"How funny it seems" exclaimed Rose,
glancing at the square, boxlike apparatus
which stood in the post of honor on the
central table, ito think that this wood and
metal will begin to speak just like hu.
man being"
Hardly that, dear. OF course the pool
thing can say nothing except what is said
to it. You always know exactly what is
coming But do hope that it will work
all right"
Rupert will see to it when he comes W
from the garden. He understands all
about them. Oh. Ina, feel so nervous"
Mrs. Esdaile looked anxiously down at
her daughter and passed her hand caress
ingly over her rich brown hair. II under
stand" she said in her soothing, cooling
voice, 81 understand"
HE will expect an answer tonight, ma"
Follow your heart, child. | am sure
that have every confidence in your good
sense aud discretion. | would not dictate
to you upon such a matter"
"You are so good, ma Of course, as
Rupert says, we really know very little of
Charles-of Captain Beesly. But then, |
ma, all that we do know is in his favor"
quite so, dear. He is musical and well |
informed, and good humored, and certain |
ly handsome. 1t is clear, too, from what |
he says, that he has moved in the very
highest circles"
1.-The best in India, ma. He was an in
innate friend of the governor generals.
You heard yourself what he said yester-
day about the D'Arcies and Lady Gwen
doline Fairfax and Lord Montague Gros-
venor"
"Well, dear" said Mrs. Esdaile resign.
edly, you are old enough to know your
own mind. | shall not attempt to dictate
to you. own that my own hopes were
set upon Professor Stares."
"Oh, ma, think how dreadfully ugly he
is"
'But think of his reputation, dear. Lit
tie more than thirty. and member of the
royal society"
al couldn't, ma don't think could If
there was not another man in the world.
But, oh, do feel so nervous; for you can't
think how earnest be is. | must give him
an answer tonight But they will be here
in an hour. Don't you think that we had
better go TO our rooms?"
The two ladies had risen, when there
came a quick, masculine step upon the
stairs, and brisk young fellow, with
curly black hair dashed into the room.
"All readys" he asked. running his eyes
over the lines of relic strewn tables.
"All ready, dear" answered his mother.
"Oh. am glad TO catch you together"
said he, with his hands buried deeply in
his trousers pockets and an uneasy express
sion on his face. There's one thing that
| wanted 10 speak to you about Look
here, Rosie. bit of fun is all very well,
but YOU wouldn't be such little donkey
to think seriously of this fellow Beeslyt"
"Mv dear Rupert, do try 70 be a little