The Press., 1893-06-22
BEYOND THE CITY.
l rcopyrtght 1893 by Authors Alliance. All rights | ReServed.l
CHAPTER X.
WOMEN or THE FuTuRE.


 From that day tho doctors peace was gone. Never was quiet and orderly household transformed so suddenly into a beer garden or happy man turned into such a completely miserable one. He had never realized before how entire ly his daughters had shielded him from all the friction of life. Now that they had not only ceased to protect him, but had themselves become source of trou- ble to him, he began to understand how great the blessing was which he had en- joyed and to sigh for the happy days be- fore his girls had come under the infiu- ence of his neighbor.
 ''You don't look happy" Mrs. Vest macott had remarked to him one morn ing. "You are pale and little off color. You should come with me for 8 1O-mile spin upon the tandem"
 ''I am troubled about my girls" They were walking up and down in the gar den. From time to time there sounded from the house behind them the long sad vail of a>French horn.
 ssThat is Ida," said he. ''She has taken to practicing on that dreadful instru- ment in the intervals of her chemistry. And Clara is quite as bad. declare it is getting quite uncomfortable.
 "Ah, doctor, doctor!' she cried, shak- ing her forefnger with gleam of her white teeth. "You must live up to your principles-you must give your daugh- ters the same liberty as you advocate for other women."
 "Liberty, madam, certainly! But this approaches to license"
 "The same law for all, my. friend. J She tapped him reprovingly on the arm with her sunshade. "When you were 20, your father did not, presume, object to your learning chemistry or playing a musical instrument. You would have thought it tyranny if he had"
 "But there is such sudden change in them both"
 "Yes, I have noticed that they have been very enthusiastic lately in the cause of liberty. Of all my disciples think that they promise to be the most devoted and consistent, which is the more natu ral since their father is one of our most trusted champions"
 The doctor gave twitch of impatience ''I seem to have lost all authority" he cried. .---.
 s'No, no, my dear friend. They are g little exuberant at having broken the trammels of custom. That is all."
 '"You cannot think what have had te put up with, madam. It has been 6 dreadful experience. Last night, after had extinguished the candle in my bed room, I placed my foot upon something smooth and hard, which scuttled from under me- Imagine my horror! lii the gas and came upon well known tor toise which Clara has thought fit to in troduce into the house. call it filthy custom to have such pets."
 Mrs. Westmacott dropped him little courtesy. "Thank you, sir," said she ''That is a nice little side hit at my pool Eliza"
 "I give you my word that had for. gotten about her," cried the doctor, flush. ing. "One such pet may no doubt be endured, but two are more than can bear. Ida has monkey which lives on the curtain rod. It is most dreadful creature. It will remain absolutely mo- tionless until it sees that you have for gotten it's presence, and then it will sud denly bound from picture to picture all round the walls and end by swinging down on the bellrope and jumping onto the top of your head. At breakfast ii stole poached egg and daubed it all over the door handle. Ida calls these outrages amusing tricks"