The herald., 1894-01-01
A GIRL WITH A MISSION.

thing.
She h4a violent attack, and WAS the
envy of all the assistant librarians, the
sbort-haired ones aud the austcreiy be-
spectacled ones.
When attacked, her friends hat called
her Patty, and even Patsy, but es her
ideas took root she frowned when thus
address ed, and began to sign herseN
Miss P. Chsrmington.
She felt that she had not. relatively
speaking, long to live, and that there
was no time for sentiment. aSl
The overpopulation OF the world and
the equality OF the sexes we're trip pingly
upon her tongue. and she determined to
devote herself to solving these problems
and the acquisition of languages.
Pretty girls with mission are not so
terrible as some others, and Mies Patsy,
begging her psrd n, did not seem able
to keep from being admired.
This was not her fault, evidently. and
shs put it down to the increasing inter-
est which man was taking in serious
views OF life at this end OF the century.
She talked volu bly, to the email army
OF girls in the library about the ridicu-
lousneee of women assuming the mstri-
monial state, and was 80 savage in her
speech that some OF the palmer ones
looked wlstful.
Many time she shook her dark curls
at the city hall reporter when he ven-
tured to suggest thst time might cause
q change in her views of life as applied
to herself.
"The idea" she would say. ''Isn't it
nobler to devote ones self to tho broader
influences of these terribly burning
questions than to settle down into
humdrum existence?"
81 didn't say anything about it's not
being NOBLE"
"You have no heart" said Miss Patsy.
''You think you are so superior; but
l will never cease until women are re-
cognized as they should be. They can
tiIink. They They cen be logical. / will
never marry"
Just what all this had to do with a
simple remark about the ameliorating
influences OF time was puzzle.
But it was tangible evidence that the
assistant librarian was ruffled, and she
founced away to wait upon lady with
q mannish etride who called for the
Occult Influences OF an Esoteric Life.
As the months passed Miss P. Charm !,
ington sported her oak, 30 to speak, to
the world, and plunged into maelstrom
of books from which she emerged only
at intervals to gasp for breath. 0r
The city hall reporter met her occa-
sionally on his rounds and held crisp
conversations with her about Herbert
Spencer and other light writers.
81 don't see why l should not lead
my own life in my own way" the girl
said one day. There are millions OF peo-
pie in the world who need stirring up.
A remark dropped casually by the
person addressed, to the effect that it
was charming to be scolded by the
right one. had its usual effect and the
soul-stirred librarian entered the eleva-
tor.
It was not alone in talk to friends that
Miss Patience Charmington went on her
way during these troubled months. She
attended high art meetings, was of
course an active member OF the Friday
Morning club, the Shakespeare club, the
Political Economy circle, and never lost
lecture on any sbstruse, difficult SUBJ
ject. s
Miss Patience was seized by the grav-
ity of her mission in life along in the
spring. If it had been a physical all
ment she might have recovered in q
short time. but as it was the trouble
grew and thickened for months.
IL cannot be said truthfully that her
appatite grew less, but just as truly it
may be asseverated that she was not
happy.
Underneath the surface was a sympa-
thy for the under dog in the struggles Of
humanity, which caused her dainty
brows to contract, and more and more
as she realized her inability to settle
the whole affair TO her satisfaction. But
she never ceased talking to her friends.
the assistant librarians, and renewed
her diatribes against marriage, up to q
short time ago.
1t was then noticed in the library
that Miss Patsy wouid lapse into fre-
quent silences. Her friends thought she
was meditating fresh onslaught upon
the lines she had marked out. But the
city hall reporter had his suspicious
that the cause of the change was not
altogether attributable to the condition
OF the human race.
She was not nearly so fierce in her
remarks and exhibited disposition to
hedge that almost induced repetition
VI ING remark once mau0 LDat Time
might cause q change in her views.
In short the girl showed that an IN.
ternal conflict of some sort was going
on. But che would not knuckle. No,
sir. She insisted that her intentions
were as fixed and unaiterabe as the
laws OF the Medes and Persinns..
1t was singular what an effect the con-
tinued battle waged by the fair Phill--
tine had amongst all the young ladies
who served out mental pabulum to the
public.
Her invective had crystallized the
floating sentiments which pteval ei,
and the mothers and fathers o! ths
community would have been horrlnsd
at the steady stream oi iconociasm
which prevailed amongst the gifls.
Miss Patsy was virtually their leader
and they locked to her to pla main a
stern and unyielding front against all
forms OF the usual gentle influences to
which girls sonnet mes succl nib.
Such g. thing as her proving recreant
to the trust placed in her was not
dreamed OF. 1t could not bo that gin,
who thought nothing OF walking into
the city editors room aid nouchaMn'v
asking him Low stuff was ton. snt,"
coad isll down.
Yet her Sctione were very suspicious,
and ahe WAS i'll at eaee.
One morning recently Misc Charming
ton Gaid to the city nali inportu~.