The advocate., 1894-02-21
CHAPTER XII.
A SOCIAL REBEL.

To the pleasant old conventions Of our false
humanity. -MRs. BROWNING.
During the last term at Haverhill
Kate and Grace Alden, of Risington,
had become ardent friends. Grace
Alden was altogether different from
Fanny Diegal, not only in complexion
and in temperament, but also in Opin-
ions. 1t was rumOred that she was the
fayorite niece and prospective heir of
rich bachelor uncle; but she hated
social conVentiOnalities and was thor
oughly and sincerely democratic. To
illustrate this trait of Grace'S charaC-
ter, l shall insert here an incident
which some critic will doubtless say |
should have inserted in a previous
chapter, but let that critic understand
once for all that l shall, in this
particular story, pursue such course as
| may choose. l have not employed
any critics, and should any one spend
time or labor in criticizing my work,
let him understand that he shall re-
ceive no compensation whatever from
me. entertain the suspicion that my
readers will have to take this narrative
in just such order as shall be pleased
to write it. Shakespeare was severely
criticized for not following rules laid
down by dullness for the guidance Of
men of sense; and Victor Hugo drove
the French critics insane by daring to
follow his own judgment; yet the crit
les are not discouraged, and are still
ready to measure every new work with
their conventional yard-stick. Now,
the novel is a quite recent invention,
and the first novelist must have been
his own instructor-he had no models
to follow. | have the same right to do
as he did; | am not bound to follow
any writer as a model, and l do not
propose to do so. am writing this
story myself.
One day Kate and Grace were with
Clarence Diegal in a store when a
young SalesWOman having come up to
Grace, the latter greeted her cordially,
called her Emma" and said with
kindly familiarity:
81 am glad to see you out again.
Were you very i'll? / had intended to
visit you to-day, but am rejOiced you
need no visiting"
"Were you cOming?" asked Emma.
"It would have been so nice of you.
Yes, | was real, down sick-real bad. /
was afraid once l had got my never
get-oVer it. had the grippe, you
know"
sis it not imprudent for you to re-
sumo work here so sOOnr" asked Grace.
"The doctor said l Ought'nt to, but
father is out of work, and there is no
bread-Winner but me. I've got to go to
work. Can't help it," said Emma.
"That is dreadful, Emmal | am
afraid it may be bad for you" said
Grace. "Promise me you will send me
word if you should beill again. If there
is anything in the world l can do, you
know l shall be glad to do it,
81 know that, Miss Alden, and I'll
send you word, sure, if get sick again.
But the fioOr-walker is cycling me, and
I'll get fined if l don't get to business.
Did you wish anything in my depart
ment?"
Grace made her purchases and the
trio made their exit. Clarence, who
had been scandalized by this famili-
arity with mere salesWomen, said, on
regaining the sidewalk:
"It is alright, of course, Miss Alden,
but what would your family say If
they knew you treated your interiors
with such familiarity"
"Have ! been treating you with too
much familiarity, Mr.. Diegalp must
beg Miss Cotterell's pardon" said
Grace, with the most innocent look in
the world. Clarence colored at the
well-merited rebuke.
''I mean," said he, "your extraordi-
nary treatment of that saleswoman.
"You mean my friend Emmap Do
you know any i'll of her, Mr.. Diegal ?"
asked Grace, as if greatly concerned.