Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-20
A Question Of Muscle.
tF'rom Ev'ry month";

| somewhat old fashioned person. am
| the modern muscular young woman
filled him with both surprise and indiG
! nation. 1t was therefore unfortunate
| that his niece should have been a par
,icularly fine specimen Of this kind o
| thing.
| Audrey Corbett was unusually tan
| unusually fair to look upon and very
unusually vigorous and active. othel
| women liked her. They said she wa:
''nice"-hy which they meant that she
was as healthy in mind as she was !,
| BODY. and that the small meannesse;
| which spoil many natures had been left
nut of hers. But with the male portion
of her ACQUAINTANCE she did not get
on quite SO well She suffered from ~
Iunceasing desire to prove the genoa
,upe riority Of woman 10 man One o.
her pet theories WAS that, given fair
advantages and proper training, there
vas 10 reason at all why women should
Not presently rival men IN physical
strength. She herself walked and
drove and rode and hicycled and golfe1
land skated aud iennised with amazing
Nigor.
Her cousin, Tom corbett, was wont
10 listen To her TRADES with an amiable
smile He said that she was undoubt-
cliy right and that men Mere a poor
lot That was why il was such a good
E,sing that the women were going Ia
take over the management Of the world.
| lie was a big. broad -shouidered young
| man. with clever, ugly face. and a
great talent for lying contentelly under
| trees
| Nov il was desirable for many rea-
sons trrasui.s principally connected
| With the property that these two
cousins should presently drift into
| natrimany. that it was perhaps Only
| natural that Audrey should set her
| lace aGainst the arrangement with all
| her niisht And AUdrey's likes and
| dislikes were not things Ia ne trified
th, You might argue with her # you
| fcl: So disposed. and when YOU had eX
aaBsted yourself she would smile
sWeetly and say she was quite con-
yinced that your way was best. only
she did not intend 10 follow it, As
soon as she suspected her uncle'5 little
matrimonial scheme she SHE'D away
from it like a frightened colt
The man | marry" she announced
ore day. apropos of nothing. must
symrathize with and share all my pur-
suits
Poor de-beggar," said Tom, choose
him sound in wind and limb. Audrey
or he will undoubtedly double up and
die of exhaustion"
But old Mr. Corhett was disturbed
by Audrey's opposition.
-
Audrey had left them. it is really
most desirable that YOU should marry
your cousin"
Tom was lighting his pipe at the
moment. He waited until he had
finished before he answered.
Il mean to marry her" said he. Not
| because it is desirable Because
want to-"
But, II am afraid she doesn't want
to. Tom he said
II know she doesn't" he returned
cheerfully. Nevertheless. / mean to
do it. Do not look startled. l do not
intend to use force,''
Now a few days after this Tom was
lying comfortably stretched out under
a tree on the lawn smoking. when
Audrey came out of the house and
stopped beside him. She was dressed
for walking in a short skirt and thick
boots. She professed to despise per-
sonal adornment, but those boots.
though thick, had made her bootmaker
very unhappy before they were to her
mind.
Il cannot imagine, Tom said she.
how you can take a pleasure in being
so ridiculously lazy"
Il cannot imagine. Audrey" said he.
how you can take pleasure in being
$50 ridiculously active
She dug the point of her stick into
the grass and frowned
1T is perfectly idiotic." she ex-
claimed. You do nothing but loaf and
laze"
This was scarcely fair statement.
fer the whole management of old Mr..
|CorbettS estate was in Toms hands.
Moreover. it was particularly well
managed. He did not contradict her.
however.
That is my idea of enjoyment" he
reioined.
You might as we'll be a sheep or a
cow she said. waving her hand to-
ward an adjacent field.
I am glad you did not say donkey"
he remarked, smiling
But she was very much in earnest.
Look how out of training you must
be- she said. why. / do not believe
You could walk a couple of miles."
He laughed.
Il daresay 1 am out of training, he
said; nevertheless. my dear girl. I
could outwalk you without any trouble
at ALL"
Audrey gasped-and then laughed
scornfully.
or course l could he repeated.
gazing up into leafy branches atove
him with an innocent air. so coull
any fellow of ordinary average
strength. Not that l mean to insinu-
ate that you are merely an average
girl. Audrey assure you l have al
ways looked upon you as phenome-
non!'